Do you want your child to be able to speak their mind with ease? 

Would you like them to be able to make friends in a jiffy? 

Do you envision a future of leadership and teamwork for them? 

If you answered ‘yes’ to any of these questions, then there is one skill that you need to focus on teaching your children. And that is communication.  

To know more about communication skills for children, keep reading. Because in today’s article, we will be answering questions like  

1. What are communication skills?
2. What is the importance of communication skills for kids? 
3. How to improve communication skills in children? 
4. What are some communication activities for kids?

What are communication skills? 

Communication skills are those life skills that allow us to effectively share and receive information, thoughts, and ideas. They give us the ability to connect with the people around us. Communication skills can be thought of as a collection of many different skills such as: 

• Listening:

In order to process the information that we are receiving, it is important to first pay attention to what is being said. 

• Speaking:

When we want to share our ideas or express our feelings, we must do it in a way that other people can understand clearly. 

• Observing: 

Communication is not just about paying attention to what is being said. It is also about paying attention to signs, cues, and gestures. 

• Retaining information:

We must retain and reflect on the information we receive, so we can respond in a thoughtful manner. 

• Asking the right questions: 

Asking questions can help us better understand another person’s perspective, clarify doubts, and reduce misunderstandings. 

What is the importance of communication skills for kids? 

Regardless of one’s age, communication skills are a gift to possess. However, communication skills for children are especially valuable. Here’s why: 

• They promote self-expression: 

Children who communicate well are able to express their thoughts, feelings, and ideas in a healthy and effective manner. 

• They foster greater understanding:

If children are good communicators, it generally means that they are also good listeners. Listening closely helps kids better understand the information they are receiving, be it verbal or non-verbal. 

• They enhance empathy: 

Communication skills for children help kids relate with each other. When they pay attention to another person’s experiences, it opens their eyes to new perspectives. This can enhance their empathy. 

• They strengthen bonds: 

When listening skills and empathy come together, the result is a deeper connection amongst children. Communication skills help children make friends and get along with their peers. 

• They help resolve conflicts:

There are few issues that open communication cannot solve. Communication skills involve speaking clearly, listening closely, and being patient. These skills provide children the tools needed to resolve conflicts right from their early years. 

• They make it easier to receive support: 

Children who can communicate well can also share their feelings and struggles openly and honestly. This allows parents and caregivers to step in and help them through tough times and challenges. 

• They’re necessary everywhere: 

Whether it’s a group project at school, an interview at college, a conference at work, or a family discussion at home, communication skills are required in every area of life. Which is why it is best if children are taught how to use them as early as possible. 

How to improve communication skills in children? 

When kids are young, they require more hand-holding. They need more help understanding what is expected of them when it comes to communicating well. If you’re wondering how to improve communication skills in children, here are some strategies you can follow: 

• Talk to them: 

All through the day, find opportunities to keep children engaged in conversation. The more they get to join and start discussions, the more they get to practise communicating. 

For example, while drying out the laundry or while walking to the school bus stand, you can discuss with your child all the things that are happening around them. This will also enhance their observation skills. 

• Ask them questions:

Pose questions to the child about topics that are relevant to them. When children pause to answer, they will have to think, get in touch with their own feelings and opinions, and find a way to frame a response. 

The questions can be very simple, like ‘What kind of games did you play during your break at school?’ Or ‘Who is your favourite character on this show?’ 

• Expose them to different social situations:

Communication skills for children can be reinforced through exposure to different groups of people and social settings. This will teach them how to adapt their communication styles according to the situation. 

Let them accompany you while you visit friends and family, go shopping, or run errands. You can also take them to child-friendly spaces like parks and playgrounds, where they are bound to meet and mingle with other kids. 

• Practice conversing:

If a child feels intimidated or overwhelmed at the thought of interacting in a new social situation, practising conversations can help them feel prepared. 

For instance, if your child is nervous about making friends at a new school, you can pretend to be a fellow student. Together, you can rehearse the kind of conversations that are likely to occur. You can also help them come up with topics to discuss or questions to ask. 

• Focus on non-verbal cues: 

While children can be very perceptive, sometimes they need to be taught explicitly what non-verbal cues signify. For instance, you can teach them what it means when someone’s voice begins to shake, or they furrow their brows. 

You can also turn this into a fun game or activity where you act out a gesture or an expression, and the child can guess what you are trying to communicate. 

• Teach them to take turns: 

An important part of conversing is knowing when to speak and when to listen. Demonstrate to your child that we must take turns while talking with others. 

Through daily conversations, show them that we must let people finish what they are saying before we begin to talk. Teach them how to politely join a conversation and wait for their turn to speak. 

• Introduce new words: 

When children are provided with the vocabulary they need, they will be able to share their thoughts more clearly. Communication skills for kids can be promoted by introducing helpful phrases, words, greetings, and conversation starters. 

You can also teach them words related to emotions. This will help them name and navigate their feelings and express them in a healthy manner.

• Set a good example: 

Children learn from observation. They tend to mirror the behaviours of the people around them. So, make sure you model the behaviour that you want to see. 

Use polite, respectful language. Be mindful of your non-verbal cues and expressions. And give children your complete attention when they speak to you. 

What are some communication activities for kids? 

When it comes to designing fun and engaging communication activities for kids, we must keep in mind the age groups and requirements of the students. 

Here are some simple communication activities for kids in younger grade groups: 

• Reading together: 

Take turns reading from story books or children’s magazines. Then, ask them questions about what they liked or disliked, their favourite characters, or their favourite parts of the tale. 

• Storytelling: 

Show children a series of pictures and ask them to weave a story out of it. Alternatively, you can give them a topic or a theme and ask them to craft a tale around it. 

• Using props and puppets: 

Children adore puppets, and for good reason! Using these colourful props can bring conversations alive and add a dimension of fun and imagination to the session. 

• Show and Tell: 

In this activity, children are asked to select an object, like a stuffed toy, and talk about it in front of their friends or family. This acts almost like an introduction to public speaking.   

• Simon Says: 

To play this listening game, children must follow the instructions of a leader. For instance, the leader might say ‘Simon says clap your hands’ or ‘Simon says jump’. But they must perform the action only if the leader uses the words ‘Simon says’. 

Here, we have also put together a list of communication skills activities for high school students: 

• Debates: 

Debating teaches students to listen, think, and respond mindfully. Give students interesting topics to debate about such as life on other planets, or the importance of school uniforms. 

• Group challenges:  

Divide students into groups and give them fun challenges such as building a castle out of playing cards. Since they need to work together quickly to achieve their goals, students will have to communicate with each other effectively. 

• Following directions: 

Blindfold a student and ask them to follow the instructions of their teammates in order to safely go from point A to point B in the classroom. 

• 20 questions: 

Ask a student to think of a famous personality. Now, tell their classmates to guess who this personality is by asking the student only twenty ‘yes’ or ‘no’ questions.  

• Charades: 

Ask a student to act out the title of a book or a movie through gestures and expressions alone. Their classmates must guess the title by paying attention to these non-verbal cues. 

These communication skills activities for high school students will give them a chance to apply the skills they have already learnt in a controlled environment. 

Final thoughts: 

When it comes to communication skills for kids, there are certain developmental milestones that children are expected to reach with each passing year. But not all kids may find it easy to reach them. 

If you, as a parent or a caregiver, are noticing that your child has been consistently facing communication challenges, do consider consulting with a learning specialist or a medical professional. 

With the right guidance, your child will be well on their way to mastering communication skills. After all, communication is all about balance. It is the one thing that encapsulates both speaking and listening, expression and compassion, and silence and speech. 

It might seem tricky to teach children how to maintain this balance. But just because something is challenging, does not mean that it is impossible. With patience and practise, you can set your child up for a lifetime of meaningful connections and success.