Standing in front of your class to give a speech can make your heart beat fast and your hands shake. Many 13-year-olds worry about what to talk about. Will your classmates think your topic is boring? Will you forget what to say? These feelings are normal! Every great speaker once felt nervous too. The right topic can make your speech fun for you and your listeners. A good topic is one you care about and know well.
This list will help you find a speech topic that fits you perfectly. These ideas connect to things you might love, things you know about, or things that matter to you. Pick one that makes you say, “Yes, I want to talk about that!” With the right topic, your speech will show your teacher and friends how smart, funny, and special you are.
Speech Ideas for 13-year-olds
Here are 25 speech topics that will help you shine in front of your class. Each one can be shaped to match your own voice and interests.
1. My Favorite Book and Why It Matters
Books take us to new places without leaving our homes. Talk about a book that changed how you think or feel. Tell your class about the main story and why it stuck with you after you finished reading.
Your speech can share how the book’s message relates to real life. Maybe the main character faced problems like ones you’ve seen, or maybe the story taught you something new about the world. Add parts from the book that show why you liked it, but use your own words to tell your friends why they might enjoy it too.
2. How to Make a Simple, Tasty Meal
Food brings people together. Pick a meal you know how to make and explain the steps clearly. Talk about where you learned to make it and why you like it.
While describing the recipe, share little tips that make cooking easier. Tell a short, funny story about a time you made this food for someone else. Your classmates will enjoy hearing how the meal turned out, and they might want to try making it themselves after your speech.
3. My Hero and Their Impact
Heroes help shape who we become. Your hero could be someone famous or someone you know personally, like a family member or teacher. Explain what this person did that makes them special to you.
Think about how your hero has changed your life or how you see the world. Share specific examples of their actions or words that show their good qualities. Your speech can end with how you hope to be like your hero in some ways as you grow up.
4. The Funniest Thing That Ever Happened to Me
Laughter makes speeches fun to hear. Tell about something truly funny that happened to you. Set the scene with details about where you were, who was there, and what led up to the funny moment.
Make sure to tell your story step by step so everyone can picture it happening. Practice your timing for the funniest parts. Your classmates will pay close attention to a speech that makes them laugh, and they’ll want to hear more stories from you in the future.
5. How Video Games Can Be Good for Kids
Many adults think video games are just a waste of time, but you can show how they can help kids learn and grow. Talk about skills that games teach, like solving problems, working with others, or thinking quickly.
Give clear examples of games that teach something useful. You could share how a game helped you get better at math or reading, or how playing with friends online taught you to be a good team member. Your speech might change how your classmates and teacher think about gaming.
6. The Best Place I’ve Ever Visited
Places we go can stay in our hearts for years. Describe a place that made you feel happy, peaceful, or amazed. Use words that help others see, hear, and feel what that place was like.
Tell your class about what made this place special to you. Was it the beautiful things you saw? The people you met? The activities you did there? Share how visiting this place changed you or taught you something new about the world or yourself.
7. What I Want to Be When I Grow Up
Dreams for the future show what we care about. Talk about a job or life you hope to have when you’re older. Explain why this path calls to you and what steps you’ll need to take to get there.
Your speech should share both the good parts and the hard parts of your dream job. Talk about someone who has this job now who you look up to. Your honest words about your hopes can inspire your classmates to think about their own futures too.
8. The Most Important Lesson My Parents Taught Me
Parents and family give us our first lessons about life. Choose one big lesson you learned from your family that has helped you in school or with friends. Tell a story about how you learned this lesson.
Show how this teaching has helped you make good choices or handle hard times. Your speech will let your classmates learn something from your family too, and it might make them think about lessons they’ve learned at home that they hadn’t noticed before.
9. Three Ways Kids Can Help Save the Earth
Our planet needs help, and kids can make a big difference. Pick three simple things that 13-year-olds can do to help the earth stay healthy. For each one, explain what to do and why it matters.
Give facts about how these actions help plants, animals, or people. Share if you’ve tried any of these earth-helping ideas yourself and what happened. Your speech might get your whole class excited about making small changes that add up to big help for our planet.
10. The Hardest Thing I’ve Ever Done
Meeting big challenges helps us grow. Talk about something very hard that you tried to do, whether you finished it or not. Explain why it was so difficult and how you felt when you were doing it.
Tell your class what you learned from this hard experience. Did it make you stronger or smarter? Did it change how you see hard tasks now? Being honest about tough times shows bravery and can help others feel better about their own struggles.
11. How to Make and Keep Good Friends
Friendship skills help all through life. Share tips for meeting new friends and keeping friendships strong and happy. Use examples from your own friendships to show what works well.
Talk about how to fix friendship problems when they happen. Good friends sometimes disagree or hurt each other’s feelings by accident. Your speech can help classmates who might feel lonely or who want their friendships to be better.
12. My Favorite Family Tradition
Traditions bring families closer. Describe something special your family does together regularly, like a holiday custom or a weekly game night. Tell how this tradition started and why it matters to your family.
Share how this tradition makes you feel and what you learn from it. Does it connect you to your culture or to older family members? Does it teach values your family thinks are important? Your classmates will enjoy hearing about different ways families spend time together.
13. Sports That Anyone Can Try
Moving our bodies keeps us healthy and happy. Talk about sports or active games that don’t need special skills or lots of money to start. Explain the basic rules and what makes each one fun.
For each sport, tell what good things it does for your body and mind. Share your own experiences with these activities, whether you tried them once or play them often. Your speech might help someone find a new way to be active that they’ll love for years.
14. The Most Useful Thing I Learned in School This Year
School teaches us things we need for life. Pick something you learned this year that you think will help you for many years to come. This could be from any class or even something you learned about getting along with others.
Describe how you learned this useful thing and why you think it matters so much. Tell a story about using this knowledge or skill outside of school. Your speech will show that you pay attention and think about how school connects to real life.
15. My Favorite Music and What It Says
Music speaks to our hearts in special ways. Talk about music you love and what messages or feelings it gives you. You can focus on one song, one artist, or one type of music.
Play a short clip if your teacher allows it, or describe the sounds so others can almost hear them. Explain how this music fits into your life – when you listen to it and how it changes your mood or thoughts. Your passion for music will come through in your words.
16. Animals That Most People Don’t Know About
The animal world is full of surprises. Choose three or four animals that aren’t very famous but have amazing features or abilities. For each one, share facts about where they live, what they eat, and what makes them special.
Show pictures if you can, or describe the animals in vivid detail. Tell why you think these animals deserve more attention from people. Your speech will teach your class about parts of nature they may never have heard of before.
17. How I Learned a Skill Outside of School
Learning happens everywhere, not just in classrooms. Describe something useful or fun you learned to do without a teacher, like cooking, fixing a bike, or playing a game. Tell who helped you learn or how you taught yourself.
Talk about the steps of learning this skill, including mistakes you made along the way. Share how it feels to use this skill now that you know how. Your speech shows that we can all keep learning new things our whole lives, not just during school hours.
18. Why Sleep Matters for Kids Our Age
Good sleep helps our bodies and brains work better. Explain why 13-year-olds need plenty of sleep and what happens when we don’t get enough. Use facts from science to back up your points.
Give tips for getting better sleep, like having a regular bedtime or turning off screens an hour before sleep. Share your own sleep habits and how they affect how you feel and do in school. Your speech might help friends who stay up too late see why sleep is worth making time for.
19. The Best Day of My Life So Far
Happy memories give us joy again and again. Tell about a day when everything felt perfect or when something wonderful happened to you. Describe this day from start to finish, with all the details that made it special.
Share how you felt throughout this amazing day and why it stands out from all other days in your life. Talk about what you learned from this happy time. Your speech will bring a bit of your joy to everyone who hears it.
20. Three Big Problems Kids Face Today
Growing up comes with challenges. Identify three main problems that kids your age deal with, like too much homework, bullying, or pressure to look a certain way. For each problem, explain why it’s hard and how it affects kids.
Suggest some ways to handle these problems or make them better. Use examples from your life or friends’ lives (without using real names). Your speech will show adults that kids have real concerns and good ideas about fixing them.
21. My Favorite App and How It Helps Me
Technology can make life better when used well. Describe an app you find truly useful, not just fun. Explain what the app does and how you use it in your daily life.
Talk about what life would be like without this app or what people did before it existed. Share tips for using the app in the best way. Your speech will help others find tools that might make their lives easier or more interesting too.
22. What Makes Our Town Special
Every place has good points. Talk about things that make your town, city, or neighborhood different from others. This could include special places, local foods, yearly events, or the types of people who live there.
Share your favorite spots in your community and why you like them. Tell a story about something that happened in your town that shows its character. Your speech will help classmates see familiar places with new, thankful eyes.
23. How to Stay Safe Online
Internet safety matters more each year. Give clear tips for using the internet without getting into trouble or danger. Cover topics like privacy, talking to strangers online, and sharing photos.
Tell why each safety rule matters and what could happen if kids don’t follow it. You can use stories (without real names) of online problems kids have faced. Your speech could keep classmates safe from real online risks they might not know about.
24. What Makes Someone a Good Leader
Leaders guide others toward good things. Describe qualities that all good leaders have, like honesty, good listening, and caring about others. Give examples of leaders who show these qualities.
Talk about times when you’ve been a leader or seen good leadership in action at school or in clubs. Share how kids can practice leadership skills now to be ready for bigger roles later. Your speech might inspire classmates to step up as leaders in ways that fit their own strengths.
25. If I Could Change One School Rule
Rules shape our school days. Pick one rule at your school that you think should be different. Explain what the rule is now and why it exists.
Then give clear reasons why changing this rule would make school better for students, teachers, or both. Suggest a new version of the rule that would be fair and helpful. Your speech shows that you can think critically about the systems around you and offer better options.
Wrapping Up
Finding the right speech topic is the first big step to giving a great talk. When you pick something you truly care about, your words will flow more easily. Your voice will sound stronger. Your eyes will shine with interest. These 25 ideas can spark your thinking, but the best topic is one that lights a fire in YOU.
Take time to practice your speech before the big day. Say it out loud to family or friends, or even just to your mirror or stuffed animals. The more you practice, the less nervous you’ll feel when it’s time to stand up in front of your class. Go ahead and pick your topic now – your perfect speech is waiting for you to bring it to life!