29 Winning Talent Show Ideas for Everyone

Published March 22, 2021
Boy doing magic trick on stage

Talent shows are fun ways for kids and families to express themselves creatively. Often times the most challenging part of being in a talent show is settling on the perfect act. These great talent show ideas might help kids and families find the perfect routine for their talent show.

Talent Show Ideas for Kids

If your kids are bent on participating in the local school or community talent show, these ideas might help inspire their act.

A Fun Dance Routine

Dance routines are popular acts in many talent shows because they work for people of all ages, cross any genre of dance and movement, and can be done in groups or as individuals. In considering a dance routine, make sure you choose music that suits you and does not offend anyone, pick partners who are willing to practice and collaborate on dance moves and decide on complimentary costuming.

Lip Syncing Act

Not everyone can sing, but everyone can lip-sync. Learn a song by heart and mouth it along with the original lyrics on center stage. Pair it with a bit of choreography and no one will be able to even notice that the sounds coming from the stage are not yours.

Playing a Musical Instrument

Lots of children play instruments outside of school. Piano, violin, guitar, and drums are popular instruments that kids often take up in their free time. Pick a song that you are practicing in your private lessons and play it for the audience. People are usually blown away at musical talents. You don't have to be the next Jimi Hendrix or Billy Joel to amaze crowds, just knowing simple songs will be plenty to wow them with.

Three kids playing flutes together

Show off an Athletic Talent

If you play soccer, basketball, or do gymnastics, then you are full of special talents that you can turn into a talent show routine. Highlight some basketball dribbling, soccer ball juggling, or flips and cartwheels. Everyone will enjoy seeing special athletic skills on stage.

Share Some Culture

Schools are melting pots packed full of people from different cultures. Talent shows are perfect places to share some of those cultural aspects. Dress in garments from your heritage, and share stories or dances from your culture. Share what is beautiful and unique about you and your culture.

Perform a Skit

Performing a skit is another very popular talent show routine for children to choose from. They can be funny or dramatic and tailored to different aged audiences. It's a good idea to write the skit parts down along with the planned dialogue so that talent show organizers know what performers plan to say and do.

Recite Poetry

Choose a few of your favorite poems and recite them for audiences. Poetry is a beautiful way to express yourself. You can choose funny poems, heartfelt poems, or create a few poems of your own to mesmerize the world with.

Wow Them With Magic Tricks

Everybody loves a bit of magic, and basic tricks are relatively easy to learn, thanks to internet tutorials and how-to books. Don't try to master everything, choose 3-4 manageable tricks and practice them so that you can perform them for audiences. Make sure you fashion a fun cape and gather a few common magician props for effect.

Hula Hoop for the Masses

Hula hooping is a typical outdoor activity that most kids can pick up quickly. If your kid is a hula hooping savant, then take this skill to the stage. Put some of the very best hula moves together to music and create a half-hula, half dance routine.

Show the World Some Yo-Yo Tricks

Today's kids might not even know what a Yo-Yo is, so if you have one and your child is interested in learning some Yo-Yo tricks, you will probably have a cool and original talent show act to share. Yo-Yoing takes some practice, but if you devote some time every day to the skill, you'll be a pro in a flash. As with many acts listed, choose a few simple Yo-Yo tricks to become adept at, and focus on sharing those.

Learn How to Do Basic Juggling

At first glance, juggling looks pretty impossible, but tutorials break the process down easily, and with some practice, just about anyone can learn to juggle. When learning to juggle, start off with items that are not heavy or dangerous. If you are really good at the skill, consider showing audiences a few juggling variations or basic juggling skills with varying objects.

Juggling Oranges at home

Hold a Fashion Runway Show

Is your kid into fashion? Do they love creating cool outfits? Help them make a collection of looks to share in a talent show. For this act, they will need some runway music as well as a few friends willing to help them start the "runway" with selected looks. Kids who choose this should have a short explanation to share about each outfit, how and why they chose it, and what is special about it.

Do Famous Celebrity Impersonations

Some well-known celebrities are easy to impersonate. This might be an act best suited for older children and teenagers who have had more exposure to pop culture. As always, make sure that all impersonations are clean and respectful to the audience as well as the people being impersonated.

Brush up on Ventriloquist Skills

This act is a challenge and will take some skill and practice, but when done correctly it is a show-stopper. In order to learn how to be a ventriloquist, you will need a ventriloquist doll as well as a mirror. Make your doll look as if it is talking while your mouth stays sealed.

Family Talent Show Ideas

Family talent shows are fun, low-cost activities. Compared to school talent shows, family talent shows can allow for more outside-of-the-talent-show-box ideas and creative routines. Family members can choose to showcase anything that they are especially proud of. These group ideas will have the whole family cheering or laughing by the night's end.

Execute Some Pet Tricks

Do you love working with your family pet? Include them in the fun by showcasing some of the family pet's favorite tricks. Anything goes with this act, so long as it is safe and approved by parents.

Do Some Stand Up

Write down some funny jokes and share them with your family. For a comedy act, you can create your own set of funnies or you can borrow some common wisecracks from the internet or from a joke book.

Swim Your Way to Talent Show Victory

If your family has a pool, create a swimming routine that is graceful and entertaining. Show off your favorite swim strokes, flips, and dives as your family watches on. A performance like this will certainly score first place marks in a family talent show.

Display Some Art

If art is up your alley, create a gallery of your favorite drawings and projects. Explain a bit about each one so that your family knows about the inspiration behind the piece, as well as the mediums that you chose to work with. Younger kids and older kids alike can have fun with this act, sharing anything from ceramics and sculptures to sidewalk art.

Create a Jump Rope Routine

Jump roping is fun and a great way to get some exercise, so why not make it into a routine to share with your loved ones. You can have a solo jump roping act or you can grab a sibling and try to create a routine together.

Make a Band and Jam

Do you have a large family? Ask a few siblings or a parent if they will be a part of your band. You don't have to even know how to sing or play an instrument to try this act out. Make instruments out of items commonly found around the house and lip-sync to songs if you are too shy to belt tunes out. The important thing here is to have fun.

Siblings performing on stage

Hold a Puppet Show

Make some puppets and have a puppet show for your family. You need very little to pull this off, just the materials to create cute puppets and a puppet stage. The back of a couch or a chair or the edge of a bed works just fine as a puppet stage.

Model Braiding Talents

Grab a hair model and show off all the cooling styling tips and tricks that you know. Make ponytails, intricate braids, and interesting updos. Being able to style hair is definitely a talent worth sharing.

Do Some Bike Tricks

Bike tricks can find a space in a family talent show, where they might not fit into a community or school talent show. Head outside and show your loved ones the cool things that you can do on your bike? Can you glide with your feet straight out, ride with one or no hands on the handlebars? Can you pop a wheelie or do some cool stops? All of these possibilities can be included in a bike routine, just make sure anything performed is parent-approved and a helmet and safety gear is always worn.

Sing Your Favorite Ballads

Some people might be far too shy to sing in front of a crowd at school or in the community, but a home environment is a safe space to sing your favorite tunes center stage. Family talent shows might make some performers more comfortable trying new things, like public singing. This is an excellent opportunity for people who love to sing but are unsure of themselves, to give this act a try.

Prepare Fancy Foods

Use your kitchen and your culinary skills and create something delicious for your family. Whatever your kitchen talent is, it can be shared in a family talent show. decorate cookies or a cake, make sushi rolls, build the coolest, most creative sandwich in the world or blend up some smoothies. If your talents are in cuisine, then show them off!

Build Something From Legos

Build something amazing from Legos and show it to everyone on talent show day. Tell your family all about how you made your creation. how long it took, what the challenging parts were, and what your favorite parts of the creation are.

Showcase Bubble Blowing

Bubble blowing is beautiful and fun for people of all ages. Whip up some bubble solution and show everyone how to make bubbles of all shapes and sizes. Experiment with varying tools to create little bubbles, huge bubbles, or masses of bubbles.

Have a Hand Clapping Routine

Generations prior will know all about hand-clapping routines, and they can use this family talent show time to teach younger kids those activities. Hand clapping routines often accompany fun rhymes and clapping patterns. They take a bit of practice, but other than hands, voices, and a partner, you don't need anything else.

Trampoline or Swing Routines

If you have a trampoline or swing set in the backyard, use it to create a routine for the family talent show. Bounce and flip around, impressing the audience, or show off your swinging abilities on the swing set.

Smiling young boy jumping on trampoline

Talent Show Considerations

When it comes to talent show act options, the possibilities are endless. When deciding on an act, make sure to account for the following:

  • Related costs. Will you need special costumes or props to make your routine special?
  • Practice time. Tailor your act to the amount of time that you have to practice. Don't choose an act that will require hours of practice time each day if you don't have those houses to devote to the routine.
  • Make sure it is non-offensive. What is funny to one person may be highly offensive to another.

Make It Fun

Talent shows are meant to be fun experiences, so ease up on the pressure and make sure that having fun is the absolute top priority.

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29 Winning Talent Show Ideas for Everyone