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I've made a double photo frame - opens like a book. It can show 2 photos. It has a 'himberlike' set up where I could show two other photos and make it appear as if they are the same ones.

I can see how I can make photos go from black and white to colour - or from young to old. Handsome to ugly etc and vice versa. I'm struggling with trying to do something more than that - or to develop some patter where I get into to trouble, or something happens that I don't expect.

All suggestions welcome.

Cheers

Thanks Curator ......spooky! and with good potential

I think kids generally are interested in mess and naughty stuff like farts and other silly toilet humour

Maybe a cartoon child and a cake (the child eating the cake, mess all over face and hands), accidentally breaking your favourite vase, or if you're especially brave, a cartoon child needing the toilet but you tell him he needs to wait until you've finished the trick you're showing everybody - but oops, too late!

I hope that's the sort of thing you're after. Sorry if it's not

Drifting off-topic briefly - the idea of going from young to old sounds a little Dorian Grey. Then I started thinking about MR James' The Mezzotint. Absolutely the wrong story for kids. Horrifically brilliant for bizzare...

Anyway, children's magic... Almost too many options, really.

Maybe check out Aesop's Fables and other folk stories for basic storylines? I started writing a list and realised I'd spend all night doing it.

Many thanks folks for your stimulating ideas, much appreciated - lots of food for my grey cells. Festive greetings to all.

How about you show the children a big messy Custard Pie then make it disappear, then make it reappear in the face of someone in the photo. Kids love anything involving custard pies so as Chris Tarrant used to say "let's give 'em what they want".

Since it's the season..

Find, or create some nice sepia photographs of a clasic victorian christmas tree, standing beside a hearth.

the tree is decorated, but there are no gifts beneath.

your patter could be something along the lines of A christmas carol, where the child recieved no gifts, because he , or she had not kept the spirit of christmas within their hearts.

end your tale, by explaining how this was resolved.... and open the frame to show that the tree now has gifts beneath.

perform it to the classic Nat King Cole tune, the little boy that santa clause forgot.
you wont have a dry eye in the house!

Nice one Dale!

I think it would play well for Adults too.

another thought, was you have a black and white photo of a deer.( Rudolph in fact) but his nose isnt red!!! how will he guide his sleigh tonight? ( reference... the song)
and with the help of the kids, who sing the song, and a red silk,and t.t you manage to put the colour back into old Rudolphs hooter

Fantastic stuff folks thanks! Great ideas for next week and I'll get on to them as soon as I recover from my tears and sobbing at Dale's 'no presents' scenario. Merry Xmas to all.