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hi guys, been doing magic for quite a long time now and how many times do you get told " do you do kids parties", i would like to but what are some good effects to do. i have terry herberts dvd which i mudy say is good,but cannot find any of the items anywhere!! i think the self tying shoelace would be good. but please anyone with ideas please help. i also here you should finish the show with a rabbit from the hat but i don't have a rabbit!!!

balloon animals always go down a treat. Anything big and colourful, sponge balls and silks are great.

I stopped doing children's parties, you should ask magicdiscoman when he is next on. He can help you.

The first question is: what is your repertoire in magic?
The second question is: what is the formality of the children shows you are going to perform in? Are they fully paid shows (that you are hired for as any paid entertainer), are they shows for family or friends that ask for a favor, are they volunteered shows for schools/churches/etc.

Those two questions will help you determine what kind of magic you are going to perform, and how much you should invest in new equipment that is more fitting for children's magic.

Simple stuff works a treat with kids parties which what makes them so nice to do because you can work on your technical stuff for othershows without worrying too much about your kids show.

Heres some ideas

- A good change bag routine (maybe using 2)
- Sucker tricks work well (Peanut butter and jelly)
- Balloon routine where you get a child to hold end of balloon as you blow up and it keeps snapping back and hitting you in face. Ends in a mouth coil production - (a fantasic opening that gets them shouting)

Dont make your life hard with kids parties. Kids may be difficult to deal with and so the last thing you want is to think about hard sleights etc.

The best reaction I get from kids is from the Card on the Ceiling. I would close the show with that.

thanks guys for all the info. was thinking of buying the silver sceptre, heard its good with a load of business. i have a good change bag routine. i was thinking of opening with a torn and restored newspaper routine and do the business of dropping ieces and getting the child to pick up the pieces. i must say tho, to close with a card on ceiling you must be a brave man as i heard that it is advisible to stay away from card effects as children not always know the names of playing cards.

I've put a list below of items in specific catorgories. I have tried to include some of the "classic" effects, together with some cheaper alternatives.

I have/do own alot of these, but not all of them. will post the routine I am working on later, if that helps give you ideas.

Sucker effects.

These are where the children think they have caught you out, but you produce a surprise ending. ALWAYS ALWAYS make sure you turn it round on yourself, so the children don't feel you have been trying to fool them.
These effects don't have any children coming up on stage, but are good to get tyhem calling out. (TUrn it round, no, the other way etc.)

Stratosphere. Can be used in a story about planets or the like. It can also be used as part educational about traffic, or pedestrian lights.
You put the balls or blocks is order in a tube. green, yellow (amber) red.
The red one always swaps places and ends up in the centre. You then take the red out, it vanishes in a box and returns to the tube.
My thoughts. It isn't something I have been able to come up with an origional enough routine, so I am getting rid of my one.

Hippitty Hop rabbits.
Loads of fun with a black and white rabbit. You clearly turn them round so they swap places. The kicker is that when you DO show the other side, they are completely different colours.
Very good for getting children calling out. I pretend I don't see the other colours, then let the children know the rabbits are playing tricks on ME.

Die box.
Details in routine in later post.

Die solving cube.

I haven't got this, as I am using a die box. It uses a rubiks cube and you can show front and sides open to prove it has completely gone. Heard good things about it, though it is more expensive than a Die Box.

Cheaper Sucker effects.

Sliding Silk.
A silk keeps changing to a different coloured end. It is done behind your back, until they call that you are turning it round. The silk then magically appears in the centre. There are other simalar effects. Starting from around £5 and upwards.

Production effects.

I wont go into so much detail as the title says it all.

Change bags. There are 2 way and 3 way, flat or bag types. Use as a prop during a routine, rather than a stand alone item.

Drawer Box.
Yes, children have seen the cheap plastic versions, but if you buy a large wooden one ( maybe decorate it) it doesn't look the same. Try to get as large a load as you can for maximum effect. A mistake I made when I first used it, was to drag the production out too long.

Mirror box.

This is displayed empty, then you reach in and produce your load.

Square circle.
I haven't got one, but another item used by many over the years. Mark Wilson has details on building your own if you don't want to pay out so much on a bought item.

Cheaper alternatives.

Mirror glass.

It's only abought a 1/2 pint size, but you can change/ vanish lots of items, including making a fish appear if you want.

Chick pan.

Quite often used in a cake bake routine, I let a girl magic a bone for my dog puppet from mine. Normally I don't think people get the audience to use it though.

Items to use in routines.

All fairly cheap, but will add more than their cost to a show.

TT
Rope, for routines
D'Lite
Silks
Wands, a selection of normal and gag type.

Will try and write more if you are interested later.

My ideas.

Younger children.

Victory Cartons.
I show two cardboard boxes empty, then produce the following:

Flash production table
Card Castle, which just fits on the table and makes a display about 54" high.
Colour changing streamer.
Breakaway wand, which always droops out of reach when I try to get it.
Silk Fountain
Airborne, just because I think it would look good.
Other items, if practicle
10' appearing pole, which will move out of the way when I try to take it. Maybe having to snake charm it.
Lastly, produce my son.

The above will be to music.

Next, introduce my Pet Pot Plant Percy. (Goofus) Then use it as a running gag during the show.

Sliding Die Box, but with my own ending, producing the Die and Dream Bag boxes from an empty bag, with the children calling out the magic words.

Miss Made Flag, ending with flag rising from change bag on a flagpole. (Appearing Cane) 1 helper.

A game with silks, ( I saw at a lecture in Blackpool 2 years ago). You have fopur coploured silks, but you swap the names of the colours. The children have to hold up the colour that matches. EG, red might be called blue, so it isn't always easy and gets laughs. I will use Uncanny Hanks at the same time, with the silks falling off as a running gag during the routine. 4 helpers

I have an effect which has Animal picture cards, which ends up with a mouse vanishing, to appear in a windmill. I lost the instructions, but am writing a routine that suits how I want it to go.

Magic colouring book. (6 way). I have both colour changing and vanishing crayons. I intend to switch packs to give more effect.

Dog Arm Puppet.
My own routine with "Snuggles", with 3 helpers.

Balloon modelling.


Older children.

The same up to and including the silk game/Uncanny Hanks.

Vanishing Bandana, with my son "reading" instructions. He manages to make me look silly, before it turns out OK.

Do as I do rope routine, with 2 helpers.

Fresh Fish Sold Here, with my son telling me I don't need the words.

Letters game. Again, a game from Blackpool, which is suited to older children.

Finally, Knitty Knitty Bang Bang, which leads me on to the balloon modelling.

Other thoughts.

Some situations will mean I can't set up the Victory Cartons, so I will be doing the Colour Changing Rings, but to music.

I will also have The Big Red Hand and Gag Bag, so if we are still waiting for people, I have got something to do as a filler.

I also have other props, which I will swap over on occasions, but will try to keep the show the same basic shape.

Ref cards in childrens shows.

You can use cards, but think about a few things first.

Young children may not know the names of the cards.

If the routine is too slow, they will get bored, too quick, they might get confused.

You need something visual, cards have boring numbers on and are too small for stage work. Ok, being general there.

Children can love card and close up magic, but that is the situation where you show it.

Some ideas for cards for children.

6 card repeat.

They don't need to know the names of cards. You just need to think of an entertaining story.

If you have something you feel you CAN use for children, try this:

Work out how many cards you require for the routine. Make up that number of cards on A4 laminated paper. Use something like animals instead of normal cards. Maybe try to make them whackey, say a purple elephant, green kangeroo etc.

Make sure you have a suitable story, trying to involve the children if you can.

You just need to adapt your way of thinking, making sure you do actually REALLY LIKE children and enjoy performing for them.

Excellent posts Darrel, thank you. Much food for thought and certainly something which all potential children's entertainers should print off and keep for reference. A lot of the ideas could easily apply to older audiences as well!

I have done exactly as Mandrake has said - they are printed and saved in My Magic folder in My Documents on my PC.

What do you mean you don't have a My Magic folder? Liar...

Zack wrote:What do you mean you don't have a My Magic folder? Liar...

Confession time - I have three 'My Magic' folders and each one is backed up/duplicated regularly on the PC at home as well as on a LapTop. And I still can't find stuff when I want it !

Like you I am also starting to do childrens shows - Any ideas re Change bag as I have one with 2 compartments & a zip but no idea what to do with it.

Great stuff Darrel, you got it covered fantastic post

I don't do childrens magic but gonna save it in case I do

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