What Should I Do for the Talent Show

One press picks an act for the school talent show and says how many people it takes.

An orchestra of silly noises3 or more people. Each person gets one noise. A conductor points, and a tune builds.

How it works

Acts that fit a school stage, from a yo-yo routine to a speed drawing or a tongue twister race. Under each is one thing that makes it work in front of a room.

Read the full guide

Acts for one, two or a group

Every act names its cast first. A solo act is one you can rehearse alone in your room: a tongue twister at rising speed, a coin that vanishes, a picture drawn upside down. Two people can take a mirror dance or the borrowed arms act. Three or more get the big ones, such as dry-land synchronized swimming or a kazoo band.

If you do not sing or dance

Most of the list needs neither. Comedy and acting, magic, tricks and skills, art made live, and words and memory hold acts such as a dramatic reading of the lunch menu, speed cup stacking or the alphabet backwards, fast.

Ask whoever runs the show how long an act may be and what the stage has: a microphone, a speaker, a table, a screen.
Plan the ending first. A bow on the last beat tells the room when to clap.

Questions and answers

What should I do for a talent show if I have no talent?

Choose an act built on an idea, not on years of lessons: a made-up record attempt, an invisible dog on a leash or an expert who knows nothing. Each needs nerve, a straight face and a few rehearsals.

What are easy talent show ideas for kids?

Acts with one simple skill and a clear finish: a plastic hoop routine, a hand-clap game at top speed, a robot dance or animal impressions. Start from something you already do for fun at home.

What can I do for a talent show by myself?

Any act that says 1 person: a yo-yo routine, a poem you wrote, a speed drawing, juggling three balls or a pick-a-card trick. A solo act can be practiced whenever you like, with nobody else to wait for.

What are good talent show ideas for a group of friends?

Acts that get better with more people: a step routine, a slow-motion sports replay, an air band or a fairy tale acted at double speed. Give everyone one clear job so nobody stands still.

All 152 acts

Just me 101

A ballet solo 1 person. Choose a piece from class and check how much room the stage gives you.
A baton twirling routine 1 or more people. Keep tosses low under the stage lights, and practice the catch more than the throw.
A beatbox solo 1 person. Open with a plain beat, add one sound at a time, and hold the microphone close.
A broom balanced on one hand 1 person. Watch the top, not your hand. Walk the stage, then switch hands.
A chain-reaction machine 1 or more people. Ball hits ramp, ramp tips cup, cup rings bell. Test it ten times, then once more.
A coin that vanishes 1 person. A small trick needs close eyes: bring two volunteers up to watch and react.
A commercial for a made-up product 1 or more people. Sell something useless with total belief, and end on a jingle.
A cooking show where everything goes wrong 1 or 2 people. Use empty bowls and pretend. Stay calm and cheerful while it all falls apart.
A cups and balls routine 1 person. Three cups, a table and words you know by heart. Practice in front of a mirror.

Show all 152 acts (143 more)

Just me, continued

A dance from your family's tradition 1 or more people. Before you begin, say where the dance comes from and when it is danced.
A dance with a mop for a partner 1 person. Dress the mop up, bow to it, and blame it for every missed step.
A diabolo routine 1 person. Spin, toss and catch. Check the ceiling height before you throw high.
A domino run set off live 1 or more people. Build it before the show and guard it. One push, and the room watches it go.
A dramatic reading of the lunch menu 1 person. Read it as if it were the saddest poem ever written. Never smile.
A floor routine of moves you already land 1 or 2 people. Only the moves you land every time in class. Ask for a mat.
A footbag routine 1 or more people. Stalls and kicks alone, or a circle that keeps it up. Count the kicks out loud.
A friendly cartoon of a volunteer 1 person. Draw them with a huge smile and one thing they love. Hand them the picture after.
A giant bubble show 1 or 2 people. A wand made of string and two sticks. Lay towels down to catch the soap.
A hip-hop routine 1 or more people. Pick clean music, mark where everyone stands, and hit the last pose together.
A jump rope routine 1 or 2 people. Start with plain jumps, add crosses and double turns, and finish before you tire.
A kind rhyme about every teacher 1 or more people. Two lines for each teacher, shown to them before the show.
A lip-sync 1 or more people. Know every word and every breath. Big faces and one prop beat fancy moves.
A list from the audience, memorized 1 person. They call out twenty objects, a helper writes them down, and you say them back.
A made-up record attempt 1 or 2 people. Most socks put on in a minute, with a serious judge and a loud countdown.
A magic act where every trick fails 1 or more people. Plan each failure, then make the last trick work for real.
A martial arts form 1 or more people. A form from your class, sharp and slow. No sparring and no board breaking.
A mime trapped in an invisible box 1 or more people. Find each wall with flat hands. Then find the door.
A mind-reading number trick 1 person. Use sums that always end on the same answer, and write it large on a board.
A monologue from a play 1 person. Pick a short speech and decide who your character is talking to.
A paper crane folded before the song ends 1 person. Use a large square so the folds show, and hold the finished crane up high.
A pick-a-card trick 1 person. Have the volunteer show the card to the room so everyone is in on it.
A picture drawn upside down 1 person. Nobody can tell what it is until you flip the board on the last note.
A plastic hoop routine 1 or more people. Waist, then arm, then both at once. Keep a spare hoop at the side of the stage.
A poem learned by heart 1 person. Pick one with a story or a joke in it, and use your hands.
A poem you wrote 1 person. Speak slower than feels natural, and look up at the end of each verse.
A prediction sealed in an envelope 1 or 2 people. Hand the envelope to a teacher at the start and have it opened at the end.
A puppet show 1 or more people. Hide behind a table turned on its side. Give each puppet its own voice.
A puzzle cube solved against the clock 1 person. Let a volunteer scramble it, and start a timer everyone can see.
A rap you wrote about your school 1 or 2 people. Keep it kind, keep the beat simple, and end on the school's name.
A ribbon dance 1 or more people. Big circles and figure eights. Keep the ribbon moving so it never tangles.
A riddle round with the audience 1 or 2 people. Five riddles, easy to hard. Count slowly to ten before each answer.
A robot dance 1 or 2 people. Stop sharply after every move. A slow power-down makes a good ending.
A rope with knots that vanish 1 person. Slip knots pull out with one tug. Thick, bright rope shows up from the back row.
A scribble turned into a cartoon 1 person. A volunteer scribbles one line on the board and you turn it into a creature.
A serious lesson in a pointless skill 1 person. Teach the room how to open a door, step by step, with a pointer and a chart.
A sock puppet that talks back 1 person. Keep your lips nearly shut and give the puppet all the best lines.
A solo dance you made up 1 person. Plan the first and last eight counts. The middle can change on the night.
A solo on the instrument you take lessons on 1 person. Play a piece you finished weeks ago, not the one you are still learning.
A song in another language you speak 1 person. Say one line about what the song means before you start.
A song you wrote yourself 1 or 2 people. One verse and a chorus the room can hum by the end is enough.
A speech that makes a case 1 person. Argue for something small, like a longer recess. Three reasons and a big finish.
A speed drawing 1 person. Draw big with a thick marker, set to one song, and turn the easel around at the end.
A speed painting to music 1 person. Big brushes, three colors, a drop cloth, and a shape planned ahead.
A story drawn as it is told 1 or 2 people. One talks and one draws, or do both. Each line of the story adds to the picture.
A story made from three words 1 or 2 people. The audience gives three words and you tell a story that uses them all.
A talk that sells your favorite book 1 person. Hold it up, read your favorite line, and stop before the ending.
A tap dance 1 or more people. Ask whether the stage floor is hard enough for the taps to be heard.
A tongue twister at rising speed 1 person. Say it slowly once so they know it, then faster each round until it breaks.
A torn paper put back together 1 person. A folded twin hides behind the first. Tissue paper tears quietly and opens fast.
A true story told with no notes 1 person. Something that happened to you, with a beginning, a surprise and an ending.
A tune on a homemade instrument 1 person. A box strung with rubber bands, or bottles to tap. Show how you built it, then play.
A tune on glasses of water 1 or 2 people. Tune each glass at home and mark the water lines so you can set up fast.
A yo-yo routine 1 person. Three tricks, easiest first, set to music. Keep a spare string in your pocket.
The alphabet backwards, fast 1 person. A helper holds up the alphabet so the room can check. Offer to race a teacher going forward.
An endless scarf from an empty bag 1 person. Tie scarves end to end and pack them in a hidden pocket. Keep pulling, look amazed.
An invisible dog on a leash 1 person. A stiff leash and collar do the work. Get pulled, tangled and dragged off stage.
Animal impressions 1 person. Do the sound and the walk. Save your best animal for last.
Any word spelled backwards 1 person. Volunteers call out words and you spell each in reverse. Ask for short ones first.
Balloon animals twisted while you talk 1 person. A dog, a flower and a hat. Blow the balloons up before you go on.
Basketball handling tricks 1 or 2 people. A spin on one finger, dribbles through the legs, a pass around the back. No hoop needed.
The bending pencil 1 person. Hold it loosely near one end and wobble it. A good opener, not a whole act.
Bird calls 1 person. Name each bird, then give its call. Five that sound different are plenty.
Books balanced on your head 1 or more people. Walk, sit, turn and bow without losing one. Add a book each round.
Card shuffles and flourishes 1 person. A riffle, a fan and a spring of cards. Best with a camera on your hands.
Chin puppets 1 or more people. Eyes drawn on your chin, the rest of your face covered. Best filmed and shown on a screen.
Conduct the audience as a choir 1 person. Split the room in three, give each part a clap or a sound, and build a song.
Drawing with both hands at once 1 person. A butterfly or a face works, since the two halves match.
Drumming on upturned buckets 1 or more people. Buckets of different sizes sound different. Start slow and build to a fast finish.
Every US state in alphabetical order 1 person. Say them fast while a helper points to each one on a map.
Five clean jokes, told well 1 person. Learn them by heart, pause before each punchline, and wait for the laugh.
Guess the drawing 1 or 2 people. Draw a thing line by line while the room shouts guesses. Start with the odd parts.
Guess the tune with the audience 1 or 2 people. Hum or play the first notes of songs they know. A helper points to who guessed first.
Hand shadow animals 1 or 2 people. A lamp, a white sheet and a story that links the animals. The room has to be dim.
Impressions of everyday sounds 1 person. A microwave, a printer, a squeaky door. Name each, or let the room guess.
Juggling three balls 1 person. Open with scarves, which fall slowly, then move up to balls.
The jumping rubber band 1 person. It hops from two fingers to the other two when you open your fist. Do it twice.
Keeping a soccer ball in the air 1 person. Feet, knees, head. Count out loud so the room counts with you.
One actor, every part 1 person. Play a whole scene alone and switch hats each time the speaker changes.
Paper airplanes thrown into a bucket 1 or 2 people. Fold one on stage, then throw for the target. Bring a few folded ahead of time.
Paper clips that link themselves 1 person. A strip of paper folded in an S, two clips, one pull. Use giant clips for a stage.
Plates spun on sticks 1 or 2 people. Plastic plates only. Start one, then add more until a helper has to run.
Reciting digits of pi 1 person. Give a teacher the printed digits to check you. Stop while they are still amazed.
The ring that climbs a rubber band 1 person. Hide most of the band in your hand and let it slip slowly. Bring a volunteer close.
Sing a song with a backing track 1 person. Choose one that sits in your range and cut it down to the best two verses.
Sing and play guitar or ukulele 1 person. Three chords can carry a whole song. Look up from the strings when you sing.
Sing with no music at all 1 person. Hum your first note backstage so you start on it. A short song is plenty.
Speed cup stacking 1 or 2 people. Race a friend or a timer. The clatter of the cups is half the show.
State capitals on demand 1 person. The audience calls out a state and you answer with its capital.
Tricks with your dog 1 person. Ask the school before you plan it. Sit, spin, bow, and a treat after each one.
Whistle a tune 1 person. Choose a tune the whole room knows, so they can hear how close you get.
Your best photographs on the big screen 1 person. Ten pictures and a sentence for each. Ask ahead whether the stage has a screen.

Two of us 31

A cup-tapping rhythm 2 or more people. Sit in a row at a table. Everyone landing on the same beat is the whole trick.
A dance through the decades 2 or more people. One short clip and one move for each era, with a quick hat change in between.
A dance with a parent or a sibling 2 people. A few practiced turns and a pose to finish. Keep the grown-up's steps simple.
A drawing duel 2 people. Two easels, one word from the audience, one minute. The room claps for a winner.
A duet with a friend 2 people. Split the verses between you, then sing the last chorus together.
A glow stick dance in the dark 2 or more people. Tape glow sticks to dark clothes as stick figures. Ask whether the lights can go off.
A hand-clap game at top speed 2 people. Start slow and speed up every round until somebody slips.
A knock-knock joke double act 2 people. One asks, one answers. The groans are part of the act.
A line dance the audience joins 2 or more people. Teach four steps from the stage, then start the music.
A lip-sync battle 2 people. Take turns, one verse each, and let the audience clap for a winner.
A magician with a clumsy assistant 2 people. The assistant keeps giving the secret away by accident. Rehearse every slip.
A mind-reading double act 2 people. Agree on a secret code of words so your blindfolded partner can name objects.
A mirror dance 2 people. Face each other and move as one reflection. Slow moves hide small mistakes.
A nature documentary about a friend 2 people. One narrates in a hushed voice while the other acts as the animal.
A poem for two voices 2 people. Take turns on the lines and say the important ones together.
A portrait drawn blindfolded 2 people. One draws with eyes covered while a friend calls out directions.
A pun-off 2 people. Take turns making puns on one subject until somebody runs out.
A school news desk with joke headlines 2 people. Sit at a table with papers. Headlines about lunch and homework, never about people.
A shadow dance behind a sheet 2 or more people. A lamp behind you and a white sheet in front. Shapes read better than steps.
A short skit 2 or more people. One place, one problem and a clear last line. Use only props you can carry on.
A silent film scene with cue cards 2 or more people. No talking. One person holds up the words while the others overact.
A slow-motion sports replay 2 or more people. Act out one play at a crawl while a commentator talks at full speed.
A speed dressing race 2 or more people. Race to put on a full winter outfit, mittens last. A helper keeps time.
A tongue twister race 2 or more people. Each says the same twister, faster every round. The room judges who stayed clear.
An expert who knows nothing 2 people. A host asks the questions and the expert answers each with confident nonsense.
Body percussion 2 or more people. Claps, stomps, snaps and chest pats in a pattern. Every extra person makes it louder.
The borrowed arms act 2 people. One stands behind and becomes the other's arms. Try putting on a hat or combing hair.
Flying disc trick catches 2 people. Short throws of a soft disc, caught behind the back, under a leg, on one finger.
Improv from audience ideas 2 or more people. Ask the room for a place and a job, then act the scene. Say yes to every idea.
Juggling with a partner 2 people. Stand face to face and pass on a count. Bright balls show up under the lights.
Mental math against a calculator 2 people. Your partner types the sum while you work it out in your head. Race to the answer.

A group of three or more 20

A band with your friends 3 or more people. One song, played well. Agree who counts everyone in.
A cheer routine with no lifts 3 or more people. Loud words, sharp arms, and a chant the audience can shout back.
A fairy tale acted at double speed 3 or more people. The whole story in a minute, then again in ten seconds.
A fashion show of outfits made from newspaper 3 or more people. Newspaper and tape, a runway walk, and an announcer who describes each look.
A group dance in matching outfits 3 or more people. Simple steps done together look better than hard steps done apart.
A kazoo band 3 or more people. Play a very grand tune very seriously. Matching hats help.
A magic show with one trick from each friend 3 or more people. Each person learns one trick and a host links them. Put the surest trick last.
A recorder trio 3 people. Three parts if you can, one tune together if not. Tune to each other first.
A relay drawing 3 or more people. Agree on the picture first. Each artist adds to it, then hands the marker on.
A rhythm act with brooms and buckets 3 or more people. Sweep, tap and bang in a pattern. Begin with one person and add the rest.
A song sung as a round 3 or more people. Each voice starts one line after the last. Practice the ending most.
A step routine 3 or more people. Stomps and claps in unison, with no music at all. Count out loud in practice.
A story told one sentence each 3 or more people. Stand in a line. Each person adds one sentence, and the last one has to end it.
A team mural painted in one song 3 or more people. Each person owns one color and one part. Sketch the plan in pencil first.
A two-rope jump routine 3 or more people. Two turn the ropes and the rest take turns jumping in. Chant to keep the beat.
A vanishing act behind a sheet 3 or more people. Two hold up the sheet. One vanishes behind it and waves from the back of the hall.
An air band 3 or more people. Mime the instruments to a recording. Decide early who gets the big solo.
An orchestra of silly noises 3 or more people. Each person gets one noise. A conductor points, and a tune builds.
Dry-land synchronized swimming 3 or more people. Hold a blue sheet at chest height and do the swimming arms above it, nose clips on.
The worst auditions ever 3 or more people. Three judges and a line of short, terrible acts. End with one that is good.

How this list was compiled: Our own list, written for this page on 9 October 2026: no list, book or site was copied. The number of people is our own reading of each act. The list was screened for a school stage with an audience of all ages: no act uses fire, a blade, a lift, a climb or a food dare, no act makes a joke at a person's expense, and no song, show, film or performer is named. Ask an adult at the school before an act that brings an animal, needs the lights off or puts water, soap or paint near the stage floor. Licence: own work