If you believe that public speaking comes naturally, then you are mistaken! It is a communication skill that can be studied and honed.
The best public speakers have dedicated time to perfecting their art. That involves proper communication skills, body language, and polished public speaking activities. They could put in many hours of practice, engage with a tutor, or enroll in speaking classes.
The best part is that you will develop your public speaking abilities and talk more persuasively in time. Public speaking activities can significantly enhance your success. Here, we’ll go through the 13 most effective games and activities for public speaking that may teach you how to talk passionately.
13 Most Effective Games and Activities for Public Speaking
1. Talk Pointlessly
A great oration is, as per a study, 38% your tone, 55% nonverbal cues, and only 7% your material. Therefore, this activity for public speaking will help you improve your presentation since it matters more than the content.
The best way to do this is to pick a passage in an unfamiliar dialect over the internet. You can also jot down a nonsense paragraph and practice reading it loudly as if you were addressing an audience.
Notice how you are utilizing the ring of your voice to arouse interest amongst your audience. Pay close attention to your pitch, mannerisms, and overall delivery. You can also do this public speaking activity in front of the whole class.
2. Study the Experts
Try looking up talks regarded as extraordinary in the public eye available on the internet. The most well-known TED Talks ever are a fantastic starting point.
Choose a speech that interests you, and then observe it critically. Examine the speaker’s use of storytelling. The use of graphics plays a vital role in making a presentation successful. Also, note the other elements that help their speech stand out.
3. Thirty Seconds Without Fillers
Filler words are brief, empty phrases or sounds that we employ in conversation to fill up short gaps as we consider what to speak next. At times, we unwittingly speak our ‘umms,’ ‘uhs,’ and ‘ers,’ which interrupt the flow of our talks.
They not only create difficulties in following you when you speak but also give the impression that you lack confidence and authority.
To do this particular activity for public speaking:
- Record yourself speaking for thirty seconds on any subject.
- Make sure you leave out the filler words.
- When an ‘um’ comes up, restart and give it another go—ten times through, without any fillers.
4. Extempore
To do this activity for public speaking, capture yourself speaking spontaneously about any subject you find interesting. The only restriction is that you cannot arrange the topic and the speech beforehand. You can use your device’s stopwatch to start a one-minute countdown.
This exercise is meant to help you feel relaxed when speaking spontaneously. It will also help lessen the stress associated with worrying that you will run out of words to convey your idea. Try carrying out this public speaking activity in front of the class. Familiar faces always help!
5. Storytelling Using Pictures
Storytelling is essential to keep your listeners interested and assist them in remembering the particulars you’re delivering.
Please talk about the characters’ backgrounds, personalities, goals, driving forces, and everything else that will help write a fascinating tale about them.
6. Construct a Meaning
Whatever the subject of your speech, you must always come across as an expert on the subject.
To carry out this activity, select a term you are unfamiliar with. Then record yourself trying to give meaning to that unfamiliar word. Pay attention to how you can use your tone of voice to project a stronger sense of authority and influence.
Find Out More About Public Speaking as a Skill
Read Is Public Speaking a Skill to find out.
7. Questions for a Professional
To do this activity for public speaking, you’ll require a friend.
Pick a profession or subject that you are unfamiliar with. Invite a pal to ask you about it, and when they do, respond to their inquiries as if you were an experienced authority. This is a great exercise that will improve your confidence and presentation.
8. Prattle on about a Subject You Dislike
Excitement spreads easily. You must be EnthuZiastic about your issue for your listeners to be as well.
Pick anything you don’t care about, like a household tool, and practice talking excitedly about it. Use your tone, intensity, and gestures to convey the impression that it is the most exciting item in the world.
9. Write an advertisement
Since speeches are all about promoting a topic, develop the craft of marketing. In this way, you will be able to convince anyone and everyone.
Film yourself describing the object’s unique qualities, how it may help society, and why each person requires it in their possession.
10. The Origin Story
One activity for public speaking that will improve your storytelling abilities on stage.
Choose a household object, such as a stapler, and share a story of its name’s origins. Create your own story if you like. The goal here is to create the practice of locating and creating compelling narratives out of anything, not to be historically correct.
11. A Different Conclusion
OTT platforms have brought countless sitcoms and movies to our fingertips. We are glued to a show if it has a good plot and a cliffhanger. But, the ending of a show is what we take home. Now imagine your favorite show having two parallel finishes!
To do this activity for public speaking, you must start by choosing a popular television program or film. And you give it a different finish. Let your creativity run its entire course!
12. One Lie and Two Truths
This one is often relatively simple to beat and has tremendous excitement. And you’ll discover that while some people are good at it, it’s highly entertaining to see others stumble whenever they attempt to lie.
Call up all your close friends to partake this activity for public speaking. Now, one of your friends will stand up and say three facts about themselves. The catch here is that only two of them can be genuine. The third must be a fake.
The group must then decide which of the three was false before determining whether they were right. This one is, therefore, relatively short and incredibly simple, and you are not required to go into considerable length about it, but it is delightful.
You will win this game if you keep an eye on your friends’ behavioral cues. According to scientists, nonverbal communication helps us to understand a person’s personality. Also, it is an important aspect that will help you in your professional, as well as, your personal life.
Take note of things like eye contact, expressions, posture, hand movements, and voice tone since there are many different ways that people convey information.
13. A False Vacation
This activity for public speaking is mostly made up of one photo or a collection of similar photographs. It can be a farmhouse where you see pictures of animals, the barn, or anything amusing.
You must provide one, two, or three phrases for every picture before moving to the following one. The following image must then be used to carry on the narrative. As a result, you have to keep on making up stories to carry on the narrative.
FAQs
How can public speaking skill be improved?
The best way to develop the skills for public speaking is to start small and keep practicing. Study the great public speakers, especially their mannerisms and tone.
How do you teach public speaking skills?
As a teacher, you need to understand your students. Please help them be the best version of themselves by providing feedback after every session. Do not forget to be patient with them.
What makes an excellent public speaker?
Speaking confidently in front of an audience is seen as more specific, correct, informed, clever, and likable than speaking less assuredly. Feeling anxious is normal, but if you want to succeed in public speaking, you must overcome your anxiety.
How to gain confidence in public speaking?
Maintaining eye contact with your listeners, using hand gestures to highlight points, and moving around the stage will help you appear confident on stage.
Conclusion
Being an excellent public speaker involves delivering engaging stories. You will become a more effective public speaker if you train yourself on how you can come up with innovative ideas for storytelling in the moment.
To educate yourself on being an excellent public speaker, you should frequently practice and make it enjoyable. It is similar to learning to ride a bike. In no time at all, you will develop the necessary skills.
If you had fun practicing these fun games and activities for public speaking, let us know in the comments.