7 Activities to Promote Communication Skills in Kids

Having strong communication skills is extremely important. Being able to express ourselves clearly and effectively improves our quality of life. It adds confidence to our personality and saves us from unexpected consequences. Communication skills help us build healthy relationships and improve our work lives. Not being able to express ourselves clearly often leads to misunderstandings, which can be really stressful. That’s why kids need to learn communication skills early so they develop the ability to express themselves openly and efficiently. Here are seven activities that can be done to improve kids’ communication skills.

1. Interactive discussions

A great way to develop communication skills in kids is by involving them in interactive discussions. Talk to them on different topics. Let them speak and listen patiently. Ask them about their day and take their opinions on different topics. For example, ask them what they think about a particular subject, why some colors are their favorites, and what we can do to improve the setting of a room. Involving them in discussions and making them feel that their opinion is important will boost their confidence, and they will learn to articulate their feelings and opinions better.

2. Doing an Interview

An extremely effective way of improving communication skills is by doing interviews. We see celebrities being asked questions and how they choose to talk about different topics. Doing interviews is helpful for children too. Make them sit for a few minutes and let them feel comfortable. When they are ready to talk, ask them questions like an interviewer would ask a guest. Ask about their family, friends, studies, hobbies, and opinions on different topics. They can learn so much from this single activity. It will increase their self-awareness, and they will slowly but surely learn to express themselves in a good way. You can switch roles and then ask them to be the interviewer, and they will learn to ask the right questions.

3. Watching talk shows

Just like we learn to write by reading, we learn to speak by listening. A good writer is also a good reader. Similarly, a good speaker must also be a good listener. Watching the right talk shows can help kids develop better communication skills and improve their vocabulary. When they observe how different talk show hosts ask questions according to the genre and mood of the show and how guests choose to respond, they will learn to speak better. Their communication skills will improve tremendously, and they will become good listeners and speakers. Watching TED Talks is also a great idea.

4. Class presentations

Presenting something in front of the class and sharing your ideas and knowledge with the class is vital for communication skill development. Kids from a young age should start giving presentations so they learn to face the audience and express themselves. It will boost their confidence. Of course, it can be overwhelming in the beginning. But with time, kids will learn to overcome their shyness, fears, social anxiety, and stage fright. This thing will help them throughout their life in both personal and professional capacities.

5. Debate competitions

Through debate competitions, kids learn to put across their points convincingly and also learn to defend their opinions. It boosts their confidence in public speaking and handling pressure. Debates are useful for learning effective communication. While debating, kids learn to do critical thinking on the spot and present convincing arguments.

Therefore, they should be encouraged to participate. Schools should not just select a few confident individuals for participation. All kids should be given a chance to do this activity. It’s the duty of teachers to build these skills in students and find out the areas in which they are lacking. Improvement comes with consistent practice. If they feel shy, help them start slowly. They can first do this activity in front of their friends or a few individuals instead of a large audience.

 6. Describe the picture.

Another useful and fun activity for kids through which they can improve their communication skills is describing a picture. This is an effective practice for improving observation and articulation. Pick up a magazine or a newspaper and ask your kid to describe the picture. The description can include things like the activity going on in the picture, its colors and aesthetics, and the emotion it invokes in your kid. You can also download some puzzling pictures from the internet and let your kids describe their complexities. Regularly doing this practise will help kids improve their analytical and communication skills.

7. Guess the object.

‘Guess the object’ is a very entertaining activity, and kids can benefit a lot from it in terms of communication. The best kind of learning happens when there is fun. Teachers can arrange this activity in a class, and parents can also do this at home. You will be able to spend quality time with your kids while helping them learn an important skill. In this activity, you will sit with your kid, facing each other’s back. Your kid will be given an object that they need to describe to you so you can guess it, but the name of the object cannot be mentioned unless it is guessed. A time limit has to be set for every round. This activity is really fun and will bring lots of laughter. Kids of all age groups can play this game.

Conclusion

These are some of the activities that can help your child learn the art of communication. This is an important part of education. This is not only important for academic achievements but also for long-term success in practical life. It also becomes easier to make connections and maintain healthy relationships if one knows how to communicate properly. Do not push your kids too much, or they will get annoyed and overwhelmed. Skills development requires a lot of practice, consistency, and patience. Doing the above-mentioned communication exercises will be beneficial for your child in the long run. We hope you enjoy doing these fun activities with your kids and it helps them become eloquent.