7 Tips To Develop Great Communication Skills in Children as Early as Grade School

Raising kids is a challenge every step of the way and working on your kid’s personality development is a concern for every parent. Personality development is a holistic term, but child psychology experts say that some skills should always be prioritized. Parents should start early on to develop skills such as emotional intelligence, physical strength and strong communication skills in their children.

In our day-to-day interaction with children, a particular emphasis should be given to communication skills. In today’s world, communication skills play a unique role in preparing children for the competitive world. Fortunately, there are many steps you can take to start your kid’s personality development through communication skills activities – as early as grade school.

Let’s take a look at some ways to improve your grade schooler’s communication skills.

7 Tips To Develop Great Communication Skills in Kids

1 Ask Open-ended Questions

Children get asked plenty of questions that elicit one or two-word answers throughout their day. But rarely are they asked to cite their opinion or their thoughts on a topic. Asking children open-ended questions gives them a chance to choose their words carefully and voice their opinions in their own way. Engage your children in open-ended discussions to encourage them to communicate their thoughts in new and exciting ways.

2 Reinforce Active Listening

In communication skills, listening well is as important as speaking well. Encourage active listening in children by reading a piece of text and then spending some time to discuss and reflect on it with your child. Active listening refers to listening to understand rather than listening to reply. Encourage your child to ask questions when they don’t understand and to listen with an attentive mind.

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3 Converse Regularly

It may sound simple, but it is normal to get too caught up in your day to forget to have a conversation with your child. Talking to children about their daily life encourages them to begin or join in on a conversation without hesitation. Children who have trouble communicating may find comfort in talking to you. Talking to parents is a safe space for children to practice the art of conversation, especially at bedtime.

4 Use Technology

In this age of digital technology, there are many apps and games available online that can help your child enhance their communication skills. Choose from a wide range of audiobooks, podcasts, or apps that children can listen to or read along with books. Audiobooks help children in understanding the correct pronunciation and meaning of different words they hear. Many other apps help children in practicing communication skills from a young age.

5 Point Out Body Language

Young children or children who have trouble communicating may not be adept at picking up non-verbal cues. Discuss the importance of body language with your children. Show them instances in your behavior for better understanding. For example, “I’m crossing my arms because I am angry.” Or “Your mother is looking carefully at the laptop screen; she may be working on something important.”

6 Greeting Everyone With A Smile

Encourage your children to greet everyone they meet with a smile. Whether they meet their grandparents, the building receptionist, the driver on the school bus, or even you, get your child into the habit of saying ‘Hello’ and ‘Goodbye’ when beginning or ending a social interaction. This habit will help them practice greeting, learn a proper way to greet people with confidence and be an ice breaker.

7 Pretend Games

Grade schoolers love playing pretend games. Encourage this habit by playing pretend with your child. Stimulate social situations like a tea party, a picnic, or a restaurant in your game. These games are tones of fun and will help your children learn how to conduct themselves in social situations and give them a chance to practice conversation. You could also schedule regular playdates with other children or involve other family members to lend variety to your pretend games.

Why Are Communication Skills Important?

Communication skills are a crucial part of personality development for kids. Communication skills help your children understand the behavior needed from them in a social situation and adequately express themselves.

As parents, our efforts should be focused on improving our children’s communication skills as best as we can. Some children have a natural flair for communication, while others need to learn the skill.

How Long Does It Take To Improve Communication Skills In Kids?

Try these seven tips to improve communication skills for your children from a young age, its never too early. Regular practice will help your children gain more confidence to speak and listen better. By following proper techniques, every child can improve communication skills over a period of 6-12 months.

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How does communication skills impact personality development?

Communication skills are at the core of personality development. It helps them navigate with confidence in everyday situations. As your children grow up, they will learn to value these communication skills and appreciate learning them early in life. As adults, they will find themselves in different social situations, and if they are equipped with good communication skills, it will be easy for them to navigate with confidence.

Samidha Raj - content marketing team at Planet Spark

About the Author: Samidha Raj

Samidha works as part of the content marketing team at Planet Spark, a platform that provides online classes to K8 learners on “New Age Skills” like, English Communication, Public Speaking, Grammar, Creative Writing, Debating, etc. She is passionate about empowering the youth by educating parents about the importance of 21st-century skills. In her free time, you can find her watching documentaries or animated movies and organizing game nights (board games are her thing)!

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