For parents of young learners

Public speaking activities for kids

Children get confident at speaking the same way they get good at a sport: by doing it often, in small, fun bursts. These 15 activities need nothing more than a few minutes and an audience of one or two.

By the Eloqova team · Updated 30 October 2026

Keep it light: praise effort, laugh together, and never correct in the middle of a turn. Give one tip at the end instead.

15 activities, with the age they suit

Activity	Best for	How to play
Show and tell	UKG to Class 2	Your child shows a toy or object and says three things about it.
One-word story	UKG to Class 5	Take turns adding one word each to build a silly story.
Picture talk	UKG to Class 3	Show a picture and ask your child to describe what's happening.
Mirror speech	Class 1 to 5	Your child gives a 30-second talk to a mirror, watching their face and hands.
Just a minute	Class 3 to 8	Speak on a topic for one minute without stopping or repeating.
Newsreader	Class 2 to 8	Read out one news story, or make one up, like a TV anchor.
Sell it	Class 2 to 8	Pick an everyday object and "sell" it to the family in 30 seconds.
Interview	Class 1 to 8	Your child interviews a family member with five questions, then reports back.
Story dice or cards	UKG to Class 5	Roll dice or pick picture cards and tell a story using all of them.
Mini debate	Class 4 to 8	Pick a fun topic like "Cats vs dogs" and argue one side for one minute.
Tongue twister race	UKG to Class 8	Say a twister slowly three times, then faster, clearly.
Teach the teacher	Class 1 to 8	Your child teaches you something they learnt in school today.
Weather report	UKG to Class 4	Look outside and give a 30-second weather report with actions.
Puppet show	UKG to Class 2	Shy children often speak more easily through a puppet or soft toy.
Dinner table toast	Class 2 to 8	Stand up and say a few lines thanking someone at dinner.

How to practise at home

Pick one activity a day and rotate through the list.
Keep turns short: 30 seconds to 2 minutes.
Be an enthusiastic audience: eye contact, nodding and clapping.
Give one tip at the end, like "Look at us more" or "Slow down a little."

Questions parents ask

How can I improve my child's public speaking at home?

Give your child short, regular chances to speak in front of family, using games like show and tell, just a minute and mini debates. Ten minutes a day works better than one long session.

What age should children start public speaking?

As early as UKG with show and tell and picture talk. Older children can move on to debates, extempore and speeches.

My child is shy. Which activity should we start with?

Start with a puppet show or picture talk, where attention is on something other than your child, then move to show and tell.

More free guides

Want expert help? See our public speaking classes for kids: live 1:1 online classes for UKG to Grade 8.