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Hi, I haven't been on the forum for some time as we have been in the process of retiring and moving to Cornwall. So magic has taken something of a back seat.

I am now trying to establish myself as a magician down here in my new home and am hoping to start by entertaining at a kids Halloween party. I wouldn't have any trouble if it was for adults but most of what I have in this line is simply unsuitable for children.

Does anyone have any suggestions for things Halloween themed that I could use?

What age group is it?

If you've got, or can get, orange or green sponge balls, you can call them pumpkins or goblins (or goblin bogies, should the audience be around ten years old - maybe you can start by pulling one from your nose - I leave it to your judgement).

Haunted Key, accompanied by suitably spooky story.

If you have a white silk of the right size, could you turn it into a "sheet" ghost (shh, stop making up your own jokes) and then have it vanish and reappear in newspaper, or a bigger handkerchief (the very first TT I ever owned was a Tenyo one sold as Silk from Hanky). I suppose you could just call it a ghost without drawing on eyes.

As apple bobbing is a traditional Halloween game, could the "ghost" appear inside a chosen apple? How about inside some form of Halloween treat, like a sealed bag of sweets?

For slightly older children, you might be able to do a Haunted Deck or Rising Card trick with a ghostly presentation.

If you have Practical Mental Magic, you could make up a set of cards for the Horrors trick. You might need to tweak some of the words a bit for today's kids.

I have assumed that, as we're only a week and a half from the big day, you aren't in the market to buy any new tricks. I don't class a new set of sponges as a new trick, as you probably know what to do already.

Enjoy your retirement!

Johnny Whizz

Can't really much as far as ideas for children's Halloween magic. Just wanted to say all the best on your retirement and best of luck in your new home in Cornwall. I'll be down there myself Saturday 24th October for a week, in Perranporth. My family and I are also going to make the move down there permanently in around 5 years. Where have you made your home?

I don't know if Johnny's got time to read this or if he's enjoying retirement too much, but it occurred to me that the OTL principle is very, very versatile for Halloween: ghosts (or ghostly writing) the appear or disappear, vampires that disintegrate in the sunlight, that sort of thing.

Johnny has read it Part Timer and thanks you very much for your input

Johnny, I realise this is totally off topic but some years ago I was assured that a magician in the Falmouth area had performed a routine whereby a freely selected card is vanished and then found in a freely selected Cornish pasty in one of the many pasty shops down there. Might be worth working on in retirement!

Card to pasty? That's hard to swallow.

Hope you've got something useful out of this thread, Mr Wizz.

I had a look back through previous threads about Halloween, but didn't find much suitable. I'm sure there was something similar to this one a year or two ago, but apart from The Web (which was why I came here to post in the first place), I found nothing extra.

I have had one further thought. If you own a D'Lite or similar, you might be able to put it to good effect if the lights are low. Maybe you could do something spooky, or silly with an object you can make light up, like a ghostly lollipop (the flat, clear kind). Not one of my strongest ideas, perhaps, but maybe it will inspire you (or someone else).

If you have one of the ones that flies around (I think they were called D'Lite Flite), maybe that could be a ghost. You could also do the same with the dancing handkerchief, if you do that one.

Thanks both. Card to pasty is definitely worth working on! D lites, didn't think of those and I have the floating d lite ball. Thanks again.

Come to think of it, Card to Pasty should be fairly easy - think Bill in Lemon....... hmmm, must go visit a Ginsters outlet....

The book "Little Egypt Book of Ghosts," has lots of great Halloween ideas...