Tricks for Kids

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Happy the first Idian Clown on February 6, 2008 at 1:05pm

Hello !

going thru the list above it appears thta you have infact almost every thing that I do have in my bag.

Ofcourse I have stopped (well almost) doing live stock for personal reasons.

Did you forget the old "Comedy Funnel"

For the rope routines I have my rope stuffed inside a ( empty and dried ofcourse) tooth paste tube, have stuck two ends of the tooth brush bristles on a pair of scissors. Start my routine with some talk on dental care.. introduce (?) the props and then get in to the routine and finish it with the stretching rope effect.


trust this may be useful to someone here.

Am looking for the "Professor Cheers" original routine...not found in India so am doing my version of it.

More in my next...

regards...

the only ISO Clown

just
"foolingyou"

Permalink Reply by Nick Roberts on February 28, 2008 at 4:32pm

Hey iSO,

What does ISO mean, anyway ??? :)

I like the idea of the rope coming out of the toothpaste tube...very funny. I've never done any clowning , really,
but I think I would love it , because I love to be silly with the kids in my magic act. Ii love to make myself the but of the jokes, and one time ( during Linking Rings ) I even fall down - the kid and I are pulling on the rings to get them apart,
and i PRETEND TO LET THE KID OVERPOWER ME AND PULL ME TO THE FLOOR ! ( Very good laugh, always !)

Which routiine is the Professor Cheers routine...I should know that, but I can't seem to put my finger on it.
If you could describe the effect, then I may be able to help yooou find it.

Saw you later,

Nick Roberts

Permalink Reply by Jesse Davis on February 28, 2008 at 3:27pm

Nick Roberts,

I have just recently started thinking about performing magic for children. My first show is in a week and one day. I will be performing at a public school daycare. This show I will be performing for free because I know the lady who runs it. I plan on including:

Disapearing hanky (with thumb tip)

Sponge Routine

Bowl routine (with sponges)

Crystal Tube

Multipying bunnies (3D Rabbits) by gosh

Multipyling Golf balls

Fun magic coloring book

I think that this is all I am including. I was wondering how I should end it. Got any thoughts?

Permalink Reply by Nick Roberts on February 28, 2008 at 4:16pm

Hey Jesse,

Looks like you've got a bunch of good tricks planned...here is how I would line them up :

Coloring Book ( Have the kids help you color it by grabbing colors from the air, or off of their clothes & then throw
them towards the book - show it colored. Then pretend to "erase the colors & throw them back;
& say "oops, I erased the black, too !" ) Show it to be blank.

Sponge Balls ( Produce the first one, then go into your routine. If you do the effect whhhere it jumps from your
hand into theirs, you can do this with several or all of the kids - depending on how many kids
are in attendance. But they'll all want you to make it happen them individually. )

Bowl & Sponge Routine

Sponge Rabbit Routine

Multiplying Golf Balls

Disappearing Hank - ( maybe show the Crystal Tube empty, and make the hank appear in it...if it's a production
kind of Crystal tube , then you could produce not only that one , but a whole lot of silks ! )
Crystal Tube -
( If this is the "Linking Silks" Tube, I'd do it before the Hank Vanish...because you wany to end with
either your strongest effect ( in this case the hank vanish ) , or your largest effect. Which would be the
Crystal Tube - proving it's made for producing a large load of silks, etc.

And, remember...we all start in the same place as magicians. By learning those first tricks, and by doing those
first performances ( usually for free ) , untill we build confidence through repetition & experience. Every show that
you do will be different, even though you're doing the same routine, because the audience members will all be different, and different things will happen each time. Try to learn from each show you do. It's also good to have an
emergency trick or two, just in case you get nervous and mess up a trick. Or try to think of what may go wrong in each trick, and what your "cover '' routine would be..and rehearse that, too.

You can use David Ginn's idea of laying a piece of rope down on the floor as a "barrier", to control the kids.
Let them know the rule, before you begin...no one crosses the rope to my siide, unless I ask you up to assist.

Usually, if there are a coouple of adults present, they'll help you maintain order, and not let the kids "rush the stage".
But it's natural for kids to think that they can do the magic, too, if they could just get the props in their hands.

The only other thing I can think of is to maybe have some softly played (not loud) music in the background, while you perform. This will help cover any "dead spaces" where you may not have "patter" (spoken lines ). This will fill in for when you're between tricks. *** And if you can ever work a live animal into your routine, you'll be an instant hit with
an audience of kids ! There is NO reaction like the one you'll get by producing
livestock in your show. Even if it's just a hamster from the tube, or something.***

Hope this helps ! Have fun !!!

Nick Roberts

Permalink Reply by Jesse Davis on July 19, 2008 at 8:45am

Thanks man, I just learned the cut and restored rope from Mark Wilson's complete course in magic, also the comedy version which i don't find to be that funny... I think it is a really cool secret (both versions)


I'm adding it to my show

Permalink Reply by Guy Copland on May 2, 2009 at 6:49pm

Mark Wilson's Complete Course in Magic is the BEST book, and the only I recommend for some who is starting out.

Permalink Reply by Phil Tawa on May 2, 2009 at 11:24pm

Hugards magic manual is also good for beginners. They reprinted it on Dover paperback.

Permalink Reply by Comedy Magician Rob Jenkins on May 17, 2009 at 11:39pm

i would definately leave out the coloring book....EVERY SHOW I DO i have kids yell out WE KNOW THIS ONE!!! So i have left it out for the past 3 years. Its hack and unskilled. trust me why would you want to do tricks that every other magician is doing? give up the coloring book unless your routine is unheard of original!

Permalink Reply by Phil Tawa on May 18, 2009 at 12:15am

I still use it but bring it out later in the act . I also don't use the standard Royal or Haines,these seem to be the ones the kids recognize. I use one called My Favorite Things by Fantasma .

Permalink Reply by Danny Lane Hester on August 16, 2012 at 9:58pm

Hey Rob,

  You would be surprised of all the people who has'nt seen the the coloring book trick and I'm working on a routine for my show Aug. 26th and I plan on using it which it's magic Bible coloring book instead and I'll let you know how it goes and if someone videos it I'll post it.

Permalink Reply by Russell B. Carsey on September 7, 2010 at 10:57pm

Try Bruce Kalvers Growing and Shrinking Head Illusion from Top Hat Productions.Fantastic!

Permalink Reply by Jeffrey D;Ambrosio on July 3, 2012 at 12:13pm

joker tube. Story telling magic.