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Speech Topics - 100s of them!

By: Susan Dugdale

Speech ideas ordered by speech type & theme

So you're preparing to give a speech.

The next step, unless you've been told or you've already decided for yourself, is choosing a topic.

What will you talk about? There are literally so many possibilities.

To make choosing a subject easier, here's a collection of speech topic suggestions arranged either by speech type, age group or theme.

Demonstration speech topics (5 pages: 738 + topics)
Speech topics for kids (2 pages: 150 + topics)
Persuasive topics (6 pages: 998+ topics)

125 examples of narrative speech topics

60 vocal variety and body language topics

145 good cause and effect topics for students

Fun public speaking topics (2 pages:165 topics)
180+ interesting topics for students (1 page: 180 + topics)
Good informative speech topics (1 page: 100s of topics)
Commemorative speech topic ideas (1 page: themes)
Argumentative/controversial speech topics (1 page: 290 topics)
Easter themed speech topics (1 page: 32 topics)
Halloween themed speech topics (1 page: 60 topics)
Impromptu speech topics (5 pages: 630 topics)
Printable impromptu speech topics (98 proverbs or quotations ready-to-go)

Teacher or student, these lists are for you.

I hope they're useful! Happy speaking, Susan

Demonstration speech ideas

Image: row of men's neckties. Text: Demonstration speech topic possibilities-How to knot a tie.

These are the 'show and tell' or 'how to' speeches where you demonstrate a skill, make something, or explain how something works. Think of these speeches as stepping through a process from beginning to end, showing and explaining every step of the way.

The goal of them is often to inspire those listening to try whatever is being shown for themselves.

I have five pages of topics specifically selected because they are good for demonstration speeches. You'll see the lists are adaptable to meet the needs of people of middle school age and upwards.

290 themed 'how to' demonstration speech ideas
6 themed demonstration topic lists using the magic of 'how'
50 soft skill 'how to' demonstrative speech topics
100+ 10-minute, or less, demonstration speech topics
188 funny how-to speech topics

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Speech topics for kids

Graphic: painting of a girl swinging on a tire swing. Text: Graffiti is art. Speech topics for middle school.

I've got two pages of speech topics especially chosen with children in mind. They're mainly for kids in the middle school age bracket (11 - 14 years old) but are readily adaptable for those either younger or older.

Both pages are really useful if you're a teacher or parent looking for inspiration! I've carefully put together lists covering social/community issues, arts and culture, sports and games, food, fun and whimsy, hobbies, and more.

- 8 themed lists of speech topics for children

- 50+ elocution topics for kids

Persuasive speech topics

Convince me!

Change my mind!

Challenge my thinking!

Convert me!

And, if appropriate, make me laugh!

Whatever topic you choose you will be expected to take a position on it and persuade your audience to consider what you're saying about it seriously.

For example:

'To be vegan is the only right, and moral way to live.'

'Good or right thinking is a matter of opinion.'

My six persuasive speech topic pages are below.

50 good persuasive speech topics
5 0+ persuasive speech topic ideas
105 fun persuasive speech topics
309 easy persuasive speech topics
310 persuasive speech topics for college
108 feminist persuasive speech topics

Chalkboard with text written in white chalk: What's your story? 125 narrative speech topics.

125 strong ideas for effective story telling speeches, preparation guidelines, plus a printable narrative speech outline.

If you're looking for suggestions for the Toastmasters Level Three Project 'Connect with storytelling' these will get you off to a great start.

Go to: 125 examples of narrative speech topics

60 vocal variety & body language topics

Label: Your Body Speaks - 60 vocal variety and body language speech topics.

60 speech topic ideas to help you work with body language and gesture. They're perfect for evocative personal storytelling speeches or for either of these Toastmasters Pathway projects:

Level 2: Learning Your Style: Effective Body Language or,
Level 1: Mastering Fundamentals: Vocal Variety and Body Language

Go to 6 0 vocal variety and body language speech topics

WW2 cause and effect speech topic question with outline of soldiers in background

Cause and effect topics for speeches and essays to challenge, connect and make a difference. With explanations, examples and a free printable blank fish bone diagram, (an extremely useful visual cause and effect analytical tool), to download for your own use.

Go to 145 good cause and effect topics

Fun public speaking topics

Image:drawing of a man laughing.Text: The purpose of life is to be happy.

They're silly; deliberately daft and ridiculous!

These speech topics focus on light-hearted nonsense, tilting the world side-ways, giving your audience a glimpse of it funny side-up.

Gems include:

'How to procrastinate like a professional',
'How to look innocent',
'Why lying can be useful', ...

Go on. Make them snort with laughter. Visit:

60 fun public speaking topics for kids of all ages
1 88 funny how-to speech topics

180 + interesting speech topic ideas

Image: young girl with badge showing Facebook thumbs up icon on her tee-shirt. Background text: Please like me, please like me, please like me...

Here's a page of topic suggestions encouraging people to push beyond ordinary.

There's a bundle of 50 ideas around the growing influence of social media, a collection of 45 thought provoking suggestions centered on your very own community and family history, 61 'weird' topics, and more.

You only need ONE truly bright and original idea, right?

Have a look here for it.

There are 180 interesting speech topic ideas to browse through.

Good informative speech topics

An informative speech does what its title says: it informs. It gives the facts about the topic. Not people's feelings about the subject - just the facts.

Informational speech topic possibilities are quite truly endless. Use my page as a beginning to set your own creative juices in motion.

Visit: 100s of good informational speech topics

Commemorative speech topic ideas

A commemorative or tribute speech honors the memory of a person, a group, an institution, a thing, an event or an idea.

Use this commemorative speech topic helper page (and its resource links) to identify the right topic and theme to match the event you've been asked to speak at.

239 controversial or argumentative speech topics

Image:drawing of homeless man on street sitting a heart shaped beam of light. Text: The homeless on our streets need our help.

These topics are deliberately provocative. They cover four broad areas affecting us all: the food we eat, our children (from infancy through to teenage years), and the communities/countries we live in.

In addition to the 239 topics there are comprehensive guidelines about choosing the best topic: one fitting yourself and your audience.

Find yourself a controversial speech topic .

Note: these topics are best suited for high school and college students.

32 Easter themed speech topics

Graphic : drawing of palm tree lined street leading to old buildings. Text: What is the history of Palm Sunday? 30+ Easter themed speech topics.

Easter - what is its history? What are the special days, like Palm Sunday, all about? What do bunnies and chocolate eggs have to do with it? Why does the White House have a tradition of egg-rolling as part of its Easter celebrations?

Use this page of 32 Easter speech topic possibilities to find an idea for an inspirational demonstration or an interesting informative speech.

Halloween-themed speech topics

Do you believe in ghosts? Do you avoid certain places because you are scared of them?Would you walk through a cemetery at night by yourself?

These are three of 50 Halloween themed topics for 1-2 minute impromptu speeches. Get the printable of them and ideas for using them here: Halloween speech topics and activities

A blue-black raven, a skull, a stone cherubin on a grave at night.

Impromptu speech topics

Graphic - antique light bulb. Text: Dozens of bright ideas for impromptu speaking topics.

Help! I have a class and need lots of impromptu speech topics for them to practice with.

You've got them here. I have four pages of topics for impromptu speeches.

You'll find them suitable for middle school and upwards. They're great for public speaking clubs too.

200 impromptu speech topics
150 1 minute speech topics - with sample speech outlines, speeches: full text & audio
11 themed sets of fun topics for impromptu speeches
80+ themed table topic questions, with printables
50 Halloween themed speech topics for 1-2 minute speeches - with a printable

And last, but not least there's ...

98 printable impromptu speech topic cards, an almost* instantly available resource for busy public speaking teachers.

If you're time-poor and need a grab-and-go solution to your "HELP! I want speech topics for my public speaking class, and I need them now" problem, check these out.

Printable Impromptu Speech Topic Cards

Graphic: girl riding a wolf. Text: Who keeps company with the wolf will learn to howl.

* It'll take you 5 minutes to select the set you want, (proverbs or quotations), pay, and have it downloaded ready for printing. You'll be getting 98 themed speech topic cards - a great reusable resource for $4.75.

& One Minute Speeches!

Another almost instantly available resource.

A fun and hugely effective impromptu speaking activity. You get topics + instructions for the core activity, plus three advanced variations for $5.95. Take a look - One Minute Speeches .