• Talent shows help kids show off their skills.girl playing piano image by NiDerLander from Fotolia.com
  
  Talent shows are fun and give participants the opportunity to showcase ability and style. Many schools incorporate talent shows during the school year and are a popular event among children and teens. The most difficult part of preparing for a talent show is deciding what talent to pursue. Talent shows help boost ones confidence and help them recognize what they really love to do.
  
  

Singing

• More confident children and adults will select singing for their talent. Singers know their strengths and weaknesses and which songs sound better with their particular voice. A separate stage may be desired for singing performances. The lyrics, again, should be review prior to the performance. Encourage the participant to sing a montage of a few songs to create more interest.
  
  

Acting

• Select a scene from a movie or play and act it out for the talent show. This scene should not be longer than three minutes and, for judging purposes, should be a movie that is well known. The scene can not only include dialogue, but also action. Use props if necessary, but just a few because you don’t need too much to set up and tear down after the performance.
  
  

Dance

• Many people love to dance, especially children. Dance competition is enjoyable and open to whatever form of dance the participants would like to perform. Unique or less main stream forms of dance should be encouraged in the talent show, such as African dance. A dance competition will require screening of the music to ensure it is appropriate for the audience. A special stage should be used for the talent show dance performance.
  
  

Physical Activity

• Perform a different type of physical activity than dance, such as cheerleading, baton twirling or gymnastics. Check with the talent show organizer before choosing batons. You don’t want to violate any building codes for twirling indoors. Use background music to accompany your performance. Ensure you have a mat to put on stage if you choose gymnastics. Cheering is an option as well, and enables you to work with a partner if you include flips and cheerleading features.