Show and tell ideas for preschool children

The short answer

Pick something ordinary your child already likes, such as a book, a drawing or a photo, and ask three short questions about it: what it is, one thing about it, and why they chose it. Let your child answer in their own words and in any language, and let them point or show when words are hard. A few relaxed minutes now and then is plenty. There is no script to learn and nothing to win.

About these ideas. The topics, questions and cards in this guide were written by SunnySeeds Academy for families. They are home ideas, not our class routine or topic list, and they do not promise any result.

Describing a thing is not the same as telling a story

In show and tell, a child talks about a real thing in front of them: what it looks like, what it does, where it came from. Telling a story is different, because the child makes up or retells events with a beginning and an end. Both are useful. Our story prompt cards are for storytelling; the cards on this page are for describing. Show and tell is not a speech contest either. Nobody is marked and nothing has to be memorised.

Why talk about objects at home

Cambridge English's activity ideas for parents include asking children to describe pictures they have drawn and everyday objects, as simple ways to practise speaking at home. We use that as general background, not as a Cambridge programme. A thing in their hands gives a child a ready topic, and something to point at when a word will not come.

Everyday things to show

• A favourite book. Hold up the cover and talk about one page.
• Something they drew or made. A drawing, a block model or a paper craft.
• A leaf or flower they found. Picked up outside together, or a photo of it.
• A photo of a family outing. The park, the market or a visit to grandparents. Your child chooses what to say and does not need to share private details.
• A useful kitchen item, held by an adult. A wooden spoon, a ladle or a colander. Keep anything sharp, hot or breakable out of it.
• A favourite toy. What it is called and how they play with it.
• Something they wear. A hat, a raincoat or their school shoes.

Three questions for any object

The same three questions work for almost anything. Ask one at a time and wait.

• What is it? A starter such as "This is my..."
• Tell me one thing about it. Starters such as "It is...", "It has..." or "It can..."
• Why did you choose it? A starter such as "I like it because..."

Helping a shy child

• Start with just you, or one family member, on the sofa. A bigger audience can come later, or not at all.
• Let your child point, show or answer with one word. A nod counts too.
• Offer two choices instead of an open question: "Is it soft or hard?"
• Take a turn first with something of your own, so your child sees what it looks like.
• Let them skip a topic, or stop, whenever they want. Try again another day.

Some children are quieter than others, and that is not a problem to fix. If you have questions about how your child talks in class, ask their teacher what they see.

Any language is welcome

At home your child can talk in English, Bahasa Melayu, Mandarin or the language you use at home, or mix them. The point is talking about something they care about. If your child is learning English, you can say the English word back to them naturally, without asking them to repeat it.

A small audience, slowly

If your child enjoys it, they might show something to a grandparent on a video call, or to a cousin. Keep it optional. There is no stage to reach and no age by which a child should enjoy speaking to a group.

At SunnySeeds

Show and Tell is part of the programme we publish for nursery, preschool and kindergarten, and full day children have Story Lab, our speaking and storytelling sessions. This guide does not describe how those sessions run, so ask your child's teacher. See where they fit on our curriculum page. For children aged 5 to 12 who want more speaking practice, our kids public speaking class has one trainer to six children, taught by a trainer certified by Johan Speaking Academy. Ask about the public speaking class.