Impress your friends, dazzle your neighbors!!!
Looking for something different to do tonight? Here is a fresh idea that should be perfect for any size family and for children of just about any age. Host a Talent Show!
The talent show is the perfect forum for youngsters to display their singing ability, dancing prowess or chops on the bongos. Make sure there is film in the camera (or room on the memory card) and that the camcorder battery has some juice – because there are going to be some Kodak moments you will surely want to remember forever (or use as blackmail at some point in the future!)
Whether your toddler is the fastest puzzle-putter-together this side of the Mississippi or your tween has developed an amazing ability to juggle multiple oranges at once, an at-home talent show is an ideal way to let these skills shine for everyone to see and to celebrate as a family. But by no means does this need to be a family-only affair. Much like my Kid’s Art Exhibit idea, your talent show can be extended to include friends, neighbors and even act as an open house.
We typically hold our events in the evening with a flashlight positioned to shine down on the “stage”. Our daughter will emerge from another room with one of her musical instruments, usually the harmonica or trumpet, and play us an improvised tune. We clap, she bows and my wife takes her turn on “stage” to show off one of her many talents – making silly faces, rubbing her (now-pregnant) belly and patting her head at the same time, etc. We do not employ any formal judging or grading system since we have only one child and she is probably too young to grasp the scoring concept, but you certainly could utilize a scorecard to judge each contestant’s act on the following categories: level of difficulty, style and originality.
It is important to remember that talents come in very unique packages – infants can roll belly-to-back, a toddler can dance, sing, spin or run really fast, and older kids can do just about anything they want (and always remind their parents of this fact)!
Be sure to take this opportunity to encourage each other and have fun! Your household should be beaming with pride in your abilities and filled with lots of clapping, laughter and smiles lasting the entire night.
Have fun!
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