Show and Tell

[butterfly]

Who does show and tell in their daycare? How does it work?

I did it in the past, but discontinued it due to inappropriate items coming in and the fights over items.

I am currently doing curriculum planning for the next school year and I am toying with the idea of starting a "show and tell Tuesday". I am struggling with how to structure it.

I'm leaning towards doing a letter a week curriculum again. Leaving things a little more open ended than I've done in the past. So for letter B we could talk about anything that starts with B or is blue, brown, etc. I would like to have the kids bring in an item for the week. (a book, baby, etc) but I'm not excited about keeping track of all these extra items.

Should I limit show and tell to just one child per week? But I don't want to be unfair and stick a certain child with more difficult letters.

Should I have a certain show and tell bag that they can keep their items in until it's show and tell time?

Just looking for thoughts and ideas before I scrap this idea all together.

Thanks!

[daycarediva]

I do show and tell Tuesday's.

They bring in a small item that is placed in their cubby until show and tell time after circle time. We sing the abc's and when we get to that child's letter, they say STOP, and then have a 1-2 minute period to talk about their item. (I have a short list of things that can't be brought in; electronics, items with multiple and/or small pieces/choking hazards, weapons, movies, food)

Then the items go back in their cubby to take home. The kids really enjoy it, and I find that it's really helped them improve listening skills, taking turns, and speaking.

[Unregistered]

We use a letter basket. It has two laminated squares where the letter of the week is written in capital and lower case. It sits right inside the door. They can bring anything that fits in the basket that begins with the letter of the week, or that has the letter on it. As soon as they come in the door, the item goes in the basket. During circle time, I introduce the letter, and hold up each item and ask who brought it and why (because it begins with the letter B!)
They each hold their own item until everyone has theirs and then they can play with them for a few minutes, sharing. Then each item goes back to its owner who places it back in the basket. I think having it structured helps limit the arguing.

[Play Care]

I do show and tell Tuesday's.

They bring in a small item that is placed in their cubby until show and tell time after circle time. We sing the abc's and when we get to that child's letter, they say STOP, and then have a 1-2 minute period to talk about their item. (I have a short list of things that can't be brought in; electronics, items with multiple and/or small pieces/choking hazards, weapons, movies, food)

Then the items go back in their cubby to take home. The kids really enjoy it, and I find that it's really helped them improve listening skills, taking turns, and speaking.

This was how I did show and tell. There were no fights over toys simply because the kids didn't have their toys.

[butterfly]

Thank you for the replies!

I need to give it a little more thought, but I think it would be fun for the kids to be a little more involved in our lessons.

I like the idea of items staying in their cubbies or a designated area.

[kendallina]

I do weekly letter bags in my prekinder group. Each week, they receive a brown paper bag from me which they write the letter of the week on. Then, they bring in items that start with that letter. We have a 'show and tell' time with the items, I write each item down as they show us.

Some kids bring in several items, some only one, some bring in nothing. Once a child has shared, they put their items back in their bag and they go back into their cubby. Every once and a while there will be a really cool item and we pass it around and each child gets about 20 seconds with it..haha. Then, to the cubby. It works really well, they get to show their friends some cool things (Ninjago, anyone?) and we always count the number of items that I wrote down when we're done... usually 30 or more. Everyone here seems to really like this activity.

[butterfly]

I do weekly letter bags in my prekinder group. Each week, they receive a brown paper bag from me which they write the letter of the week on. Then, they bring in items that start with that letter. We have a 'show and tell' time with the items, I write each item down as they show us.

Some kids bring in several items, some only one, some bring in nothing. Once a child has shared, they put their items back in their bag and they go back into their cubby. Every once and a while there will be a really cool item and we pass it around and each child gets about 20 seconds with it..haha. Then, to the cubby. It works really well, they get to show their friends some cool things (Ninjago, anyone?) and we always count the number of items that I wrote down when we're done... usually 30 or more. Everyone here seems to really like this activity.

Interesting! I really like this approach. I like that they have a bag to keep them from bringing huge items and writing the letter on the bag helps the parents to know which letter we are working on. I also like counting the items to incorporate the math aspect too. Thanks! More to think about.... I'd like to find a bag large enough for them to bring in books that fit our theme...

[Unregistered]

I've seen a director do a sharing basket. She has her empty basket on a counter, out of reach all day. When the child arrives, they put their sharing item in the sharing basket. When sharing time comes up, the teacher brings the basket full of items and she holds the basket in her lap. She takes something out and says, "Who's little doggie is this!?" Or whatever. Then, the child says its theirs and they stand up, talk about the toy, put it back in the basket. She pulls out each item one at a time. When its all done, yay! The restrictions on what to bring were: you can bring something educational, something you made, something from a recent trip or something from nature. That keeps it appropriate and reasonable.

[daycare]

we have letters of the week and we focus on those..

we do it every Friday.

depending on the age of the child we will do different things, but let everyone do them all if they can.

The kids can bring an item that fits in their cubby box. Rules about items are, safe items for all ages, nothing that resembles a weapon, if it gets broken we are not responsible and it must start with one of our letters.

we do a few things

1.there are two big boxes with letters... lets say we are doing the letter U and B.. the kids decide which item there box goes into.

2. we will write on a mini white board 3 letters, U, B and S....We add a third letter in to spice it up and make it a bit for challenging for my older kids. I have some smart 5 year olds.

so I would write

U
S
B

everyone has taken a seat after they placed their item in of the letter boxes. Then we check to see who is sitting so nicley and pick a child to get their item.

the child brings the item up and tells us about it. I taught the kids how to ask questions by telling them questions need answers. So the kids will ask the shower questions about their item. Sally brought a ball. We talk about all of the things that you can do with the ball, it's color, and etc. It is a great foundation to creating conversation. It also promotes confidence in talking in front of a group of peers. once they have had the chance to talk about their item for about 1-2 minutes they then go to the wipe board and I help them spell their word. I let them decide where we should put it.

would you put the word ball under U, S, or B. If they say B, I will say perfect lets write the word ball and I tell them how to spell the word, they write it themselves. This promotes writing and understanding text print direction, sound discrimination.

Then we thank that child for sharing and I let them pass it around to everyone to touch, feel and get a hands on experience.

Of course, I have a huge age gap, so sometimes my littles don't really know what the heck is going on, in this case we would just say Buh-Buh- Ball, Ball says Buh...........then we might play with it for a few minutes.

we rotate back and forth with an item or a personal drawling.

this week will be doing creative story telling with all of our show and tell items that are friends bring. so S, U and B.

lets say all of the kids combined they brought a snake, ball and a unicorn. then they need to come up with a story using them as props.

Once upon a time a snake laid 3 eggs, each one looked like a ball. The snake did all she could to keep them safe, but then a fierce flying unicorn came and ate all of the eggs. the snake was mad, the unicorn was full and went home to take a nap. the end.

then they would go to the letter board and continue that part..

we do it a ton of different ways

[butterfly]

we have letters of the week and we focus on those..

we do it every Friday.

depending on the age of the child we will do different things, but let everyone do them all if they can.

The kids can bring an item that fits in their cubby box. Rules about items are, safe items for all ages, nothing that resembles a weapon, if it gets broken we are not responsible and it must start with one of our letters.

we do a few things

1.there are two big boxes with letters... lets say we are doing the letter U and B.. the kids decide which item there box goes into.

2. we will write on a mini white board 3 letters, U, B and S....We add a third letter in to spice it up and make it a bit for challenging for my older kids. I have some smart 5 year olds.

so I would write

U
S
B

everyone has taken a seat after they placed their item in of the letter boxes. Then we check to see who is sitting so nicley and pick a child to get their item.

the child brings the item up and tells us about it. I taught the kids how to ask questions by telling them questions need answers. So the kids will ask the shower questions about their item. Sally brought a ball. We talk about all of the things that you can do with the ball, it's color, and etc. It is a great foundation to creating conversation. It also promotes confidence in talking in front of a group of peers. once they have had the chance to talk about their item for about 1-2 minutes they then go to the wipe board and I help them spell their word. I let them decide where we should put it.

would you put the word ball under U, S, or B. If they say B, I will say perfect lets write the word ball and I tell them how to spell the word, they write it themselves. This promotes writing and understanding text print direction, sound discrimination.

Then we thank that child for sharing and I let them pass it around to everyone to touch, feel and get a hands on experience.

Of course, I have a huge age gap, so sometimes my littles don't really know what the heck is going on, in this case we would just say Buh-Buh- Ball, Ball says Buh...........then we might play with it for a few minutes.

we rotate back and forth with an item or a personal drawling.

this week will be doing creative story telling with all of our show and tell items that are friends bring. so S, U and B.

lets say all of the kids combined they brought a snake, ball and a unicorn. then they need to come up with a story using them as props.

Once upon a time a snake laid 3 eggs, each one looked like a ball. The snake did all she could to keep them safe, but then a fierce flying unicorn came and ate all of the eggs. the snake was mad, the unicorn was full and went home to take a nap. the end.

then they would go to the letter board and continue that part..

we do it a ton of different ways

Absolutely love it!!! I'm so glad I asked about show and tell. I never even thought to allow the kids to do the spelling/writing/story telling. That's awesome!! Great job! Thank you.

[Controlled Chaos]

You have such great ideas everyone! A new little one asked me if we did show and tell the other day and I thought HELLS NO! But the big basket and brown bags are great ideas.

[butterfly]

You have such great ideas everyone! A new little one asked me if we did show and tell the other day and I thought HELLS NO! But the big basket and brown bags are great ideas.

hahaha!!! That was me too! "Hells no"! So thankful for all the awesome replies!lovethis

[daycare]

you guys are funny..

I started show and tell when the kids started telling each other something cool they got over the weekend and how much they wish they could show them. They would invite each other to their houses, but that was their plan. THe parents never heard a word about it I am sure....

At first I thought, NO way, they fight over pocket lint.

When I first started doing it, I had kids walking in with all kinds of random things. Still to this day my jaw dropper was a kid brought in his dads ice box ( I don't know what its called) that he used for fishing. When it came in the door, I thought odd, but ok. It was kind of big and didn't fit in the cubby box so it sat by my front door until circle time.

So the kid goes to share the ice box and is telling the others about it. The kid opens the ice box and there are two cans of beer inside...............the kid started to pull them out and tell us about it, but I cut him off.

The parents claimed that they did not know they were in there. We laughed really hard about it after. Only kid to ever bring beer to DC......

SOOOOOO.. Now I actually make them show me what they brought when they walk in and if I think it's not suitable It goes back with the parent. Yeah the kid flips out, but it's more of a lesson for the parents to follow the rules and make sure that their kid is too.