How To Improve Public Speaking Skills For Students With Fun Activities

For many students, public speaking can be intimidating. But what if developing these skills could be fun, exciting—even something students look forward to? By using interactive and playful activities, educators can transform nervous energy into confident communication.

Let’s dive into some enjoyable and effective ways to help students become powerful public speakers.

Why Make Public Speaking Fun?

Students are more likely to take risks, express themselves, and improve when they feel safe and supported. Fun activities:

• Reduce fear and pressure

• Spark creativity

• Encourage participation from all types of learners

• Build foundational speaking skills naturally

The goal is to create an atmosphere where learning feels like play, and progress feels like success.

Activity 1: “Talk Show Time”

How it works:
Students take turns being the host and guest of a fictional talk show. The “host” interviews the “guest” using prepared or improvised questions.

Why it works:
Teaches listening, improvisation, and conversational speaking. Students get to role-play and practice real-time communication.

Activity 2: “Mystery Box”

How it works:
Place a random object in a box. A student opens it and must give an impromptu speech explaining what it is and why it’s important (real or made-up).

Why it works:
Improves storytelling, creativity, and quick thinking in a pressure-free way.

Activity 3: “Speech Puzzle”

How it works:
Break students into teams and give them pieces of a speech (introduction, body, conclusion). They must put it together and deliver it as a group.

Why it works:
Reinforces speech structure, encourages teamwork, and boosts understanding of how strong presentations are built.

Activity 4: “Robot Instructions”

How it works:
Students give a step-by-step explanation of how to do a simple task (e.g., make a sandwich), while the teacher or another student follows it like a robot—literally and comically.

Why it works:
Encourages clear communication and emphasizes the importance of word choice and sequencing.

Activity 5: “Who Am I?”

How it works:
Students choose a famous figure or fictional character and give a short speech in character. The class has to guess who they are based on clues from the speech.

Why it works:
Boosts creativity, encourages research, and makes practicing tone, pacing, and expression fun.

Activity 6: “Compliment Speech”

How it works:
Each student chooses a classmate and gives a 1-minute speech highlighting their strengths, talents, or a positive memory involving them.

Why it works:
Builds confidence (for both the speaker and the subject), improves emotional intelligence, and promotes a positive classroom culture.

Activity 7: “Dice and Deliver”

How it works:
Roll a die to determine a theme or style for a short speech:

1. Persuasive

2. Funny

3. Emotional

4. Informative

5. Storytelling

6. Surprise topic!

Why it works:
Keeps students on their toes while helping them explore different tones and types of speaking.

Classroom Culture Matters

To make these activities effective:

• Celebrate effort, not just performance

• Offer gentle, constructive feedback

• Rotate roles often so everyone gets speaking opportunities

• Encourage self-reflection: “What did I do well? What can I improve?”

Fun activities only work if students feel safe, seen, and supported.

Final Thoughts

Improving public speaking doesn’t have to involve formal speeches and sweaty palms. With creative, student-friendly activities, you can transform your classroom into a space where every voice matters—and every student grows more confident each time they speak.