talkmagic.co.uk

hi just wondering what a good opening effect for a show for about 30 - 40 children would be

Sponge balls
Something with jumbo cards
cut & restored rope

Anything along those lines. I wouldn't say cup and balls because that can be stretched out into a really good routine and should be saved for later in the show.

Anything colourful, so Id second the spongeballs or jumbo cards-maybe block coloured cards rather than playing cards. Failing that, anything that flashes or makes noises would also entertain in my opinion.

I perform for kids at wrestling tournaments once in awhile, and whenever I duplicate coins they are pretty impressed, but anything visual would work good.
I remember I levitate a few inches off of the ground once, and the kid was amazed.

A great trick for kids from experience is "the vanishing bandana" it gets a great reaction and lots of laughs and requires no patter what so ever as you follow intructions on a tape http://www.emagictricks.co.uk/product_i ... ts_id=4475

Run Rabbit Run
Stratosphere
Colouring book
Colour changing ropes and hanks
Almost anything with a change bag
Back Stage
Topsy Turvey bottles
Dove pan
Comedy egg can

Just about anything large visual with a lot of audience participation.

Just read the WHOLE post. A good opener hmm, that totally depends on you and your routine.

would depend a lot on what you have already, are comftable doing and the age range of the kids, drop me a pm and i'll see if i can help you further.

something visual. I always think that the old classics work best, and frequently get the best reactions (sponge balls, unequal/equal ropes, chop cup, cups and balls that sort of thing).

Personally, I have a quick opener with a hydrostatic glass type effect (an old Supreme prop called Water-Lu) and a couple of quick productions (appearing cane & dream bag flower box production), and go straight into my Unequal/Equal Ropes (professor's nightmare) routine, because I'm the most comfortable doing these, and I can do them with my eyes closed.

The tricks always get a good response, and because I'm concentrating on the audience, not what my hands are doing, I can use the first few minutes to size them up, and also to relax into my regular routine (which then goes into a sponge ball routine).

Zombie ball is a great, great opener for a kids show. I'm always amazed how many kids entertainers don't use a zombie, prefering things like spong balls. Really, when that ball takes off most under 8's are genuinely amazed.

They also like the bottle of water held over volunteer's head that doesn't spill out trick - if you know what I mean. I don't know the trade name for it, but I bought mine about 5 years ago and if I ever (god forbid) do a kids show it's an absolute must.

I also do linking rings very badly - but hey, they're only kids.

CANDY FACTORY.

Anything but that bloody vanishing bandana. Open with that and you might as well pack and go home. It is karaoke magic at best.

Open by engaging the kids. Talk, gags, stories, perhaps a very simple effect. I either eat a balloon (ten minutes of gags and stories with five seconds of magic), a pocket hankey routine (eight minutes of no magic) or a simple sponge ball routine (easy on the magic).

Very few people in the UK would understand what a bandanna is - thus the 'joke' falls flat even before it's launched!

Mandrake wrote:Very few people in the UK would understand what a bandanna is - thus the 'joke' falls flat even before it's launched!

Yes - but the real reason we should not do it is that it is sh*te. If we have any pride in our art, we don't do karaoke magic.

I agree with the above!

Good opening tricks for children...
Something easy (so you don't get flustered), something that includes interaction and establishes that the show will be fun. I like to use a routine doesn't have anyone coming out on stage yet, but includes interactions from where they are.

The above is a pretty good set of guidelines for any opening effect actually.

I tend to think that if you stick with a simple prop - cards, coins, ropes, silks, etc... then you can adapt the presentation to fit your audience and personality.
My advice - start with an idea, perform it (a lot) and eventually you'll change the routine bit by bit until you have something that you are really happy with.