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Craig Ousterling Special user 585 Posts |
A non-magician friend of mine asked me if I could think of a trick he might be able to use in his office for getting the kids to warm up to him. He's not good with kids... as neither am I. The first thing that jumped to mind was Sponge Balls! (of course) But I'm having trouble coming up with 'proper' patter for kids. I toyed around with stuff like double vision and color blindness (multiplying and color changing) but then thought oops... that's what they're there for because they can't see very well and the patter might be construed as "making fun of" them instead of entertainment?
Any suggestions are much appreciated... Or maybe I should just step back and throw a standard bunnies routine at him? ~Craig |
TheAmbitiousCard Eternal Order Northern California 13425 Posts |
Dean Dill has a perfect one that involves a laser pointer and sponge balls. Seems just right for an eye doctor. Lots of fun with it.
The light from a pen light magically transforms into a sponge ball, then the light jumps back and forth between the penlight, the ball, and the magicians hand. ... and then you throw up. If you went to the last A1 convention... you know what I mean. I can get them. PM me if you're interested. Frank
www.theambitiouscard.com Hand Crafted Magic
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Magic.J.Manuel Special user I have danced upon 663 Posts |
Here is some patter for kids to go with the MASTER ROUTINE WITH THE SPONGES by, Kozak
http://www.tannens.com/cart/cat15.html I have a clown nose collection, would you like to see one? I keep them in this magic purse. Sometimes people see one or two noses. OK you can count to two, how about ten? ... I place one in my hand and one in your hand, snap my fingers and mine jumps over to join with yours. Did you see it go? Maybe you are not seeing well let me look into your eyes. I have another in my purse, if I place two in my hand and one in my pocket. How many in my hand? I will place two in your hand and one in my pocket, and bam it's a bunny in your hand! Bunnies have great eyesight because they eat a lot of carrots. Look through this loop and try to see like a bunny. Or instead of noses you can use a Sharpie to make the balls look like eyes. Some Kids will like the gross stuff.
Nothing would get done at all, if man waited so long that no one could find fault with it.
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PaulGreen Inner circle 1133 Posts |
Tradeshow Master Infotainers, Scott Tokar and Harrison Carroll have released "SIDE-FX" in booklet and DVD form.
This publication was designed for non-magician doctors that want to learn a few tricks to use for their young patients. It is an excellent resource. Available through http://www.magicsmith.com I receive no consideration for this posting. Regards, Paul Green |
Daegs Inner circle USA 4291 Posts |
Teach him a simply coin palm and he can produce those 2in plastic contacts that eye doctors get, from his eye.
Is a great little sleight, looks like you just pop it out from your eye and throw it back in. Also, get the eye-on-spoon gimick. He can pull out his eye, pop it in his mouth and then back into his eye socket, and then explain that is what will happen during the exam if the patient misbehaves! heh... |
Suave Dan Special user Calgary, Alberta, Canada 656 Posts |
How about a pair od D'Lites?
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The Great Blackwell New user Minneapolis, Minnesota USA 58 Posts |
My eye hurts. I can't see going into work tomorrow!
-Dave in Minneapolis
"Never trust anyone in a wedding dress, especially a woman!" -Sam Malone |
Craig Ousterling Special user 585 Posts |
Thanks for the great suggestions guys. I think it's going to be the bunnies. It'll probably be the easiest and most convenient to teach him. And bunnies eat carrots and good eye site sounds like the safe way to go.
Thanks again guys... ~Craig |
Larry Davidson Inner circle Boynton Beach, FL 5270 Posts |
If the kids are old enough to read, I'd suggest On the Case which you can check out here. Enter the words "on" and "the" and "case" in the search block (don't use quotation marks). It's the PERFECT effect for an eye doctor, and it's technically easy to perform. I would NOT recommend sponge bunnies as it's too technically demanding for a non-magician to perform well.
Larry |
TheAmbitiousCard Eternal Order Northern California 13425 Posts |
I think many are missing the point here.
If a kid needs to warm up to the situation and to the doctor you DO NOT want someone in your face doing a trick. In fact you, as a kid, might not want the doctor to even be looking you in the eye. Think about it this way: If you're captured and the geek captor is going to do some magic because he/she loves it; do you really think you're going to listen to patter? Do you think you'd want someone in your face or handing you props. No! If you were even going to look you'd want them far away to start. Perhaps not even having you look at them. Dean Dill's effect which you can purchase right from his website is THE BEST. Of course there could be others as well and I'm sure they are. It starts with a little red light on the wall. Ahhh.. now that is more comforting. Could be silent. Squeeze yourselves into the shoes of a 5 year old kid. Even a D'lite requires that the kid look at the doctor. You could start on the wall and then close with the light ending up on your thumb a la D'lite. Now that makes sense. No bunnies. No clever patter. No nuthin' Something very safe! What do you think?
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Trophy Husband, Father of the Year Candidate, Chippendale's Dancer applicant, Unofficial World Record Holder. |
Magic.J.Manuel Special user I have danced upon 663 Posts |
Yes the bunnies are good, and he can use the little baby bunnies to make the one simple slight easier.
I think they are a good little toy to help start the conversation with a child. I agree with Frank to a degree, in that if the child is very doctor phobic, you may not want to address him/her directly, but thru the bunny. I would question the use of a laser in the room, not because it is dangerous to the eyes, but it is perceived as dangerous. And bringing it closer and closer to the child's eye may be considered teasing. Unless it is a RK doctor using it to make a point. I think the sponges are not that hard of a trick for a doctor, with some practice. It is one of the first trick I learned. It would be presentable to a single child, not for a magic gig. And can be the start of a nice visit. No, I would not do "IN YOUR FACE" type patter, but a visit from Peter Cottontail is familiar ground the child can relate to.
Nothing would get done at all, if man waited so long that no one could find fault with it.
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TheAmbitiousCard Eternal Order Northern California 13425 Posts |
Magic.J.,
You're right about a laser being dangerous if used overtly or near the kid's face. Yikes. I would want to make sure nothing is ever seen except a red light on the wall that comes over to you and ends up on your hand (while you're away from the child). In other words, it never gets near the child. Once it's in your hand, on the ball, it's off the wall. then you could xfer it over to a D'lite. Then shuttle-pass the glow to your other hand and blow it out. You could also blow out the glowing ball and shuttle-pass it over to a plain old spongeball and give it away. At that point maybe the child might look on the wall for another "critter". But it's still from a safe distance. You could also end up giving the child the plain red spongeball to take home. Of course, if/when they come back it could magically glow again. I think distance at the beginning is important for a lot of kids. Interacting directly, right away, could be problematic. I'm picturing this routine starting out silently. p.s. I have never used this routine, nor am I trying to sell it. It just seems like a good idea. Maybe Dean might know more. This might go over well at a kids party or any indoor place for that matter. Now I'm thinking about getting one myself. I'm going to call Dean. Maybe next, I'll go to medical school My basic thought here, is that MANY kids need you to interact from a distance and that should be respected.
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Magic.J.Manuel Special user I have danced upon 663 Posts |
One problem with sponges is the sanitation issue. If a patient handles it, it must be washed or disposed of.
I think the point is to overcome the distance issue quickly since the doctor has an office to run. Pull the bunny out. Have it hop from one hand to the other a couple times, and give it to the child. Using some friendly patter, or squeeze the back and make it say a few lines in a high voice. A doctor who doesn't want to become a clown may be able to use this to approach the child at a juvenile level. Of course I'm not a child psychologist either, but when I go to the doctor, I want Dr. Welby to walk in. A nice man who says hello, knows my name, tells me my mom is just in the next room. And maybe has a little toy for me. It is not like a magician going into a home. The child is going into a strange place away from home. A laser is another strange thing added. A sponge rabbit is something cute, close, I have and you want. You can have it if I can look in your eyes. Now you have some incentive to cooperate and a simple reward. OK, so little sponges are a choking hazard, so you should trade it for candy on the way out. He's not the dentist. Another good and easy trick is the lollipops in paper bag. Show four but all gone when the child looks. They get one at the end, another bribe. and the child wants to get close to put their hand in the bag. or do "2 in the hand, 1 in the pocket" with candy. You may want to post this question in the Little Darlings Forum.
Nothing would get done at all, if man waited so long that no one could find fault with it.
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TheAmbitiousCard Eternal Order Northern California 13425 Posts |
I talked with Dean today and he does use the light overtly. But it's a flashlight not a laser. I saw him do the laser but he said that he reserves that for auditoriums where a flashlight would not work.
I'd recommend handing out the ball to the patient to keep. No need to wash it. This does sound like a Little Darlings thread. You're right.
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ftlum Special user Roseville, CA 730 Posts |
If the child is old enough, Danny Archer's "Eye Exam" packet trick would be a good one, as it ends with the cards turning into Snellen Eye Charts at the end.
- Frank |
Larry Davidson Inner circle Boynton Beach, FL 5270 Posts |
The doctor is not a magician so I doubt that he could do Eye Exam justice.
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ftlum Special user Roseville, CA 730 Posts |
If I recall correctly, the sleights in Eye Exam are not that hard (heck, even I can do them). If the doc is interested enough in learning some sleight of hand (with some help from his magician friend), the moves should be do-able. It's probably easier than a learning a retention vanish with sponge balls, IMHO.
Eye Exam can really be a fun trick for a physician to do. I got great reactions from my colleagues on the wards, myself. Here's another idea (might be easier and quicker): try something that uses a paddle-move. The opthalmologist could even use it to cover the patient's eye during the exam. He might even have some instruments that could be adapted for such a routine (e.g. put a sticker on one side). -- Frank |
Jeff Haas Special user 929 Posts |
I've done Dean Dill's "Spotlight" for several years.
Here's a simplified version...you don't need the laser pointer, start off with a small pocket flashlight. Show how you can "light up" a sponge ball with it. Then pull the flashlight away and the sponge ball stays lit! Then put the flashlight in your pocket and get a Dlite on. Pluck the light from the sponge and put it back. Do this a couple of times and then get the flashlight out, dumping the Dlite. Use the flashlight to "get" the light back out of the ball. Very simple, easy for non-magicians to learn, no sleights required, and people love seeing the light bop around. Jeff |
TheAmbitiousCard Eternal Order Northern California 13425 Posts |
I think you're right Jeff. Thanks for the simple version. nice.
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Magic.J.Manuel Special user I have danced upon 663 Posts |
I just got my issue of Linking Ring and found a good review of a book of tricks for Doctors with props found in an examining room.
Side-FX, "Clinically relevant magic tricks and effects for the health-care provider." by Scott Tokar and Harrison J Carroll, from YFD or check the Internet. There is also a DVD. It has routines for different skill levels and different use as in : rapport builder, exam aid, game, time-saver, post-exam, fun. Rated as highly recommended.
Nothing would get done at all, if man waited so long that no one could find fault with it.
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