Children are not born natural talkers; they need to learn to become one. You can help your child become a confident speaker by making learning a fun activity.
Most kids are afraid of speaking because they are afraid of others laughing at them and their mistakes. If children make mistakes, gently correct them without bursting into guffaws. Children are especially sensitive to ridicule and may be put off from learning and speaking confidently.

For children of preschool age, interest in language can be cultivated through nursery rhymes and rhyming poems. The sounds of the words make learning fun. You can encourage your children to speak confidently by listening to their stories. You can also read storybooks together as a daily activity. Ask them to re-tell the story in their own words - you will be surprised at how young minds perceive things. Initially, they may be tongue-tied but you can try to elicit longer and longer sentences from them as they gain confidence in speaking.

The most difficult situation commonly experienced by parents is getting information out of your child at the end of their day. Here are some tips that you can try to get them to open up to you.

•    If you are asking your child "How was your day?" or "What did you do today?" you are probably getting the same answer. "Nothing much, good, nice." These questions are confusing for these little minds; perhaps you could rephrase the question " What did Gupta Aunty say about your homework? What did you do in the games period?" Ask specific questions, makes it easier for them to answer.
•    Once you have a piece of information, casually ask your children to explain the activities to you. Ask them to demonstrate for you. Try to connect the other children's' names into the conversation and use them often.
•    Once your child begins to piece their day's activities together, gently ask, "And then what?" "And how do you do that?" "Can I try it with you?"
•    Keep in mind that both of you need to wait for a time when you and your child can think clearly. Not when they first come home, not if they are hungry or thirsty, and not when they are playing. Their little minds cannot do too many things at one time. Be sure that you give them your unconditional attention or they will not feel it is worth their time to tell you when you are not paying attention.
•    Focus on only a small piece of information at a time. Do not expect a complete summary of the whole day.
•    Don't make it seem like a drill or 20 questions. Ask in a way that sounds like a story, not one-word answers. Get hands-on demonstration. Encourage enthusiasm for what went on during their day; have enthusiasm for their activities and tell them how much fun it may have been.
•    Ask your child questions like, "And then what?" or "What comes first?" Teach them to organize their thoughts by asking for the next step.
•    Keep in mind that preschoolers are not secretive. They cannot summarize like we can; they are not capable of switching their thoughts away from their current activity. You have to work together; teach them the art of conversation, no matter how simple.

There is no doubt that exposure to language will encourage the child to learn. Learning and practice in the language makes a confident speaker. It is a monumental task to get the ball rolling but the success rate is almost 100%. When your child becomes a confident speaker, both of you will enjoy many hours of pleasurable small talk together.