Kids Take on Dragons’ Den
Empowering Kids at Mercato Metropolitano’s Summer Camp
Client: Mercato Metropolitano (Elephant & Castle)
Participants: Kids aged 8-10 years old
Workshop Focus: Public speaking and confidence-building
The Mission
Mercato Metropolitano hosts an incredible initiative for underprivileged children in the local area. Many of these kids don’t get to go on holiday during their school break, so MM offers them a space where they can engage in fun activities, and get free meals.
They’ve explored activities like karate and cooking classes, but never public speaking. Until now!
It was a first for the organisers, the kids, and a first for me. I’d never run a workshop for kids before—and honestly, I was panicking a bit.
I had no idea how 8-year-olds talked, what they’d find fun, or how they’d feel about something like presenting. I hadn’t hung out with 8-year-olds since … I was 8 years old myself!
My Approach
I didn’t want to scare them off with something that might sound boring or intimidating (who likes the sound of “public speaking” at 8 years old?). So, I decided to frame it as “The Sales Challenge.”
Here’s what we did in 1.5 hours:
“Emily’s subtle way of incorporating public speaking in a fun and immersive manner was fantastic.
It really helped the kids grow in confidence by tapping into their imaginations—something they do best!
It was wonderful to see them shine with her support.”
– Mercato Metropolitano, Community Team
Ice-breakers with a twist
I kicked things off with what I called ‘sales exercises.’ They had to talk about their favourite season and hobbies in front of the group. The goal? Getting them used to speaking in front of each other without even realising they were practising public speaking. They also got to ask each other questions.
I could tell they were a bit nervous but they were so brave! One of the girls completely took the organiser by surprise. She was too shy to come up in the first round, but after some encouragement, she excitedly spoke about badminton!
Building confidence without saying it
About 5 minutes in, I asked them how they felt so far. One girl said (and I quote!):
“I liked it because it made me feel more confident.”
I could’ve cried happy tears on the spot! And I was so surprised, because I hadn’t even mentioned the word ‘confidence’ once. But kids are so smart and intuitive.
Dragons' Den Fun
For the latter half of the workshop, we did a Dragons’ Den-style challenge. I brought a bunch of random objects from home – a seashell, skin care product, and even Tiger Balm.
The kids had to “sell” these items to a panel of judges (adult volunteers) and they were allowed to attribute magical powers to the objects if they wanted.
Special shoutout to Cali who rebranded my Thai Tiger Balm into Cali’s California Cream with magical healing powers (and superb alliteration).
The Impact
What started as a workshop I was a little nervous about became one of the most rewarding projects I’ve ever done. Seeing the kids go from shy and nervous to confident and imaginative was wonderful to witness. They embraced the challenge, showed incredible creativity, and most importantly, had fun while building skills they didn’t even know they were learning.
It wasn’t just about public speaking. It was about showing these kids they have a voice—and the confidence to use it.
Key Takeaways
Re-frame it: By turning public speaking into a game and re-framing it as sales, the kids were far more engaged.
The power of creativity: Letting the kids inject magical powers into ordinary objects allowed their imaginations to flourish.
Kids are intuitive: Although I never used the word “confidence,” the kids picked up on it and experienced growth.
All photos were taken with the consent of the parents or guardians of the children involved.
I’ll leave you with this – at the end of the workshop, one of the girls (10 years old) told me: “I thought I wanted to be a hairstylist, but now I think I want to be a businesswoman!”
And that will probably stay with me forever.
Thank you for reading.
– Emily
