How to Help Shy 5 Yr Old with Public Speaking

Does she have to step forward to say her line? Ask her if she would like to have a good friend stand next to her when she says her line? Most Kindergarten, first grade teachers have the students who Volunteer say lines. shy kids say the line WITH another child. this would be giving her the same experience of talking in public, just not alone.

Heavy-duty stuff for a kiddo, huh?

You know, I wouldn't make an issue out of this. Let her practice the line at preschool during their rehearsals. Keep it *there* and do not bring it home for her to work on. The teachers are driving this train, so just prep *them* instead: "Suzy may not say her line, so if that happens, be prepared that you might need to just say it for her."

My son was recently in a class puppet-show production, in front of the parents. (Kindergarten) At least a full third of the kids needed prompts or completely forgot their lines. I didn't work on it with him, just figured that he'd cue in (or not) when it was his turn to talk. He goofed more than half his lines, a few had to be spoken for him by the adult narrator-- and we just didn't make an issue out of it. Didn't prep him and didn't talk about the mistakes afterward, just "it was fun to see you with your puppet!" and how I liked the story they shared with us. Focus on the whole event, not on just her part, when you are talking with her.

I wouldn't ask her how she feels and I wouldn't offer her an out (which could be taken as a no-confidence vote before she has a chance to think about her own feelings); just let that event stay at school and don't discuss her shyness in front of her. My guess is that the less you talk about it, the less anxiety you will transfer and the more she will just do what she's going to do.

For what it's worth, 3 years of Drama class in high school brought me out of my shell, but I wasn't ready for it until I was ready. Good luck!

Don't push her. Ask if she would rather someone else be given the line to say. I was incredibly shy as a child, and I now do community theater, including having done a show where I was dancing on stage in nothing but my underwear. She will get over it in her own time.

Well, I don't have specific suggestions, but I would say not to presume it will be a problem for her, unless she specifically says something to you about it first.
If you go to her with a ton of suggestions, aren't you going to be subconsciously suggesting that she SHOULD be nervous or unwilling to do this? Has she said anything to you? She might be excited, you never know.

My daughter has always been rather quiet and shy, except when she is very very comfortable with familiar people around. She has played piano in talent shows, walked on stage many times to accept awards and recited lots of memory work in front of an audience. She plays the organ weekly for our congregation and has been doing so for 2 years. She is only 11.

I say, unless your daughter starts talking to you about being scared or nervous, don't assume she will be and accidentally suggest to her that she should be. Just tell her what an honor it is and how proud you are of her.

berenstain bears have a book about sister bears stage fright. I like it because it talks about practicing alot and that everyone gets nervous right before but as soon as you start you get right into it.

I don't know if calling grandma and perfoming for her on the phone would help or make it worse.

I also just read a book on self defense for kids. that talked about having them place their own orders at resturants so they get used to speaking up for themselves.

good luck i was shy too but have grown out of it somewhat just by doing it.

Two ideas, for what they're worth:

1. If she doesn't feel like saying her line to her teachers, will she talk to her Teddy Bear? If there's a toy or doll that she can say her line to, agree to hold Teddy or Dolly at the back or side of the room, and your daughter can speak her line to that "person." All those other folks in the room don't matter - she can say HER line to her friend. Lots of speakers of all ages pick out the friendly-looking members of the audience and concentrate to them.

2. Ask the teacher if your daughter can say her line with a buddy. It can make all the difference in the world to be up front with somebody else!

They say that public speaking is one of the fears that *most people* have. So she's not being difficult or even unusual. Don't make a big deal out of it. If she happens to freeze up - well, it happens sometimes; she hasn't ruined the program or anything. Everybody will love her (and sympathize with her) all the same. And there will be other opportunities.

See if you can find a book at the children's library titled "Sophie and the Wonderful Picture" by Kaye Umansky. Sophie (a rabbit) and her friend Graham (a frog) paint a picture. Sophie is sure she's too timid to tell about the picture during the parents' program, so she agrees to hold the picture up while Graham explains to everyone about it. It doesn't quite go the way they intended, though. It's a sweet story and might make your daughter smile.

Please, don't take any offense by this, but I am amazed at the pomp and circumstance reserved for preschool graduations, kindergarten graduations, 1st grade graduations, 2nd grade, 3rd grade, etc.

Maybe I'm "old school", but graduations are usually reserved for 8th grade, high school, and college or university.

I suppose there is nothing wrong with a little ceremony of sorts, but you'd be surprised how many people I work with that put in time-off requests because their child is graduating from kindergarten or first grade. Sure, it's a milestone, but I think that it takes away from the important stuff.
For instance, my son is graduating from high school with honors. His yearbook, his cap and gown, his senior portraits, graduation announcements, the award ceremony two days before. It's very expensive.

I have two kids and I always thought the graduations for younger kids were a bit much. That is just my opinion.

If your daughter is really shy and reserved and nervous, I wouldn't force her to say anything. Some kids are very vocal and not worried at all about public speaking. Her teacher may feel confident she can pull it off and be encouraging her, but if it's fairly known that your daughter could freeze, I wouldn't put the pressure on her.

The only thing you can do is tell your daughter that you have every faith in her, but if she truly feels she can't do it, she needs to speak up.
On one hand, it might not be as bad as she thinks. She's just talking to parents and other family members. No one is going to make fun of her. She is, after all, only 5. No one is going to say she did a horrible job, even if she flubs a bit. If she forgets what she's supposed to say, she can always wing it and no one will know the difference.

Only you and your daughter know her comfort level.

I wish there wasn't so much pressure put on kids at such and early age for something like this.

Again, just my opinion.
I hope it all works out.

I would practice with her but don't make this sound like something urgent or the most important thing she's ever done because it's not. The best way to help her feel comfortable is to play it casual. Adding that sense of urgency will give her anxiety.

When the time comes, if she only gets through part of it or she simply can't do it, that's okay. No punishment, no reprimand, just a simple, "Great job, honey! I know how hard that was."

Been there, done that, got the t-shirt.

practice , practice , practice.
And make sure she knows that it will be OK if she does screw up. That everyone messes up making speeches every now and then. Have her pretend that she's saying it just to you when she's saying it to the crowd or the teacher. Have her say it to the mirror.

But the number one thing is let her know that if she does mess up it is ok and it will be OK. Letting her know that messing up is not a big deal will help take the pressure off.

And maybe for graduation make sure she can see you and tell her to just look at you , or the teacher not the crowd.

Why does she "have" to speak? At our elementary school, when there is an event where some children will have speaking parts, the teachers ask the children. The children have the option to say they'd rather not have a speaking part and of course there are a lot of children who do want speaking parts.

That said, now that she has the part, I would continue to practice with her but don't make it such a huge deal. If she screws up her line, no big deal. ONLY praise her because at least she is getting up there to try.

I've been on stage a lot with beauty pagaents, singing, and modeling and no matter how much you have done it and practice it... you still get the butterflies. I always found a mark in the audience to focus on and I didn't look at people in the eye unless I was being addressed by someone.

Whatever you do, make sure she has positive reinforcement. Good luck!

There will be other kids who do this too. Not everyone is out there and able to do it right off. Keep working with her and tell her to look at you when it's her turn then make sure she can see you clearly.

This will help her to be able to focus and perhaps say them. Some kids can't ever do this, others they do it from birth. But they're in the minority. Most can't.

I have seen kids freeze every year at the dance recital. The dance teacher would have each child recite their full name and age and some other line. They all did fine except every year one would freeze and eventually spit it out.

Graduation? Are we really talking nursery school? You can go over her line with her and she still may not do it. I would not push her. If you do she will never get over this. Actually she may be like this her whole adult life. Sometimes there are thinfgs in life that you cannot change.