|
|
TravisNye Regular user 122 Posts |
I have done many shows for kids but for the last 5 years I have been strictly adult shows. Any one offer any suggestions on routines or tricks that still hit hard with kids these days. I will be performing for 9 year old boys. No worries about time to prep just looking for a list of effects that have a reputation maker or sets of effects to put together in one show
|
Jeffini New user Atlanta 52 Posts |
I still get a great response from kids of all ages with some of the old favorite routines... Like the milk pitcher, run rabbit run, hip hop rabbits, paper over the head, and any bunny rabbit production. Kids also love puppets. And it is always terrific to get lots of boys and girls up on stage. I have also been enjoying the chair suspension using a second child to "hold up" the first child along with some balloons. I get a good ten minutes out of that routine. But the effects are never as important as the delivery and the interaction with the kids. For eleven year old boys you may want to add in a comedy or challenge escape routine. Just my thoughts and personal experience. Hope this helps. Have a great show!
|
djjkarate New user Always Sunny in Seattle 56 Posts |
I generally perform for kids 90% or the time.. The ages vary, but for "olderish" kids, I love to do tricks that are sucker endings (you show one ending on how the trick is done, but it really has a second ending to still fool them) Older kids spend more time trying to figure the trick out rather than watching the performance..
Tricks like "back stage, dots impossible, hip hop rabbits, etc).. They feel good when I show how the trick is done, but then I hit them with the sucker ending and they go crazy !!!! That's the most enjoyment for me.. I try to buy most tricks that are sucker tricks these days... cheers, don |
Kidz Town Jake New user 4 Posts |
I agree with what Don and Jeff had to say. The importance with kids is the delivery and having the sucker or gag effects, they simply love them. I always get a big hit out of the Wizard's Assitant (which you can use with any of your other tricks). I also get a big hit from Notebook Surprise and everyone's favorite the Zombie Ball. Hope that helps!
|
MrJay New user 40 Posts |
As a children's entertainer known as JAYBO 'that's me' I find its not the props you use that makes the kids laugh but the stuff between the opening of your trick and the trick itself. Kids aren't that concerned what magic effects your using but the journey your taking them on, the more slapstick you give them the more laughs your going to get in return. So fill your show with funny stuff and your sure to be a winner with the kids every time.
|
Mike Maturen Inner circle Michigan's Beautiful Sunrise Side 2726 Posts |
You are correct, Jaybo!
Although I prefer not to be as "over-the-top" as Silly Billy, I use plenty of giggles and shenanigans in my kids show.
Mike Maturen
World of Wonder Entertainment The Magic and Mayhem of Mike Maturen 989-335-1661 mikematuren@gmail.com AUTHOR OF "A NEW DAWN--Weekly Wisdom From Everyday Life" member: International Magician's Society |
Danny Kazam Inner circle 1516 Posts |
Children love and enjoy magic! I was once a child of 4 yrs old struck by wonder and amazement watching magicians perform live or on t.v. None of them were funny, at least at my age they weren't, but they sure were amazing!
Although I add comedy bits to my routines in my children shows, I don't think the journey is anymore important than the destination. I think that they are both equally important. I also don't believe that comedy has to always be used to fill in the routine. That's probably just me though.
Keep your dreams alive. Understand to achieve anything requires faith and belief in yourself, vision, hard work, determination, and dedication. Remember all things are possible for those who believe.
|
MrJay New user 40 Posts |
Mike I like silly (not Billy) Not that I don't like Silly Billy, I just like being silly. I find that being silly is Jaybo's character. Well that is enough of this silly stuff, but wait can someone be too silly?
|
creamofmaestro New user Singapore 2 Posts |
Here is my new magic show. I would appreciate knowing of tricks you think are better.
1. Magic Drawing Board (small version) 2. Bongo Hat 3. Paper Hat Tear 4. Cut and Restored Rope (Aldo Colombini-Mama Mia style) 5. Devil's Hank + Judy the mouse 6. Sponge ball and ball to red hand (Ginn magic) 7. Pet Store Pranks by Jam Magic 8. Axtell Coloring Book 9. Cupcake pan (w egg bag, Ethereal salt shaker, breakaway wand, and foam birthday cake) (Only for birthdays) 10. Appearing straw, pole, or wand (grandillusions.com has the 4 foot wand) 11. Change Bag with silk blendo routine 12. Mic Mouth 13. Off the Meter 14. Frog and Fly by Barry Mitchell 15. Ring and Rope tricks 16. Some form of Die box 17. Blooming Bouquet 18. Vanishing Lollipops 19. Dot's Next 20. Card or Coin trick (based on age) |
Danny Kazam Inner circle 1516 Posts |
I think all of them are good when applied into an entertaining routine. How long of a show is this? You have enough listed for probably 2-3 hour show.
Keep your dreams alive. Understand to achieve anything requires faith and belief in yourself, vision, hard work, determination, and dedication. Remember all things are possible for those who believe.
|
charliemartin Special user Rapid City, SD 779 Posts |
Chinese sticks
Linking Rings Rice Bowls done with cereal Daryl's Acrobatic Knot |
wwhokie1 Special user 512 Posts |
Check out the many options listed, and eliminate the ones that don't excite you. If you don't enjoy performing it, the routine will die with children. Children will not let you get away with performing routines that you don't enjoy. Next look at the routines that you think have potential and brainstorm about presentation ideas. Can you come up with an approach to this trick that you can use to develop a really fun, enjoyable and magical routine. This should narrow down the list significantly. When you are done, pick out your weakest routine and eliminate it; you have just made your show even better. Now work on your show by putting the routines together in a logical order and see which effects you can link together in some way. Now sit down for several days and write scripts for all the routines and a script for transitions between the routines. Find the weakest parts of your script, throw that away and rewrite or replace that part of your show. Once you have the entire show put together, record it and try to watch it and see it through the eyes of a child, not an adult (this can be challenging). The entire process must be constantly evaluated based on how a child would view it and react to it. Remember that children love interaction, they don't want to just watch a magic show they want to be a part of it. That doesn't just mean volunteers, but involving the entire audience as much as possible. When you perform it for the first time for a live children's audience, then you will learn more about the strengths and weaknesses of your show. Improve or replaces your weaknesses. But don't assume the strengths cannot be improved. The strength areas are the parts of the show that definitely need to be kept, which means they are valuable and have the most potential. Many people fail to get the most out of a routine simply because they don't try to improve something that is already good. But the best place to find great routines is among those that are already good.
|
Crownhart New user 51 Posts |
The above articles are a wealth of information, the only thing I would offer is, "if you don't like kids don't do children's magic shows." I offer this advice because I've had the misfortune to see a great magician have a terrible experience. His magic was flawless and he incorporated children's magic effects but it came across as torture for him and the children could sense his fear and turned on him. Needless to say he will never do a children's show again. You must like or at the very least have respect for them. I noticed this post is six months old but the information is still good.
SinCIRCUSly,
Michael C. Crownhart |
Melies Regular user Boston 114 Posts |
One trick that I recommend, but only for certain audiences, is a Marty Martini effect (at least, I think it's his effect) in which four envelopes are displayed, one containing a $100 bill, the others containing only $1 bills. Three kids get to choose any three of the four envelopes. Needless to say, the magician always ends up with the $100! (If he/she didn't, I wouldn't still be doing the trick.) The last time I performed this effect it was pretty much all the kids wanted to talk about afterwards. However, I personally wouldn't want to play Tantalus by performing this for disadvantaged kids (for whom $100 could make a difference, maybe, in their family's life).
Kids love the bill to lemon as much as the grown-ups, I find. I vanish the bill with flash paper (a must, I feel, for every show: brilliantly visual, elemental, and unexpected). Finally, kids seem to like the TNR newspaper, pen through dollar (for close-up), any good quality production (bottle, ice, etc.). |
wwhokie1 Special user 512 Posts |
What I look for in kids magic effects is - something very visual, colorful, not complex, strong magic, an element of surprise and something that sparks a creative children's routine idea. For example a great card routine may provide strong magic, but often will fail on the very visual, colorful, not complex requirements. A lot of "kids magic" is very visual, colorful, but may not provide the strong magic element depending on the age of the kids. A four year old will find many things to provide "strong magic" which a nine year old will not see as magical at all. If I can conceive of a great routine that works for the age group, I don't care if the magic is aimed at adults or kids, as long as the requirements are met it can provide great kids magic. For example, I open my kids show with a card trick that is aimed at adults but meets all the criteria I mention. It is short and 4 year old and 10 year old and adults all love it. Strong magic can make great kids magic if it meets the above criteria. At least I have found that to be true.
|
magicalmoi New user 71 Posts |
What are chinese sticks?
|
GlenD Inner circle LosAngeles, Ca 1293 Posts |
I'm new to being video'd and having a web presence but here is my card to silk routine performed at a kids party a few months ago...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ErDbUw7PxCQ&feature=youtu.be Hope the link works! LOL GlenD
"A miracle is something that seems impossible but happens anyway" - Griffin
"Any future where you succeed, is one where you tell the truth." - Griffin (Griffin rocks!) |
The Magic Cafe Forum Index » » The Association of Family and Kidshow Performers » » Kids show effects (7 Likes) |
[ Top of Page ] |
All content & postings Copyright © 2001-2024 Steve Brooks. All Rights Reserved. This page was created in 0.03 seconds requiring 5 database queries. |
The views and comments expressed on The Magic Café are not necessarily those of The Magic Café, Steve Brooks, or Steve Brooks Magic. > Privacy Statement < |