Show and Tell Tips for the Classroom
Show and Tell is a great way to allow young children the opportunity to communicate in front of a small group. It really helps to develop confidence and basic public speaking skills. In turn, it gives the audience a chance to improve their listening skills which is just as important! The show & tell tips below will help create a successful and organized program for your classroom. You don’t want children to just bring in random toys time and time again. Creating a meaningful experience with higher expectations will make this time of greater value for all students!
Tip #1: Show & Tell Topic Ideas
The best way to keep show & tell fresh and non-repetitive, is to give students a clear topic for that week. Make a list that is appropriate for your grade level. Include topics that go with the current season or upcoming holidays! Some examples include:
- their favorite book
- something found in nature
- a photo or drawing of their favorite place
- an award or certificate from school, club or sport
- a gift from someone special
- two items that rhyme
- a musical instrument
- a small collection of items (coins, rocks, stickers, etc)
- their favorite t-shirt
- a holiday tradition
These are just a few examples, but if you need more ideas, our Show & Tell resource has enough ideas to last you the entire year!
Tip #2: Informing Parents
Communicate with your parents ahead of time that their child will be participating in show and tell. Give them a small note or letter with the date and topic each time you plan on implementing a show & tell day. Some teachers will choose to do show and tell on a weekly or monthly basis. Others may prefer one or two shares a day as part of their everyday routine. So, create a schedule that works best for your classroom!
We have made some editable letters that you can use to help inform your parents and keep communication open. This ensures that they have plenty of time to help their child be prepared. Some parents like to help their child find a meaningful object that goes with the theme. Also, they may also want their child to practice what they are going to say in advance. Being prepared helps with any nervousness that a little one may experience when speaking in front of an audience.
Tip #3: Setting Expectations for Speakers and Listeners
Out of all the show & tell tips, this may just be the most important one. Create clear expectations for both the speakers and listeners! You can achieve this in several ways. First, before any child presents, you as the teacher should be the very first show and tell presenter. This will help model to your students how you expect them to come up and share their item(s). Share a picture of yourself from when you were in their grade or age range.
Students get a kick out of seeing their grown teacher as a kid their age! To begin your presentation, tell them a little bit about the picture (how old you were, what year it was taken, your favorite hobbies during that time in your life). Then, ask if there are any questions. Model staying on topic and taking the time to answer questions. Keep eye contact with your students and model all the public speaking behaviors you wish to see in return.
Also, creating a rubric with your expectations works wonders to keep students on track. Go over what speaking and listening skills are expected from them. For example, things like speaking clearly, staying on topic and displaying active listening are all so important. To save time, a pre-made rubric is available in our show and tell resource!
Tip #4: Including a Show & Tell MYSTERY Component
As students become more comfortable sharing in front of the class, you can add another fun layer to your program by implementing a mystery bag! Give students a paper bag to put their item(s) in before they share it. Then, the speaker can give 1-3 clues about what’s in the bag to their audience. The audience has a really fun time guessing what that special object could be! Praise students that give helpful clues and educated guesses. Mystery bag clues printable and parent letter are also found in our resource if you don’t feel like creating your own.
We hope these show & tell tips help to make share days organized and meaningful in your classroom. If you’ve implemented any of these tips or our resource into your program, we would love to hear about your experience! Connect & share with us on Instagram and TikTok. 💖
