How do I Create Powerpoint for Kids?

Adults can sit through a 20-minute PowerPoint presentation overflowing with information and all the bells and whistles that accompany the software program. Children, however, will not react the same way. At best, they will stop listening and start daydreaming. Or, they may act out and disrupt the entire presentation. Take some time to create a PowerPoint slide show that will arouse interest and fully engage the children.

Instructions

1. Prepare a script. Divide the information into a limited number of slides and use animation to build slides that develop. Use one point or feature at a time in front of the children. Create a slide that contains the key points you will be addressing throughout the presentation. Insert this sign post at strategic intervals.

2. Open with a graphic or short video clip that introduces the topic and sets the tone for the rest of the presentation. Alternatively, you may wish to pretest the understanding of a particular topic by asking a question to generate discussion. Include the title and overall aim of the slide show within the first few slides.

3. Limit the information on each slide. If the slides contain all the information, your role as presenter becomes redundant. Build anticipation by posing questions and letting the children think about their answers before moving to the next slide. Remember, you are giving the presentation, not PowerPoint.

4. Pay attention to design. Put dark text on a light background. Use a sans serif font -- Arial, Helvetica, Calibri--for the body text. Use a font size of 20 or more for the body text and consider size 44 for headings. Justify your text -- left or right; centered text is harder to read. Insert graphics or pictures only if they add to the information or make an abstract point more concrete.

5. Keep attention focused on you, not the slides. Do not read the slides; instead, expand verbally on each point and provide suitable anecdotes. Move away from the projector and master the use of the pointer. Halfway through the presentation, switch to a black screen and engage the children in a relevant activity.

Tips & Warnings

• Rehearse your presentation beforehand.

• Open the presentation before the children arrive.

References

• "Successful Presentations Get Brilliant Results"; Brian Lomas; 2009
• "PowerPoint 2007 Bible"; Faithe Wempen; 2007
• "Beyone Bullet Points: Using Microsoft Office 2007 to Create Presentations That Inform" Cliff Atkinson; 2007