Archive for creative problem solving for children

Critical Thinking: One thing you must do to cultivate critical thinking in your child

A survey by World Economic Forum lists Critical Thinking as one of the top two skills required to thrive. Critical Thinking Skills has found its rank going up in that list over the years. Unfortunately, schools are not providing much opportunities to develop critical thinking skills. What about you? Are you providing enough opportunities for your child to develop and cultivate this skill?

Universities look out for students with critical thinking skills and corporates are giving more importance to creative problem solving skills when they hire new employees. During the teenage years, it is the critical thinking skills that help children to figure out the kind of people they want to hang out with, the kind of habits they want to avoid and the kind of pursuits they want to undertake. That shows how important critical thinking is in every aspect of our lives. The good news is, it is a skill that can be developed.

Where are the Opportunities available to improve critical thinking skills?

Improve critical thinking in children

Education leader Ellen Galinsky lists Critical thinking as one of the 7 essential life skills every child needs in her book Mind the making. The good news is that critical thinking is a life skill that can be cultivated.

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Public Speaking and confidence building for children Singapore

Everyday, your child comes across various opportunities to challenge themselves as well as to figure out how this world works. These are opportunities that present themselves to them to cultivate their critical thinking and creative problem solving skills.

Understand your child’s critical thinking skills

Improve critical thinking in children

Does your child think everything they watch on the TV is true? Does your child blindly believe everything their friends say or do they make judgments and conclusions after thinking through it? Whether your child is a kindergartner or a high school student, there are many things you can do to cultivate and support their creative thinking skills. 

The one thing you must do to cultivate critical thinking skills in your child

Improve critical thinking in children

The most important factor that helps creative problem solving is powerful questioning.  It is the questions that define the path of our thinking. What do you ask your child when they come back from school? Do you ask them “How was the school?” or “Did you eat your lunch?” or “What did you learn today?” From today onwards, why don’t you ask them “What questions did you ask today?”

This simple question could prompt your child to understand the importance of asking questions. It will provide inspiration to be not just a learner, but also a thinker and a communicator. Isidor I. Rabi, the Nobel laureate physicist gives credit to this very question by his parents as the reason he had become a scientist. With the ever-increasing population and limited natural resources we have today, critical thinking is not a nice to have skill anymore, it is an essential skill. Your child’s success in their future jobs will depend on how creatively they solve problems.

Do you want to know how you can make thinking more visible to your child? You might be interested in this.

So, what did you ask today?

Share this article with your friends and colleagues, so that they too are aware of this amidst their busy schedules. 

Do you have any insights or tips that you use? Would you like to share that? Please use the comments section below and let us know!

Public Speaking Camp designed by the World Champion of Public Speaking

Public Speaking for children Singapore

You might also be interested in Testimonials Confidence Hub Junior Champs Leadership Camp Growth Mindset Camp Thinkers Unlimited Design Thinking  Camp

Junior Champs Leadership Camp designed by the World Champion of Public Speaking

Public Speaking for children

You might also be interested in Testimonials Confidence Hub Public Speaking Camp Growth Mindset Camp Thinkers Unlimited Design Thinking  Camp

Thinkers Unlimited Design Thinking Camp

Design Thinking Singapore

You might also be interested in Testimonials Confidence Hub Public Speaking Camp Growth Mindset Camp Thinkers Unlimited Design Thinking  Camp

Growth Mindset Camp

Growth Mindset Workshop Singapore

You might also be interested in Testimonials Confidence Hub Public Speaking Camp Growth Mindset Camp Thinkers Unlimited Design Thinking  Camp

Junior Public Speaking & Confidence Building Workshop designed by the World Champion of Public Speaking

Public Speaking for children Singapore

You might also be interested in Testimonials Confidence Hub Public Speaking Camp Growth Mindset Camp Thinkers Unlimited Design Thinking  Camp

The Kidz Parade Magazine 

Are you looking for a special present for an adorable child? Why don’t you give a present that will leave a lifetime positive impact? When you give The Kidz Parade Edutainment Magazine as a present, you are opening the door to a world of Creativity and Communication.

NEW POSTER 6 copy

About Sindu Sreebhavan

Sindu Sreebhavan is the founder of As Many Minds Minds Pte Ltd and the founding Chief Editor of The Kidz Parade Edutainment magazine, Asia's premium publication for cultivating creativity and creative writing in children. Sindu is also the founder and the Chairperson of International Youth Leadership and Innovation Forum (IYLIF). Sindu is the author of 'Infinite Possibilities' and the lead co-author of Amazon bestseller 'Breakthrough'. With a passion to infuse innovation in education and inject growth mindset and innovative mindset in people and organisations, Sindu writes, speaks and consults on innovation and creativity in business and education. She says innovation does not start with invention, it starts with a mindset. “The best gift you can give a child is the power of Confidence, Creativity and Communication” is her tagline. She is passionate about educating educators, parents and children about youth development, youth leadership, education innovation and 21st century education. She supports children, parents, schools and several organisations in these areas.

Fear of public speaking is common among children as well as adults. In a classroom full of children, gathering the courage to speak up is a daunting task for many. However, communicating effectively is not a nice to have skill anymore, it is an essential skill for today’s children as they are living in a fast paced world where no-one has the time to sit and listen to what others need.

Acquiring effective communication skills leads children to academic and social skills. Learning public speaking and communication skills help your child to overcome the fear and build up courage. When they speak up they become more self’-confident. Furthermore, effective communication skills increase your child’s influencing skills. If given proper attention in building up this crucial skill, you will see your child’s leadership skills boosting up.

Whatever the age of your child is, encouraging effective communication skills will help prepare them towards a successful adulthood.

1. Talk about their interests

Boost communication skills and confidence in Children

Discussing about your child’s interests is the best way to keep them talking. It does not matter whether their interest is in online games, computers, sports or cartoons. When you show your enthusiasm to know more about their interests, they get encouraged to communicate more. This also has an added adavantage of them sharing more about their lives with you.

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Public Speaking for children Singapore

2. A pat in the back

Boost communication skills and confidence in Children

Kids pay attention to their small achievements. My 11 year old comes to me for affirmation of every single event he considers his achievement. Most of the time, their achievements may not look like milestones to us. But, this is an opportunity where you could encourage them to speak more about their achievement. Ask them how they achieved that task, conquered that fear or solved that problem. This will not only help them to articulate better, but also to improve their self awareness.

3. Talk about current affairs

Boost communication skills and confidence in Children

Current affairs and news are not directly related to us on a personal level in most cases. Discussions around current affairs will help your child to express their viewpoints without any inhibition. This is especially beneficial when you are talking to a timid child.

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Public Speaking for children Singapore

Recently, I had a discussion with my kids regarding drug abuse. The starting point was an article that carried photos of people before and after they started using drugs. This not only helped them express their viewpoints, but also created awareness and general knowledge.

4. Involve your child in decision making

Boost communication skills and confidence in Children

The joy of of being valued can stir up confidence from unknown corners. Involve your child when you make decisions, they will feel empowered to contribute more. Their first lessons of brainstorming start here. As part of this, they will also learn how to consider varying viewpoints while making decisions.

5. Share a meal

Boost communication skills and confidence in Children

Don’t we meet people over a meal to have nice conversations, both on a personal and professional level? Dinner tables are great places to make people loosen up and share their views. This is also an inexpensive way to get your kids talk without inhibitions. Many studies have also proved that eating together helps children to form better relationship with their parents. Do you use the ‘Non-judgemental dinner table rule’? That is, you don’t ask challenging questions like “Why did you do that?” for any topic that is brought on to the dinner table. This will encourage your child to open up more. Do you have a dinner table rule?

You can also introduce them to public speaking when they are ready. Once they get to know more about public speaking and the myths surrounding it, they will be more open to pick up and learn that skill.

Public speaking for children Singapore

Share this article with your friends and colleagues, so that they too are aware of this amidst their busy schedules. 

Do you have any insights or tips that you use? Would you like to share that? Please use the comments section below and let us know!

Public Speaking Camp designed by the World Champion of Public Speaking

Public Speaking for children Singapore

You might also be interested in Testimonials Confidence Hub Junior Champs Leadership Camp Growth Mindset Camp Thinkers Unlimited Design Thinking  Camp

Junior Champs Leadership Camp designed by the World Champion of Public Speaking

Public Speaking for children

You might also be interested in Testimonials Confidence Hub Public Speaking Camp Growth Mindset Camp Thinkers Unlimited Design Thinking  Camp

Thinkers Unlimited Design Thinking Camp

Design Thinking Singapore

You might also be interested in Testimonials Confidence Hub Public Speaking Camp Growth Mindset Camp Thinkers Unlimited Design Thinking  Camp

Growth Mindset Camp

Growth Mindset Workshop Singapore

You might also be interested in Testimonials Confidence Hub Public Speaking Camp Growth Mindset Camp Thinkers Unlimited Design Thinking  Camp

Junior Public Speaking & Confidence Building Workshop designed by the World Champion of Public Speaking

Public Speaking for children Singapore

You might also be interested in Testimonials Confidence Hub Public Speaking Camp Growth Mindset Camp Thinkers Unlimited Design Thinking  Camp

The Kidz Parade Magazine 

Are you looking for a special present for an adorable child? Why don’t you give a present that will leave a lifetime positive impact? When you give The Kidz Parade Edutainment Magazine as a present, you are opening the door to a world of Creativity and Communication.

NEW POSTER 6 copy

About Sindu Sreebhavan

Sindu Sreebhavan is the founder of As Many Minds Minds Pte Ltd and the founding Chief Editor of The Kidz Parade Edutainment magazine, Asia's premium publication for cultivating creativity and creative writing in children. Sindu is also the founder and the Chairperson of International Youth Leadership and Innovation Forum (IYLIF). Sindu is the author of 'Infinite Possibilities' and the lead co-author of Amazon bestseller 'Breakthrough'. With a passion to infuse innovation in education and inject growth mindset and innovative mindset in people and organisations, Sindu writes, speaks and consults on innovation and creativity in business and education. She says innovation does not start with invention, it starts with a mindset. “The best gift you can give a child is the power of Confidence, Creativity and Communication” is her tagline. She is passionate about educating educators, parents and children about youth development, youth leadership, education innovation and 21st century education. She supports children, parents, schools and several organisations in these areas.

The long awaited school holidays are here. Taking part in holiday camps provides great opportunity for children to develop life skills. The holiday camps also give a boost to the social skills of the children when they mingle with children outside their immediate circle. We are taking a look at the 5 of the best holiday camps in Singapore that offer long term benefits for the kids.

1. Whizz Kids Holiday Camps for science and fun

Holiday Camps Singapore

Whizz Kids fun-packed camps are just perfect for your curious kid.

Education and fun blends together to unveil a fabulous learning opportunity for the kids in this camp.

The camp is focused on hands-on science experiments and it includes outdoor activities.

Your child has many options to choose from. They could become a forensic scientist, a movie maker, a secret agent or a trainee henchmen who make use of science and experiments to solve various problems.

In this summer, look out for the following thrilling camps:

Whizz Kidz of Oz, Dr. Who, Dr. Franky, Mission Impossibe 2.5, Dr. Evil, Dr. Droid and Dr. Lego Bot.

The best thing about this camp: Fun, science and experiential learning.

Age group: 7-14 year olds

Dates: 22 June – 26 June, 29 June – 3 July, 6 July – 10 July

Visit Whizz Kidz Holiday Camps for more details.

2. The Kidz Parade Holiday Camps on Public Speaking & Leadership skills

Holiday Camps Singapore

Holiday Camps Singapore

This enriching, engaging and entertaining camp equips children with the processes and techniques to speak, present and communicate with confidence. Conceptualized and designed by international leadership coach, award winner at the World Championship of Public Speaking and international speaking coach Mr. Manoj Vasudevan, this camp is tailored for boosting public speaking, confidence and self-leadership.

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Public Speaking for Children Singapore

This is an activity-packed camp where kids have so much fun that they forget they are learning.

Previous participants and their parents affirm to the long-term benefits of this camp. The great news of this summer is that Manoj is personally coaching the kids and that makes it a not-to-miss opportunity.

The camp is focused on transformation, rather than just information. With small class sizes and live graduation presentations in front of parents, this camp is very individual focused.

★ The best thing about this camp: Focus on transformation, small class size & the unique opportunity to learn from a champion.

Age group: 10-17 year olds

Dates: 22 June – 26 June, 6 July – 10 July (Public Speaking Camp)

Dates: 15 July – 17 July, 13 July – 15 July (Junior  Champs Leadership Camp)

Visit Junior Champs Leadership Camp & The Kidz Parade Public Speaking Camp for more details.

3. APSM Sports Holiday Camps for sports

Holiday Camps Singapore

APSM has lined up many camps sports camps focusing on football, basketball and multi-sports during this summer. The passionate coaches of APSM provides a positive experience in every participants.

★ The best thing about this camp: It is available at several location all over the island.

Age group: 6-17 year olds.

Dates: 20 dates to choose from.

Visit APSM Summer Camps for more details.

 4. Junior Globetrotters Bake Around the World for baking

Holiday Camps Singapore

Baking is an art that brings our taste buds and creativity together. Baking is a good way to experiment and learn lessons of chemistry as well. The folks at Genius R Us know it very well.

Your child sets on a baking journey to experience the baking styles from different parts of the world.

You can sign up for a single session or sign up to experience the baking at all 5 countries in the list.

★ The best thing about this camp: A rare opportunity to learn baking and the boost in creative confidence of the kids.

Age group: 5-12 year olds

Dates: Every weekend in June.

Visit Junior Globetrotters Bake Around the World for more details.

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Public Speaking for Children Singapore

5. Arthaus Holiday Programs for an enriching arts experience

Holiday Camps Singapore

Arthaus has a neat selection of holiday activities for your child. They have a plethora of media your child can choose from, like acrylic, charcoal, watercolour, pastels, coulour pencils and the list is long. Don’t worry if your child does not like to mess around with colours when they draw. They have a sketching workshop as well.

★ The best thing about this camp: They offer a free trial class for first timers.

Age group: 4-17 year olds

Dates: Caters to local school and international school holidays.

Visit Arthaus Holiday Art Camp for more details.

Share this article with your friends and colleagues, so that they too are aware of this amidst their busy schedules. 

Do you have any insights or tips that you use? Would you like to share that? Please use the comments section below and let us know!

Public Speaking Camp designed by the World Champion of Public Speaking

Public Speaking for children Singapore

You might also be interested in Testimonials Confidence Hub Junior Champs Leadership Camp Growth Mindset Camp Thinkers Unlimited Design Thinking  Camp

Junior Champs Leadership Camp designed by the World Champion of Public Speaking

Public Speaking for children

You might also be interested in Testimonials Confidence Hub Public Speaking Camp Growth Mindset Camp Thinkers Unlimited Design Thinking  Camp

Thinkers Unlimited Design Thinking Camp

Design Thinking Singapore

You might also be interested in Testimonials Confidence Hub Public Speaking Camp Growth Mindset Camp Thinkers Unlimited Design Thinking  Camp

Growth Mindset Camp

Growth Mindset Workshop Singapore

You might also be interested in Testimonials Confidence Hub Public Speaking Camp Growth Mindset Camp Thinkers Unlimited Design Thinking  Camp

Junior Public Speaking & Confidence Building Workshop designed by the World Champion of Public Speaking

Public Speaking for children Singapore

You might also be interested in Testimonials Confidence Hub Public Speaking Camp Growth Mindset Camp Thinkers Unlimited Design Thinking  Camp

The Kidz Parade Magazine 

Are you looking for a special present for an adorable child? Why don’t you give a present that will leave a lifetime positive impact? When you give The Kidz Parade Edutainment Magazine as a present, you are opening the door to a world of Creativity and Communication.

NEW POSTER 6 copy

Are you wondering how to keep your child’s screen time more productive? You are not alone. Many of us are with you. Is your child hooked on to fun Apps? What if the Apps can provide some fun learning opportunities? We have picked our favorite fun educational games on Math and programming for your teens and tweens. These Apps not only help reinforcing the learning from the classroom but also are great aids to engage the kids during school holidays.

1. SMART Adventures Mission Math – Peril at the Pyramids

fun educational games

Set among the pyramids of Egypt, this game makes use of your child’s Math skills to solve a mystery. Kids will play a set of fun and interactive games with various difficulty levels to sove the mystery. It reinforces many math skills that the kids learn at school.

Age – 9 to 11 year olds

Smart Adventures

2. My Robot Friend

fun educational games

This is a great game that comes with lots of brainteasers that helps your child to pick up programming skills, logic and reasoning. As the name suggests, there is a “robot friend” in it. Your child can redesign the appearance of the robot by making use of the 200 different options available in the game.

Age – 9 to 12 year olds

My Robot Friend

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3. Questimate

fun educational games

This is an incredibly interactive game where kids take the role of question makers as well as solvers. The kids are invoved in making word problems and estimating answers. A unique game to practice estimation firsthand.

Age – 9 to 16 year olds

Questimate

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Public Speaking for Children Singapore

4. Cargo-bot

fun educational games

Programming concepts in general are a bit difficult for a novice to understand. This game inspires your child to think like a programmer. It is a puzzle game that challenges your child’s brain and teach them the concepts of programming. It asks your child to direct a robotic arm to a particular location. The best thing about this game is it makes programming look fun. It is challenging, but nevertheless fun for your child.

Age – 8 to 16 year olds

Cargo-bot

5. Marble Math

fun educational games

Your child can practice Math by dragging through a series of mazes. This is a fun game to reinforce mathematical concepts. The customization options available in the game makes it more impressive.

Age – 9 to 12+ year olds

Marble Math

Share this article with your friends and colleagues, so that they too are aware of this amidst their busy schedules. 

Do you have any insights or tips that you use? Would you like to share that? Please use the comments section below and let us know!

Public Speaking Camp designed by the World Champion of Public Speaking

Public Speaking for children Singapore

You might also be interested in Testimonials Confidence Hub Junior Champs Leadership Camp Growth Mindset Camp Thinkers Unlimited Design Thinking  Camp

Junior Champs Leadership Camp designed by the World Champion of Public Speaking

Public Speaking for children

You might also be interested in Testimonials Confidence Hub Public Speaking Camp Growth Mindset Camp Thinkers Unlimited Design Thinking  Camp

Thinkers Unlimited Design Thinking Camp

Design Thinking Singapore

You might also be interested in Testimonials Confidence Hub Public Speaking Camp Growth Mindset Camp Thinkers Unlimited Design Thinking  Camp

Growth Mindset Camp

Growth Mindset Workshop Singapore

You might also be interested in Testimonials Confidence Hub Public Speaking Camp Growth Mindset Camp Thinkers Unlimited Design Thinking  Camp

Junior Public Speaking & Confidence Building Workshop designed by the World Champion of Public Speaking

Public Speaking for children Singapore

You might also be interested in Testimonials Confidence Hub Public Speaking Camp Growth Mindset Camp Thinkers Unlimited Design Thinking  Camp

The Kidz Parade Magazine 

Are you looking for a special present for an adorable child? Why don’t you give a present that will leave a lifetime positive impact? When you give The Kidz Parade Edutainment Magazine as a present, you are opening the door to a world of Creativity and Communication.

NEW POSTER 6 copy

About AMM Research

As Many Minds Research Team www.AsManyMinds.com

Public Speaking for Children: What’s the right time to learn?

The author, Manoj Vasudevan is the World champion of Public Speaking and the next level leadership expert.

Recently a friend asked me “My son is 12 years old. What’s the right time for him to learn public speaking skills? Isn’t it too early to start?”

This is what I said to her. There are 7 things you need to know about public speaking.

1. The earlier you start, the easier it gets

Public Speaking for children

J R Oppenheimer (the celebrated American theoretical physicist and professor at the University of California, Berkeley) spoke at societies in New York City when he was just 12 years old. His father provided him early exposure to public speaking and that helped Oppenheimer in his enviously high levels of self-confidence, innovation and leadership in his celebrated adult life.

2. Lays the foundation before the building is built

Public Speaking for children

Children in their tweens and teens are starting on a journey of self-discovery. They are in constant search of an identity and for a safe place for them in the world. These are times when they start to feel judged by peers, parents and tutors. That’s when the feelings of inadequacy sets in – IF – that is not proactively offset with a boost in self-esteem and self-image.

The earlier you start public speaking, the earlier they feel confident to face strangers and strange situations that the future holds for them.

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3. Assists in academics

Public Speaking for children

These days most primary and secondary schools require their students to deliver presentations. As you might have noticed, teachers usually assign the opportunities to present mainly to the most outgoing, expressive and confident of students. Those who do not have a demonstrated skill in presentations are mercilessly  left behind. This even affects their academic grades. If you have read academic reports, it sometime reads like this “Peter is an intelligent student, it would have been great if he could speak up in class

 

However, let us not just pass the blame to the teachers! Aren’t we wired to be impressed by those who can express themselves better? Those children who can’t express themselves effectively are unfortunately left behind.

Unfair? Not really. If you can’t speak up, you won’t be heard.

4. Seize opportunities to lead

Public Speaking for children

Leadership opportunities in schools are almost always provided to those children who have the ability to speak, lead and persuade other children. Children who cannot measure up to these leadership expectations would be left caught in their “leadership-gap”. This gap widens with time, unless there is a positive intervention. That’s why so many intellectually outstanding children do not make it to leadership roles in later life. Just because no one ever told them that’s important! No one guided them and they lose out on opportunities to lead. (Hint: Have you ever worked for a dumb boss? You get the idea.)

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5. Speak up and stand above peers

Public Speaking for children

Since most people have a fear of public speaking, the person who can speak, lead and persuade is looked upto. They get noticed. They get envied. They get respected. A great morale boost for children as they prepare for adulthood. This gives them an “elevated sense of social dominance” over peers. This boosts their confidence and future leadership opportunities. (Hint: If you can lead, people give you opportunities to lead.)

Motivational speaker and thought leader Les Brown told it best. He once said “Develop your communication skills – because once you open your mouth you tell the world who you are – you can really begin to climb the ladder of success and do things that will literally amaze you!”

6. Confidence begets confidence

Public Speaking for children

Confidence begets confidence. Every time you stand up to speak, you get a mild boost in your level of self-confidence. When you are more self-confident, you are more ready to speak again. Soon this “cyclic-ritual” of speaking in front of an audience turbo-charges your confidence and speaking becomes something you eagerly look forward to.

7. The right time to learn any life-skill is N-O-W!

Public Speaking for children

The right time to learn swimming is before you fall in the deep sea. Public speaking is an essential life skill every child needs to learn. You see, not everyone gets the opportunity to learn public speaking. If you ever get the right opportunity to pick up this invaluable life-skill from the right person, just don’t wait for the right time!

That would be one of the best investment for your child’s future and he/she will be grateful for your timely guidance.

Do you feel that more confidence could have helped you in your career or profession?

Do you feel a boost in your confidence at a younger age could have helped you to be better prepared for life today?

(This article first appeared in Thought Expressions)

Share this article with your friends and colleagues, so that they too are aware of this amidst their busy schedules. 

Do you have any insights or tips that you use? Would you like to share that? Please use the comments section below and let us know!

Public Speaking Camp designed by the World Champion of Public Speaking

Public Speaking for children Singapore

You might also be interested in Testimonials Confidence Hub Junior Champs Leadership Camp Growth Mindset Camp Thinkers Unlimited Design Thinking  Camp

Junior Champs Leadership Camp designed by the World Champion of Public Speaking

Public Speaking for children

You might also be interested in Testimonials Confidence Hub Public Speaking Camp Growth Mindset Camp Thinkers Unlimited Design Thinking  Camp

Thinkers Unlimited Design Thinking Camp

Design Thinking Singapore

You might also be interested in Testimonials Confidence Hub Public Speaking Camp Growth Mindset Camp Thinkers Unlimited Design Thinking  Camp

Growth Mindset Camp

Growth Mindset Workshop Singapore

You might also be interested in Testimonials Confidence Hub Public Speaking Camp Growth Mindset Camp Thinkers Unlimited Design Thinking  Camp

Junior Public Speaking & Confidence Building Workshop designed by the World Champion of Public Speaking

Public Speaking for children Singapore

You might also be interested in Testimonials Confidence Hub Public Speaking Camp Growth Mindset Camp Thinkers Unlimited Design Thinking  Camp

About Manoj Vasudevan

Manoj Vasudevan is the World Champion of Public Speaking. He was crowned from a pool of 33,000 speakers from 142 at Vancouver, Canada in 2017. Manoj is the co-Author of the Amazon #1 Best Seller in public speaking - 'World Class Speaking in Action' and the author of the best sellers 'Mastering Leadership the Mousetrap Way' and 'Leadership Lessons from the Mousetrap'. He is the CEO of Thought Expressions and a Director at As Many Minds. Manoj is a next level leadership coach, helping executives and entrepreneurs boost their leadership skills and go to the next level in their career. He is a keynote speaker on leadership at large International conferences. As a world Class Public Speaking Coach and Leadership Coach, Manoj has coached school going children to CEOs in Public Speaking and Leadership development. He is the architect of As Many Minds' public speaking and leadership courses for children. Three time Champion of the coveted District Humorous, Evaluation and International Speech. Founder of the Leadership Lessons from the Mouse Trap, Accelerated Speaking Program(ASP). Among Top 25 Stand-up Comedians at the International Comedy Festival, Hong Kong. Champion of PA Humorous Speech Competition, Singapore. Included in the PA Hall of Fame of Humorous Speakers. A seasoned consultant with 20 years experience in strategy, management and technology consulting.

Confident Child: Top 3 things every parent needs to do to create a confidence boosting culture at home

The discussion on whether confidence is nature or nurture has been around since a long time. When it comes to parenting, it always opens up many other questions. When a confident child find more opportunities, many parents wonder what can they do to make their child too more confident.

We delight in the beauty of the butterfly, but rarely admit the changes it has gone through to achieve that beauty.” – Maya Angelou.

Are today’s kids really keeping more and more to themselves? Are kids today really less confident than they used to be? Is technology keeping kids away from human interactions?

While it is easy to find conflicting arguments on these topics from various sources, there is no controversy in the fact that self-confidence is an important key to success. The more opportunities a child receives, to deal with people and manage situations, the better their self-confidence develops. Many parents wonder how they can set conditions at home so that their children acquire the skills to build their competence and boost their confidence.

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Public Speaking Camp children Singapore

The good news about self-confidence is that it is something that can be nurtured, nourished and boosted with right guidance and preparation. Here we have some tips you can follow on a day-to-day basis to boost your child’s confidence to prepare your child to take up the challenges of life. Select one activity from each of the below areas every day and observe how a confident child emerges and spreads their wings.

1. Ignite Curiosity

Confident child

Children are born curious. Their curious minds are like sponges, they can absorb a lot of knowledge. They get immense confidence from the various ways they amass their knowledge. However, the aggressive demands of today’s school system put a detrimental effect to their curiosity. A major part of their curiosity diminishes as they progress through school. Only a few manage to keep the streaks of curiosity alive amidst the pressures of the school system. But, you can help them still be in touch with their curious self.

I. Do simple science experiments at home: This is a good way to make kids wonder about things around.

II. Discuss your family history with your child: What is more interesting than getting curious about one’s own self?

III. Ask them ‘What if…’ and ‘Do you know…’ questions.

2. Promote Creativity

Confident child

According to a survey by IBM of over 1500 CEOs, Creativity is one of the most important skills required to be successful in the 21st century. Contrary to popular belief, creativity can be taught and nurtured. These are some easy to follow activities that you can do at home to engage your child’s creative confidence. When you acknowledge your child’s creativity, give opportunities to express that creativity and show willingness to discuss about it, you will see him/her developing into a confident child.

I. Make your own story: Make a story from a picture, with your child. To make the best out of it, set aside a family time slot for ‘When a picture tells a story’. You  can refer to The Kidz Parade magazine (download 2 free issues here) for pictures of this category.

II. Allow your child to read for pleasure: Reading helps your child to visualize a situation. It helps in igniting creative sparks in them. They will feel tempted to discuss about their creativity. More communication could pave the way towards a more confident child.

III. Show enthusiasm to appreciate your child’s ideas: But, keep in mind that creativity is not just ideation. It is also about taking action to implement these ideas. Showing interest in their ideas and providing motivation in trying out some those ideas are the best encouragement you can provide to boost their creative confidence. An increased creative confidence could lead towards a more confident child.

IV. Brainstorm together on topics related to your family: What will you do on the weekend, should you you have a TV-free day, what should you cook for dinner… the topics are unlimited.

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Design Thinking for children Singapore

3. Provide Inspiration

Confident Child

People tend to look at inspirations as benchmarks and when you have benchmarks, you try to achieve as great or better than that. There are many ways you can develop the habit in your kids to look out for inspiration.

I. Encourage your child to express their viewpoints: Make opportunities for them to communicate their opinions about their experiences, observations and aspirations.

II. Teach your child to learn from mistakes: We have heard this many times.  But, it never loses its magic touch. Discuss a time when you failed, but took up the challenge and succeeded.

III. Bring your child’s attention to the achievements of people they can relate to: Provide your child with opportunities to feel “If they can do it, I can also do it”. Inspiration need not always come from a famous person. Kids get more inspired by the achievements of their peers. Discuss with them how your peers inspire you.

IV. Provide them with opportunities to make changes in their society: You blame our academic system or their age or the human nature, but most children build limits to their ability to make a difference in this world. What if they start a club to stand for a cause they are passionate about? It could be as simple as a nature club they start at your home with their best friend.

The children will eventually grow up, figure out how to live their lives and they will spread their wings. How well they will spread their wings depends mainly on the unconditional love and the opportunities for confidence building they experience now.

Share this article with your friends and colleagues, so that they too are aware of this amidst their busy schedules. 

Do you have any insights or tips that you use? Would you like to share that? Please use the comments section below and let us know!

Public Speaking Camp designed by the World Champion of Public Speaking

Public Speaking for children Singapore

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You might also be interested in Testimonials Confidence Hub Public Speaking Camp Growth Mindset Camp Thinkers Unlimited Design Thinking  Camp

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Design Thinking Singapore

You might also be interested in Testimonials Confidence Hub Public Speaking Camp Growth Mindset Camp Thinkers Unlimited Design Thinking  Camp

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You might also be interested in Testimonials Confidence Hub Public Speaking Camp Growth Mindset Camp Thinkers Unlimited Design Thinking  Camp

Junior Public Speaking & Confidence Building Workshop designed by the World Champion of Public Speaking

Public Speaking for children Singapore

You might also be interested in Testimonials Confidence Hub Public Speaking Camp Growth Mindset Camp Thinkers Unlimited Design Thinking  Camp

The Kidz Parade Magazine 

Are you looking for a special present for an adorable child? Why don’t you give a present that will leave a lifetime positive impact? When you give The Kidz Parade Edutainment Magazine as a present, you are opening the door to a world of Creativity and Communication.

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About Sindu Sreebhavan

Sindu Sreebhavan is the founder of As Many Minds Minds Pte Ltd and the founding Chief Editor of The Kidz Parade Edutainment magazine, Asia's premium publication for cultivating creativity and creative writing in children. Sindu is also the founder and the Chairperson of International Youth Leadership and Innovation Forum (IYLIF). Sindu is the author of 'Infinite Possibilities' and the lead co-author of Amazon bestseller 'Breakthrough'. With a passion to infuse innovation in education and inject growth mindset and innovative mindset in people and organisations, Sindu writes, speaks and consults on innovation and creativity in business and education. She says innovation does not start with invention, it starts with a mindset. “The best gift you can give a child is the power of Confidence, Creativity and Communication” is her tagline. She is passionate about educating educators, parents and children about youth development, youth leadership, education innovation and 21st century education. She supports children, parents, schools and several organisations in these areas.