20 Show and Tell Ideas for Letter L
Five L things already in your house, the words your child can say about each, and a two-minute mirror trick for the L sound.
Bring a lemon, a Lego build, or a lamp for Letter L show and tell. Your child can describe the bright yellow lemon while classmates lean in for a sniff of its zingy peel. A small Lego build shows off its one moving part. A lamp clicks on and off as they explain the switch. Let them pick their favorite.
What to Bring for Letter L
Here are our top picks for show and tell objects starting with the letter L. Each one is classroom-friendly and conversation-ready!
🌙 Tonight's Top 5
Show and tell is tomorrow? Grab one of these — no store run needed.
Pass the lemon around for a sniff of its zingy peel while your child describes the bright yellow skin and names one food lemons make yummier.
Your child can show their small Lego build, demonstrate the one moving part, and tell the class how many bricks it took.
Your child can click a small battery lamp on and off — no cord to trail — explain what the switch does, and tell the class where the lamp glows at home.
Let your child open the packed lunch box, name each food inside, and tell the class their all-time favorite lunch.
Your child can lock and unlock a small padlock three times (keep the key on a ribbon so it can't wander off), let a friend try it, and explain what treasure the lock keeps safe.
“I brought a lemon because lemon begins with the letter L sound — just like lion.”
Have your child say this line out loud three times before the big day. New to show and tell? Use our 5W1H prep checklist →Hear the letter L sound in the A–Z sound library →
👇 Tap any idea below for the words your child can say about it.
🧸 Toys & Play (3)
Looking for toys that start with L? The picks below — from a woolly lamb to a long-necked llama — are all classroom-ready and easy to find at home.
01 Lego★ Top 5 📍 Lego bin
Your child can show their small Lego build, demonstrate the one moving part, and tell the class how many bricks it took.
02 Lamb Toy 📍 Stuffed animal shelf
Your child can cuddle the soft lamb, give its gentle baa, and teach the class that baby sheep are called lambs — with a silent B: lam.
03 Llama Toy 📍 Stuffed animal shelf
Let your child walk the toy llama proudly around the rug, describe its fluffy wool, and share that llamas hum to talk to each other.
🐾 Animals & Nature (6)
04 Lion 📍 Stuffed animal shelf
Your child can give a mighty roar with the stuffed lion, describe its fluffy mane, and share one true fact about real lions.
05 Ladybug 📍 Garden / toy insect set
Your child can count the toy ladybug's spots with the class, open its pretend wings, and share that ladybugs munch garden pests.
06 Leaf 📍 Yard / park
Let your child trace the leaf's veins with a finger, name its fall color, and tell the class which tree it fluttered down from.
07 Log 📍 Backyard / fireplace
Let your child count the rings on the log slice with the class, feel the rough bark edge, and guess how old the tree was.
08 Lizard 📍 Toy reptile bin
Let your child wiggle the toy lizard across the desk, point out its scaly skin, and share that some lizards can regrow their tails.
09 Lavender Sprig 📍 Garden
Pass the lavender sprig gently for smelling while your child names its purple color and tells the class where lavender grows.
🍎 Food & Drinks (4)
10 Lemon★ Top 5 📍 Kitchen fruit bowl
Pass the lemon around for a sniff of its zingy peel while your child describes the bright yellow skin and names one food lemons make yummier.
11 Lollipop 📍 Pantry candy jar
Let your child describe the lollipop's swirly colors and guess the flavor — saving the tasting for after school, with the teacher's okay.
12 Lime 📍 Kitchen fruit bowl
Set the lime beside a lemon and let your child compare the bumpy green skin, then let the class vote which one is more sour.
13 Lemonade 📍 Kitchen
Lemonade is summer in a cup (bring a photo if drinks stay in the cafeteria). Your child can describe the sweet-sour zing, mime squeezing a lemon, and ask the class to vote for their favorite summer drink.
🏠 Around the House (5)
14 Lamp★ Top 5 📍 Bedside table
Your child can click a small battery lamp on and off — no cord to trail — explain what the switch does, and tell the class where the lamp glows at home.
15 Lock★ Top 5 📍 Junk drawer / diary
Your child can lock and unlock a small padlock three times (keep the key on a ribbon so it can't wander off), let a friend try it, and explain what treasure the lock keeps safe.
16 Lantern 📍 Camping gear / patio
Let your child hold up the paper lantern, describe its color and shape, and tell the class when their family lights lanterns.
17 Lens 📍 Science kit / junk drawer
Let classmates peer through the magnifying lens at a leaf while your child asks what looks bigger — then name what detectives use lenses for.
18 Ladder 📍 Dollhouse / garage
Your child can lean the toy ladder against a block tower, climb a figure up and down, and tell the class what their ladder reaches.
📚 School & Books (1)
19 Lunch Box★ Top 5 📍 Kitchen / entryway
Let your child open the packed lunch box, name each food inside, and tell the class their all-time favorite lunch.
👕 Clothes & Accessories (1)
20 Lace 📍 Sewing kit / dress-up
Your child can hold the lace up to the light to show the tiny holes, describe the pattern, and tell what it decorates at home.
🍎 Bringing a food item? Many schools ban food or have allergy rules — check your class policy first, and see what not to bring to show and tell.
The L sound needs the tongue tip to touch right behind the top teeth — have your child watch in a mirror while saying la-la-la. Many four-year-olds say wion for lion or yemon for lemon; that's normal development, not a problem. If the swap is still there around age five and a half to six — or sooner, if people outside the family often can't understand your child — ask your pediatrician or the school's speech-language pathologist. One fun quirk to point out: llama has a double L but only one sound. (Spanish-speaking families: ll sounds like y in Spanish, so 'yama' is bilingual smarts, not a slip.)
Disclosure: our Hooked on Phonics review contains affiliate links — we may earn a commission.
📖 Letter L Word Corner
More Letter L words to know, say, and play with — a quick vocabulary warm-up before show and tell.
Try this at home: Try the "L tongue trick" in the mirror: watch your tongues tap behind your top teeth for each word, then your child teaches the trick to a stuffed animal.
Explore more: School Routines vocabulary · Home vocabulary →
Letter L Craft Ideas
Hands-on crafts that reinforce the letter L through art and creativity.
Paper Plate Lion
Paint a paper plate yellow and glue orange yarn all around for a mane. Add googly eyes. Say lll-lion together, then let out one big roar while the mane dries; fluffing yarn builds finger strength.
Ladybug Rock
Paint a smooth rock red, dot it black with a fingertip, and glue on googly eyes. Count the dots for one-to-one counting practice. The palm-sized rock doubles as a show and tell item.
Leaf Rubbings
Place real leaves under white paper and rub crayons over the top to reveal the veins. Compare shapes, sort by size, and say leaf with a big L. Rubbing builds wrist strength for writing.
Letter L Songs
Music makes learning stick! Each card below opens a YouTube search for that Letter L song in a new tab — nothing plays on this page.
The Letter L Song
by Have Fun Teaching
Trots through lion, lemon, and lollipop on a bouncy rhythm. Kids roar on lion and pucker up for lemon — actions make the L sound unforgettable.
The Letter L Song
by Jack Hartmann
Pairs the L sound with leaping and laughing moves. Active chanting helps wiggly kids remember; everyone shouts the L words together.
Letter L Picture Books
Three well-loved read-alouds that go with the letter L — one classic, one animal or theme favorite, and one just for the fun of it.
Llama Llama Red Pajama
by Anna Dewdney
Baby Llama panics when Mama doesn't come right back at bedtime. The rhyme is easy for toddlers to memorize and deals gently with separation worries. Llama repeats on nearly every page — pause and let your child chime in with the L word.
Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse
by Kevin Henkes
Lilly acts out against a teacher she adores, then works to make it right. It's an honest look at strong feelings at school. Lilly's name and her famous purple plastic purse hand little ears an L on nearly every page.
Little Blue Truck
by Alice Schertle · illustrated by Jill McElmurry
A friendly truck greets the farm animals, then needs their help. The animal sounds and "beep" refrains are easy for the youngest listeners to join. The title alone packs an L into two of its three words.
Book details (publisher and age ranges) checked on October 21, 2026.
Letter L Learning Activities
Beyond Show and Tell — here are fun, hands-on activities to reinforce the letter L all week long.
Lemon Taste Test
Slice lemons and limes. Brave tasters try a tiny squeeze, then vote sweet or sour with sticker dots. Describing the pucker face builds food vocabulary and trying-new-things courage.
Leaping Lizards
Scatter L cards on the floor. Kids leap like lizards from card to card, saying an L word at each landing. Leaping burns energy; landing on words cements beginning sounds through play.
Ladder Count Climb
Tape paper rungs up the wall like a ladder. Kids climb their fingers up, counting to twenty, then shout an L word at the top. Builds number order and fine motor control.
Letter L STEM Activities
Simple science and building play that sneaks in letter L practice.
Lemon Volcano
Cut a lemon in half, poke holes in the flesh, and drop in baking soda. Predict the fizz, then observe and describe the eruption. A safe, sour-smelling intro to chemical reactions.
Leaf Sink or Float
Collect big, small, waxy, and dry leaves. Predict which float, then test in a tub — nearly every leaf floats. Then drop in a pebble and watch it sink straight down: flat and light floats, small and heavy sinks.
Free Letter L Printable Worksheets
A quick plan for a Letter L session: put on the L Sound track, then hand over this six-page pack. L is for lion, and lion appears again on the read-aloud page alongside lemon and lamp. There kids read nine words and circle every word that starts with the L sound. Other pages cover tracing the big and little L, trace-and-write handwriting rows, an I Spy letter hunt, a color-the-letter page, and a draw-and-label page.
This free pack includes:
- ✏️ Uppercase & lowercase letter tracing
- 🖊️ Handwriting practice lines
- 🎯 Beginning sounds word hunt (circle the matches)
- 🔍 "I spy the letter L" worksheet
- 🎨 Color-the-letter page
- 🖼️ Draw & label page
🔒 Free forever — no email or account required
This pack is just letter L. Want all 26 letters? Get the complete A–Z pack →
Show and Tell Letter L — FAQ
Quick answers for parents and teachers preparing for show and tell day.
What are the best show and tell items for the letter L?
Start with the five that cover most homes: a lemon (bright, sour, and built for a pucker face), a small Lego build with one moving part, a battery lamp that clicks on and off, the lunch box your child carries every day, and a little lock with its key. Each one gives your child something to do while they talk — squeeze, build, click, open, lock — which is what makes a presentation land.
What should my child say during show and tell for the letter L?
'This is my lemon. Lemon starts with the L sound — lll, lemon. It tastes sour and it is yellow.' The L sound is a long, smooth hum with the tongue tip behind the top teeth. Have your child stretch it like a siren: 'llll-lemon.' The stretchier the L, the clearer the lesson — the class hears exactly where the sound lives.
How can we practice the L sound before show and tell?
The L sound hides at the tip of the tongue — press it right behind the top teeth and hum: 'lll.' Some kids swap L for W ('wion' for 'lion'), which is completely normal at this age. Play the stretch game: who can hold the 'lll' the longest before saying the word? 'Lllll-lion!' Laughter plus practice equals progress.
Any no-prep letter L ideas for tomorrow morning?
A lemon or lime from the kitchen is instant and full of talking points. A leaf picked outside, a Lego brick from the toy bin, or a lock with its key all work with zero prep. For a cozy option, a small battery lamp or lantern from the house makes the presentation feel special when it glows.
My child says 'wion' instead of 'lion' — should I worry?
Almost certainly not. Swapping W for L ('wion', 'yemon') is a normal step while the L sound is still developing, and most children grow out of it by about five or six. Just say the word back the right way, warmly: 'Yes, a LION!' If the swap is still there around six — or people outside the family often struggle to understand your child — mention it to your pediatrician or the school's speech-language pathologist.
What are good toys that start with L for show and tell?
A Lego build your child made themselves is the standout — they can show one moving part and explain how it works. A lion toy invites a roar, a llama toy is the class giggle, and a lizard figure suits animal lovers. A lantern that clicks on and off adds a tiny light show, perfect for dimming-the-lights drama.
Last updated: October 2026