If you're looking for ideas while planning a family reunion, or you just want to add some variety to quality time with your spouse and children, a family talent show is a great way to get everyone involved in a big activity. It's especially good for giving young children a chance to really ham it up and show off their talents and passions. No matter what size your family or the talents everyone shares, a talent show can help you grow together as a family unit.
Delegate
Part of the fun of having a family talent show, especially for young kids, is getting them involved not only by sharing their talents, but also letting them help plan and execute the show. Depending on the age of the children, delegate some responsibility to them, such as helping make invitations or deciding what order the talent show acts will be in. Be sure to follow up to make sure that they have completed the tasks.
Finale
If the talent show does not have too many participants, a good idea is to plan one large act, perhaps the finale, featuring all the performers or family members together. This gives the whole show a unified feel and helps everyone feel that they are participating. It will also give the kids an excuse to get together and practice on a regular basis.
Awards and Certificates
As part of the talent show, prepare and give out awards and certificates for different acts. You will want to be careful how you do this, to make sure that no one's feelings are hurt because someone's act "won" and another didn't. You might want to prepare several awards, perhaps one for "most original," another for "silliest act," another for "most dramatic," and so on.
Scrapbook or Album
A nice follow-up activity to the talent show is to create a scrapbook or album of pictures taken at the event. Like the talent show itself, this should be done together as a family. If you participate in a neighborhood organization or newsletter, perhaps pictures of the talent show can also be circulated in the community. This way, the kids can enjoy positive attention for their talents and passions.
