Whether they have a passion for dance, the voice of an angel, or the comedic timing of a clown, a school talent show lets them share this with their peers.
A talent show is fun for kids, teachers, and parents, and it gives the children a good boost of confidence.
In this guide, we share some of the best school talent show ideas for kids.
*mic drop*
1. Singing Solo
This is a classic talent show item.
Kids can choose their favorite song and show off their vocal prowess to their friends and teachers.
You can help the child choose an appropriate genre and make sure the song they want to perform has suitable lyrics for a school setting.
Standing solo and belting out a tune takes real guts – we take our hats off to the students who choose to do this.
If you have a nervous student in your class who loves to sing, encourage them to duet or join a group for the talent show.
2. Solo Dance Performances
If children are movers rather than singers (because, let’s face it, every class has that child who is always busting a move), then this talent show act is for them.
From ballet to breakdance, let children express themselves through movement and share their skills with everyone else.
As with singing, if you have a child who loves to dance but is a little shy of a solo performance, encourage them to partner up with other children so the spotlight isn’t just on them.
3. Magic Acts
The magic act is another talent show classic.
With a little practice, card tricks or disappearing acts can amaze an audience.
Make sure the mini magician is dressed for the part, and don’t forget they’ll need a glamorous assistant – an ideal role for someone who is unsure about entering the talent show on their own.
4. Instrumental Performances
Schools are full of children with music in their bones, and a talent show is a great opportunity to show everyone else the fruits of their labor.
Whether it’s a piano, guitar, or flute, instrumental solos are always a hit.
The benefit of this type of performance is that musical kids are usually more used to performing in front of others, so there should be less stage fright.
5. Storytelling
For those who have a way with words, narrating a captivating tale can be just as mesmerizing as any of the above acts.
Your students can create their own story to share with the audience or take inspiration from a classic.
6. Mime Acts
This is a talent show act with a difference!
Silent but powerful, mime acts can be both comedic and dramatic.
This is a good one to break up the dancing and singing to offer the audience some diversity.
7. Juggling
Juggling is no easy feat, so if a child has persevered with this skill, they deserve to show it off.
Whether they use balls, pins, or even scarves, juggling can be a show-stopping act.
Remember, it’s much easier than it looks!
8. Stand-Up Comedy
This talent show act was made for the class clowns.
Challenge the local comedian to take to the stage and share a few minutes of jokes that will have the whole room in stitches.
There’s nothing better than a child telling a silly joke – especially if they made the joke up and it makes no sense!
9. Acrobatics Or Gymnastics
Some children are more gifted with sports than the creative arts, and they definitely shouldn’t miss out on the talent show.
Students who enjoy gym can showcase cartwheels, somersaults, and more to wow the crowd with their skills.
10. Puppet Shows
Puppet shows can be great fun at a talent show.
Kids can create stories using hand or string puppets – either store-bought or puppets they’ve made themselves.
It’s even more impressive if they can keep their own mouth still while they voice the puppet.
11. Poetry Recital
For budding poets, sharing their original compositions or even recitations of their favorite poems at a talent show can be really rewarding.
This is a great confidence booster, too.
12. Group Dance
Best friends can get together and choreograph a routine for the whole school.
Doing it together can ease the nerves, and the end result can be a phenomenal dance performance.
13. Skits And Short Plays
Small groups with a penchant for drama can perform short scenes or plays.
They can write their own scripts or choose scenes from the great playwrights of the past.
14. Martial Arts Display
This is not the first talent show act that perhaps springs to mind, but it can be really impressive.
Students can demonstrate karate, taekwondo, or any other martial art form to show their discipline and commitment.
15. Whistling Acts
Believe it or not, whistling favorite tunes can be quite a hit.
Children have to be really strong whistlers to carry off this act, though.
16. Live Painting Or Drawing
Artistic kids can create artwork on stage while the audience watches in amazement and wonder, trying to figure out what the finished piece might look like.
17. Fashion Show
Why not encourage the fashionistas in your class to strut their stuff on the catwalk?
This is a fun way for kids to showcase their favorite costumes or outfits, celebrity-style.
18. Impressions Or Mimicry
Mimicking celebrities or cartoon characters can be both fun and hilarious.
And, as long as it’s done in good taste, impersonating teachers can have the whole room in fits of laughter.
19. Yo-Yo Tricks
This is another of those acts that is much easier than it looks – (we know because we’ve tried tricks with yo-yos and ended up in knots!)
From “walking the dog” to more complex maneuvers, children can bring yo-yos to the stage and back in vogue.
20. Hula Hoop Routines
Swirling multiple hoops or choreographed routines can be mesmerizing.
This act can be done solo, in pairs, or even in groups
21. Shadow Acts
Using just their hands and a spotlight, kids can create captivating stories with shadow puppets.
The more unusual the shadow shapes, the better!
22. Spelling Bee
For the academically inclined, a mini spelling bee can be both educational and entertaining.
If they want to double up as a comic, they can focus on spelling silly words – as long as they keep it clean.
23. Rubik’s Cube Speed Solving
For those who love puzzles, a Rubik’s cube showdown can be thrilling.
This will leave the audience desperate to have a go.
24. Cup Stacking
It’s amazing how fast some kids can stack and unstack cups in intricate patterns.
They can hand drum or sing alongside the cup stacking to make it even more impressive.
25. Jump Rope Routines
Solo or in groups, jump rope acts can be choreographed to music and can really wow onlookers.
26. Magic With Mathematics
Solving math problems or showing math tricks can be quite intriguing.
This is a great act to encourage audience participation.
27. Cultural Songs And Dances
To promote the diversity of your school, you can encourage children to perform songs related to their heritage.
For the dancers in the group, they can enlighten the audience with dances from their culture.
If they’re able to wear traditional clothes, it will make the performance even more beautiful and empowering.
28. Science Experiments
There’s something exciting about live science experiments.
As long as the children choose simple and safe experiments, they will be guaranteed a round of applause.
29. Animal Tricks
For those with pets, showing off a few tricks can be endearing.
Performing a routine with a small dog, a rabbit, or even a pet rat will entertain friends and teachers.
And an act like this can ease nerves as the child will have the company of their favorite furry friend.
30. Rapping
For the child who wants to be the next rap superstar, they can take this talent to the stage.
They can make up their own rap or perform a well-known one, as long as it’s age-appropriate.
31. Ribbon Dance
For the gymnasts, they can dance and perform intricate routines using a long ribbon attached to a stick.
The swirling, flowing movements of the ribbon, combined with dance steps, create a mesmerizing visual spectacle.
32. Choir
If you have a school choir, this is the perfect time to share their beautiful voices with everyone else.
Have the children rehearse a song that will leave the audience speechless.
They may even get some new choir members as a result.
33. Stomp Percussion Performance
Inspired by the stage show “Stomp,” students can use everyday objects such as buckets, brooms, and cans to create rhythmic percussion beats.
This is a mix of rhythm, coordination, and dance, and it’s perfect for the kids who are always drumming on their desks in class!
34. Lip Sync Battle
You don’t have to be a singer to perform a song in a talent show!
Children can pick their favorite songs and perform a lip sync to them, putting emphasis on expressions, dance moves, and performance rather than singing.
35. Duets
For children who don’t want to sing solo but want to share their voice, they can duet with a friend.
Together, they can perform a well-known duet that the audience can sing along to.
In Summary
Talent shows take a lot of organization and patience, but they are great fun for everyone involved.
Encouraging children to share their skills and hobbies with others in the form of a talent show can be a real boost to their self-esteem.
But who says a school talent show has to be just for the kids? We think the teachers should put themselves in the spotlight and share their skills with their students, too!
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