Why You Should Include Show & Share in Your Preschool Program
Do you recall those cherished moments from your own childhood when you stood in front of the classroom, proudly displaying something you treasured? Show and share remains one of the most beloved activities in early childhood education because young children are naturally enthusiastic about discussing and showcasing the things they love most.
To help you streamline your own show and share days, I've created an amazing resource: Editable Show & Share Calendar 2026-2027. This free tool makes planning and organizing these special moments effortless throughout the school year.
Flexible Ways to Implement Show & Share
There are several creative approaches you can take when organizing your show and share activities:
- Theme-Based Sharing: Align presentations with special occasions or seasonal themes—think Valentine's Day, Father's Day, or holiday celebrations. This adds excitement and relevance to each session.
- Letter of the Week Program: A fantastic strategy for enhancing phonetic awareness and letter recognition skills. Children bring objects that start with the featured letter—letter 'a' objects during week one, letter 'b' objects during week two, and so on. Transform it into an engaging guessing game where you provide clues about each item. Our Ultimate Literacy Circle Time Set is the perfect companion resource for this approach.
- Open-Ended Choice: Allow children the freedom to bring any special object they desire, provided it meets school safety and appropriateness standards. This empowers them to make their own selections and share what genuinely matters to them.
Here are some FREE Show & Share Reminder Cards for parents so no child misses their special day!
The Powerful Benefits of Show & Share
1. Building Community & Connection
- Students develop meaningful relationships with their peers
- Creates a bridge between home life and the classroom environment
- Children discover shared interests while learning about new perspectives and ideas from classmates
2. Developing Confidence & Self-Esteem
- Acquiring and practicing new communication skills naturally builds confidence
- Young children thrive when given opportunities to share personal stories and possessions with others
- Being the center of positive attention provides an emotional boost that supports healthy self-esteem
3. Fostering Self-Awareness & Identity Development
- Students become more conscious of the things they value and what makes them unique
- They experience dedicated time when everyone is genuinely listening to them
- This focused attention helps children understand their place within the classroom community
4. Enhancing Communication Skills
- Show and share provides a safe, supportive introduction to public speaking
- Children practice articulating their thoughts, describing their objects, and explaining why something holds personal importance to them
- These early experiences lay the foundation for effective communication throughout their lives
5. Strengthening Social Skills
- Turn-taking develops patience and the ability to wait respectfully for others
- Students actively practice and refine their listening skills as they pay attention to their peers
- Children learn what respect, kindness, and good listening look like and how they feel in a classroom setting
Show and share is far more than just a fun classroom activity—it's a powerful tool for building confidence, strengthening communication skills, and creating a warm, inclusive learning community. By giving your preschoolers regular opportunities to share what matters to them, you're helping them develop into confident speakers, thoughtful listeners, and compassionate classmates who value and celebrate one another.
Whether you choose theme-based sharing, a letter-of-the-week approach, or open-ended selections, the magic of show and share lies in the connection it creates. Every time a child stands up to share, they're practicing skills that will serve them well throughout their education and beyond. So embrace this timeless tradition in your classroom, and watch as your students grow in confidence, kindness, and community spirit!
If you're looking for some help with setting classroom expectations, check out our last blog: Setting Classroom Expectations: A Preschool Guide to Room Rules