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My First Time on Stage
Nai remembers her first time on stage. She was the mermaid in the class show, with one line to say all by herself, and her tummy went all wobbly. Three small secrets helped her, and when the curtain opened her voice filled the whole hall.
The three secrets
Say them together: one finger, two fingers, three!
Practise for a tiny audience
Say your words to your toys, every day. The more you practise, the easier the words come out.
Wiggle and freeze like a starfish
Feet on the floor, arms out wide. Wiggle, wiggle, wiggle… and FREEZE! A little wiggle can make you giggle.
Look for someone you love
Find one face you love in the audience. It feels like you're talking just to them.
Colouring book
Find Nai, the mermaid, the tiny audience, the starfish freeze, the big hug, and a page to draw your own tiny audience. Free to print for home and classroom.
Three-secrets card
A card for the fridge and four little cards to cut out: one for your child's pocket, one for the grown-up in the audience.
Big Little Firsts · Parent guide · My First Time on Stage
For grown-ups
A few minutes to read, then small things to try together.
When to watch
- A week or so before a school show, an assembly or a class talk, so there is time to practise.
- The evening before the big day, as a calm reminder of the three secrets.
- Again afterwards, to talk about how it went. Children often like to hear that Nai felt wobbly too.
After watching, ask
- How did Nai's tummy feel before the show? Have you ever felt like that?
- Who could be your tiny audience at home?
- Can you show me your starfish? Wiggle, wiggle… FREEZE!
- Who will you look for when you're on stage?
- What did Nai's voice do when she said her line?
There are no wrong answers. Listening matters more than fixing.
Practise the three secrets at home
Practise for a tiny audience
Line up toys, a pet or a sibling as the audience and let your child say their words or sing their song to them, a little every day. Clap at the end. Small, friendly audiences build up to big ones.
Wiggle and freeze like a starfish
Before going on, and any time the nerves come: feet on the floor, arms out wide, wiggle the whole body, then FREEZE and take one slow breath. Shaking the wobbles out is easier than holding them in.
Look for someone you love
Tell your child where you will sit, or how you will wave, so they know where to look. If you can't be there, agree on another friendly face: a teacher, a friend, or a photo in their pocket.
If the worry stays
- Feeling nervous before a show is normal. Many children (and grown-ups) get a wobbly tummy before standing in front of people. It usually fades once they start.
- Name the feeling, don't fight it. "Your tummy feels wobbly because this matters to you" helps more than "don't be nervous".
- Praise the brave part, not only the result. "You went on stage even though you felt wobbly" or "You looked for me and kept going."
- Keep it small if it's too big. If your child doesn't want to speak, standing on stage with the class is already a big first. Next time can be one step more.
- Talk to your child's teacher or doctor if the worry is very strong, starts days ahead, or stops your child from joining in at school.
Did this help?
We'd love to know, or hear which "first" you'd like next. Send us a note. Please don't include your child's name or school.