Remember that feeling before your first big moment in front of a crowd? Maybe it was a school assembly or just saying a few words in class. You keep wondering how to be confident in public speaking. Your hands got sweaty, your heart raced, and you probably wished you could disappear. That moment? Most of us have been there. Stage fright isn’t rare. It’s practically a rite of passage.

But here’s the thing: confidence isn’t something you’re born with. It’s built over. One shaky step at a time. The more you speak, the more you realize you can do it. And little by little, those nerves start to turn into something else: excitement, energy, even pride.

In this blog, we’ll discuss some very simple ways to build confidence when speaking in front of others. Whether you’re a parent helping your child or someone just starting out yourself, this will help. And if you’re looking for a safe space to practice, EduJunior’s public speaking competition is a great place to begin because it’s friendly, fun and designed for beginners.

Why Confidence Matters (Especially for Kids)

Think about a child raising their hand for the first time in class. Their voices might be soft, their words a little shaky but they did it. That moment isn’t about stealing the spotlight or speaking the loudest. It’s about finding the courage to be heard.

Confidence starts there in the small, quiet moments when a child chooses to speak up, even if they’re unsure. It’s built every time they share an idea, ask a question, or tell a story. Over time, those moments add up. And before you know it, that quiet voice grows stronger not because it got louder but because it learned to trust itself. That’s the kind of confidence that lasts a lifetime.

Competitions like EduJunior’s give kids a supportive space to try, mess up, try again and grow a little every time. They get to see that making mistakes is part of learning, not something to be afraid of and show you how to be confident in public speaking first hand.

How Public Speaking Helps Kids in the Real World

Public speaking isn’t just about giving speeches. It’s a skill that opens doors. It helps with:

• Doing better in school presentations
• Feeling more comfortable in group work
• Speaking up with ideas and opinions
• Keeping the pressure off kids so that they do their best when they learn in a stress-free environment

That’s why EduJunior’s event is built around encouragement not competition. It’s a chance to grow and not to perform perfectly.

3 Ways to Help Your Child Prepare (Without the Stress)

Start small. Keep it light. Make it part of the daily routine. Because why not make learning how to be confident in public speaking an adventure?

1. Practice Out Loud
   Have your child share their speech like they’re telling a story at the dinner table. It could be to you, a sibling or even their favorite teddy bear propped up on a chair. The idea isn’t to get every word perfect, it’s about getting comfortable with their own voice and making it feel like a conversation not a performance.

2. Let Them Pick the Topic
   Remember when your child excitedly told you about something they loved like a new game or fun fact? They didn’t plan it, they just spoke with energy. That’s the power of choosing a topic they care about. It automatically turns speaking into sharing.

3. Picture It Going Well
   Ask them to imagine standing on stage, smiling, and doing great. This kind of visualization helps ease nerves and build positive expectations. It will make them learn on their own how to be confident in public speaking.

Handling Nerves Without Panic

Even experienced speakers feel a little nervous. It’s totally normal. Even the best of the speakers experience this. The trick is learning to work with those nerves.

Breathe First
Before stepping on stage, take a few slow, deep breaths. It calms the body and mind.

Smile at the Start
A smile helps the speaker and the audience relax. It sets a positive tone right from the beginning.

Use the Nervous Energy
That jittery feeling? It can give the speech some energy. Help your child channel it into hand gestures or vocal variety.

Make Public Speaking Fun

If kids enjoy what they’re doing, they’ll learn faster. Watching others on stage can also be a huge boost. At EduJunior’s event, your child will see other kids just like them learning and growing too. Try these:

Turn Speeches Into Stories
Help them build a story with a beginning, middle, and end. Add some humor or real-life examples to keep it interesting.

Play Voice Games
Read a line happy, then sad, then like a robot. It helps kids explore how tone and pace affect delivery and it’s fun too.

Celebrate the Effort
Whether they remembered every word or not, the win is in showing up and trying. Confidence comes from effort, not perfection.

In Closing

So, what’s the real secret to how to be confident in public speaking? Confidence in public speaking doesn’t come overnight. It grows with every small effort. Every word spoken out loud, every time they stand up and try. The key is to start somewhere. At home. In front of friends. Or on stage at EduJunior’s competition. Support matters. Encouragement matters. And so does celebrating every step forward, no matter how small. Because the next confident speaker? They’re probably just a nervous kid who decided to try.