It's showtime
Duration/age
Spring is nearly here and September is show month.
Explore with your child all the different types of shows that are held. Explain that there are country shows and big city shows. Talk to your child about what they might see at a small local show compared to a big city show.
If you are going to go to the show with your child make a plan of what you want to see, do and eat before you go.
Will you go on an animal hunt and try to find as many different species as you can? Will you look at the local produce to see who has won first prize for the best cake or jam? Or do you and your child like to search for the latest tractor and farm equipment?
We could eat our sandwiches while we watch the woodcutting.
The dogs are on show at the same time as the horse jumping. Should we go and see the horses after the dogs?
If you are going to the Royal Adelaide Show, sit with your child and explore the guide to see what’s on at the show. Explain to your child that looking at the guide will help you decide which day you want to go to the show. It can tell you where you will find things and what there is to see.
I want to see the pig racing. They race on Thursday morning and Sunday afternoon.
The ticket price is cheaper on Wednesday if you go before lunchtime.
Talk about how long you will spend at the show. Will you go for a whole day and wait till the fireworks happen or only go for a short visit? If you are going for a whole day does this change how you will travel to the show?
We can catch the train to the showgrounds so we don’t have to find a park for the car.
We will need to drive to the show as it will be too late to catch the bus home.
Materials you will need
- The show
- The Royal Show guide
Alternative tools
- The Royal show website
Skills this activity improves
Why does this matter?
Preparing for a visit to the show helps your child to develop planning skills. They will hear and develop new language and explore concepts of print.
As you explore the show guide together, children are developing an understanding of the different types of text or writing they can see and how it is organised. They will begin to see that books can have words, picture, numbers and symbols and might be fiction or non-fiction.
Planning what you want to see and do at the show helps your child to understand that books can help you to make decisions, know when something will happen and to locate where something is. As you look at the show guide with your child they will be developing an understanding of how a book is organised. They will also see that information can be presented through pictures, symbols, maps or diagrams.
What does this lead to?
As your child grows older, understanding the different ways language can be presented will help them to make decisions on how to organise or record their thinking.
By reading and scanning the show guide, children experience that the picture, image or design gives greater meaning to the words on the page. Usually the image will connect to those words and lead the reader to the next part of the story. As they use the show guide they are learning that sometimes a picture, symbol or map can give more information to the reader than only writing or words.
Language to use
- Beekeeping
- Animals, cow, pig, sheep, horse
- Cat, dog, goldfish, rabbit, guinea pig
- Farm animals, pets, livestock, reptiles
- Displays, fruit, vegetables
- Stable, sty, barn, shed, horse float, coop, hive
- Feed, hay, chaff, pellets
- Pavilion, display hall, show stand, arena, sideshows
- Woodcutting
Questions to use
- What do you want to see at the show?
- What time is the fireworks display?
- Where would we find the horses?
- Would the pigs and sheep be in the same area?
- How will we find the toilets?
- What time does the show open?
- Can you win a prize at the show?
- Is 1st place better than 3rd place?
- Do all cows produce milk?
Useful tips
Useful tips
- Visit the Royal Adelaide Show website to help plan your outing to the show.
- You can find information about country and regional shows on the SA Country Shows website.
- Talk to your child before the show about what to do if they get lost or separated from you.
- Remember to talk to your child in your home language.
More ideas
- Make your own showbags to give to friends and family.
- If you get a show map mark the different things you want to do and see.
- If you are going to buy showbags work out how much you will spend. Create jobs around the house to help your child earn money to pay for them.
- Pack a family picnic to take with you.
Variation by age
Birth to two year olds
- Make an animal lotto card and mark the animals off as you go.
- Borrow books from the library about the different animals and farm equipment you will see at the show.
- Add farm animals to the building blocks at home.
- Make a fruit and vegetable book before you go. How many can you find at the show?
- Have a colour and shape hunt around the show.
Three to five year olds
- Make your own discovery cards to follow.
- Borrow books from the library about the different animals and farm equipment you will see at the show.
- Build your own showground from boxes and blocks.
- Make you own storybook about visiting the show.
- Go on a taste and colour hunt around the show. Remember to visit the flower and cake pavilion.
- Follow the Yellow Brick Road Trail.
- Take pictures of the fruit and vegetable patterns at the show. See if you can copy or draw them at home.
Language to use
- Animals, cow, pig, sheep, horse
- Cat, dog, goldfish, rabbit, guinea pig
- Farm animals, pets, livestock, reptiles
- Displays, fruit, vegetables
- Stable, sty, barn, shed, horse float, coop, hive
Language to use
- Beekeeping
- Animals, cow, pig, sheep, horse
- Cat, dog, goldfish, rabbit, guinea pig
- Farm animals, pets, livestock, reptiles
- Displays, fruit, vegetables
- Stable, sty, barn, shed, horse float, coop, hive
- Feed, hay, chaff, pellets
- Pavilion, display hall, show stand, arena
- Woodcutting
