How to Get a Child to Smile for a Pageant

Practice the child's pageant routine as often as necessary, while still keeping it fun for her. The more practice a child has before the pageant, the more she will be confident while on stage. Confidence leads to a natural smile while on stage.

Have your child practice his confidence skills, especially if he will be on stage by himself for the first time. Ask him to introduce himself to the bank teller, the retail store checkout person or your waitress. This builds his confidence and helps him feel more comfortable in front of people for that big day.

Let the child eat and sleep properly before the pageant. Always have snacks on hand if she is becoming cranky. Avoid high-sugar snacks which will only make her happy for a short time before she has a sugar crash. Stick to high-fiber snacks that are also rich in protein.

Tell your child a joke or make her laugh right before she goes on stage, to ensure she has that happy thought in her head when she's on stage.

Remind him to have fun before the show. When the pressure is off, the child will relax, have fun and smile while on stage.

Make goofy faces and smile when you are out in the audience and your child is on stage. Show her you're having fun and she should as well. If you are going on stage with the child, have family members in the audience make funny faces and smile at her. If you are on stage with the child and she's ticklish, tickle her a bit in front of the judges to bring out a smile.