I am the oldest of 3 children. As the eldest sibling, much of my childhood was spent watching over my two younger brothers while my parents tried to get chores done around the house or work completed from the day or week before. There were few things in life that could keep my brothers entertained. One liked GI Joes and soccer. The other preferred racing Hotwheels around an imaginary track and recreating the sounds of the speedway. Keeping my brothers engaged in one of their interests before moving on to the next thing could last anywhere from 5 minutes to 30.
Presenting to children is like acting in a sketch comedy show – the focus shifts every few minutes and the theme is as consistent as Oklahoma weather. According to a recent article from Edutopia, “children can concentrate on one task for two to five minutes per year old.” To get everything you can out of a public speaking session to kids, follow the CAP system of presentation training:
Content
If I were explaining tornadoes to a group of my peers – millennials – I would likely say the following:
A tornado is a forceful combination of winds produced when cold and humid air or weather fronts collide – creating opportunities for air to circulate at many altitudes. This forms a counter-clockwise rotation capable of causing massive destruction.
On the other hand, I would relay this same concept – of tornadoes – to a group of children in a much different way. Instead, I would say:
Tornadoes are swirling gray and white clouds. If cold air meets warm air, you might see a tornado.
When creating content for a presentation to children, you need to consider your approach to these aspects:
Text
Speaking script
Visuals
Narrative
The text on each slide of your deck should be minimal and bold. Always include a relevant image – a visual that corresponds exactly to the message you want the kids to receive. Along with being comprehensible and simplified, your speaking script for a presentation to children should be brief. Don’t set any content in stone as various questions from inquisitive minds may arise during your talk. In addition, children respond better to stories than to directions and lectures.
Activity
Whatever the concept or topic is that you are discussing with children, you should always attempt to include a few activities that are varied in their emphasis. For example, include simple activities that include tasks broken into segments. Sprinkle a physical activity into the mix to get the kids’ blood moving. And, finally, insert an activity to test their mind – such as a memory task or game. Since, on average, children can stay tuned into one task for about 6-10 minutes, introduce an activity at appropriate intervals. If you have just talked about the rotating winds required to characterize a tornado, immediately enter into an activity where your audience tapes a water bottle with some water inside to an empty water bottle. Allow them to physically create the appearance of a tornado and visualize the process.
Presence
An important presentation training tip for presenting to children involves quickening the pace of your speech. Move from point to point as fast as possible without talking over 124 words per minute (that’s the maximum rate at which the average child can process information). Pay attention not only to the way you present yourself vocally, but also to the way you present yourself physically. The next time you present to a young audience, get on their level. Instead of standing at the front of the room, sit in a chair in the middle of the classroom or auditorium. Get creative with how you look and act in front of an audience of children.
Children are perhaps the worst critics; they are brutally honest and difficult to engage. Just keep the CAP system of presentation training for presenting to kids in mind and map out the best performance you can. And check out more resources to enhance your presentation delivery below!
10 Tips for Little Presentations (Or Presentation to Little People)
Write the Best Presentation Opening Line
The Surprising Impact of Hand Gestures in Public Speaking
