56 Great Show-and-Tell Ideas for Kids

Are you looking for creative and innovative ways to allow your child to express themselves and their individuality during show and tell? Do you want to help your child stand out with unique show and tell items?

Show and tell is a fantastic way to allow children to express themselves by showcasing a piece of their lives that has a special meaning to them. With today’s virtual and in-person classrooms available, this can happen on both Zoom and on-site at your child’s school. No matter where the show and tell is taking place, these ideas can help your child stand out during their next show and tell session.

The rest of this article will highlight some ideas your child can use to highlight their own unique ideas, thoughts, and memories.

Categories of Show and Tell Items
Show and Tell Items that are special to your child
Show and tell items that are unique to the natural world
Show and tell items that showcase your family
Show and tell activities to highlight your child’s talents
Show and tell is a unique moment to shine a spotlight on your child
Selecting show and tell items is a fun activity
Show and tell virtually can be a bit different
Conclusion – There are so many wonderful choices

Categories of Show and Tell Items

When choosing an item to showcase for your child’s class, it often goes above simply picking out a favorite toy or stuffed animal. Sometimes it may not be so simple. Kids are often tasked with finding specific items, perhaps an item starting with a certain letter, or even an item of a certain color.

However, when there is no set list of what item to bring for show and tell, it can sometimes be overwhelming to you and your child to decide on what to bring. The following categories and ideas should help you ensure that show and tell is a breeze for your child.

Show and Tell Items that are special to your child

Items in this category can help to “tell the story” about your child. These could be items that are simply special to them because they love them, like a stuffed animal or doll. In addition there could be an item such as a favorite shirt or book. The possibilities for this group are almost endless, but ultimately it will boil down to the unique person that your child is.

Here are some great ideas to get you started:

A favorite stuffed animal or doll
Their favorite article of clothing
Their favorite pair of shoes
A drawing or painting that your child created
Their Halloween costume from last year or current year
Your child’s favorite photo of themselves
A unique item your child has in their possession
Your child’s favorite toy
An item that shows off your child’s favorite color
A craft your child made at home
A sports trophy earned from an event they participated in
A piece of jewelry that makes them happy
Something that reminds them of their birth or birth month
Old forms of currency such as coins and dollar notes
Your child’s piggy bank
Something that makes them feel safe at night, such as a night light or flash light
Their favorite gift they received
A catalog of toys or items and showcase the items they want and why they want them

Show and tell items that are unique to the natural world

When you or your child select items in this category, it can be almost anything you can think of that can be found outside. This category can include seasonal items such as leaves and pinecones, and even seashells from beach trips. Items found on vacations or items they received from a gift shop while on the vacation can help them have great memories of their trips. These items can then be shared with their class to showcase how your child has explored their world.

Some of the items to consider in this category include:

An interesting looking leaf your child found outside or while on a hike
Flowers from your garden
A large or strangely shaped rock your child discovered
Movie or concert ticket stubs
Sporting event merchandise
Seashells collected from the seashore
Sand dollars
Flags from a foreign country
Ability to speak a different language

Show and tell items that showcase your family

Every single child’s family is unique – just as they are. In order to highlight this, your child can bring in special items that help them to identify with their own special family traditions and memories. Maybe they have a special activity they do with a loved one, or perhaps they have a favorite photo of themselves and a relative. No matter what, these special family items will always have a place in show and tell.

Your child can bring the following items:

A special moment captured in a photo with a family member
A photo of your family pet
A family heirloom or tradition
A family crest
Special items made together by family members

Show and tell activities to highlight your child’s talents

Every child has their own unique strengths and talents. Sometimes the best choice for show and tell is having your child perform an activity that highlights these strengths. These can be simple things such as your child performing a dance, or even showing off a LEGO creation that they made at home. If your child does not feel comfortable bringing the actual item, perhaps they could bring a photograph of the item or them performing the talent instead.

Here are some ideas your child can use for their show and tell activities:

Your child could perform a dance routine
Your child can read a book they love
Passing out a favorite family recipe to the class
Bringing in your child’s sporting equipment
Playing an instrument for the class
LEGO Creations
A puzzle your child has finished
Performing a magic trick for the class
Singing a favorite song for the class
A science project or other project they created
Your child’s favorite game
Your child’s favorite movie
Showcasing a special talent not mentioned here

Show and tell is a unique moment to shine a spotlight on your child

Show and tell can truly help kids to shine and be the center of attention in their class. Not only will it help them learn the social skills necessary to succeed in the world, it can help them to make new friends. Learning that other children have the same kind of interests; or even learning new ones is paramount to learning.

Selecting show and tell items is a fun activity

When picking out show and tell items, it can be a fun activity to partake in with your child. Especially when they are given a specific item that they have to find within your house. It can be fun to watch them go through the steps of problem solving with you to locate the perfect item. Helping them come to the conclusion can also help them feel great about themselves as well.

Show and tell virtually can be a bit different

While show and tell may not be the same to do virtually as it is in person, it can still be a fun activity with some things you can’t do via in-person. For one, your child can share their screen and share a video from their computer or device (with your help). It’s a great way to make friends and find common ground virtually.

Conclusion – There are so many wonderful choices

With so many unique aspects to your child’s life, the choices for show and tell are almost infinite. Because of this, your child will be able to tailor their show and tell sessions in a way that makes them feel like the unique individual they truly are. By using items from this list, you and your child can diversify the choices they bring in each time for show and tell, and help them stand out from the crowd.