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TroyRoark Loyal user Springfield IL 282 Posts |
I was wondering what you do at the beginning of your show to set a precident for being well behaved. Here's my technique. . .
"I'm going to be bringing a lot of people up on stage with me to help out today." (Every hand goes up) "Now I don't pick the people who raise their hands, oh no." (Every hand goes down quickly) "I only pick the very best people to come up and help. And those are the people who are doing three things. One, I pick the people who are having a good time, so make sure you have a good time. Two, I only pick the people who are sitting down, not moving around, and not talking to their neighbors, because your friends want to watch the show too. And three, I only pick the person who can make the funniest face!" (Everyone makes faces) "Not yet, don't spoil it! That's later in the show. But remember: Have a good time, be well behaved, and make a funny face." Then of course, when it's time to pull someone up, I make reference to the three rules. It's a way to say "Sit down and stay there!" five times during your act, without coming out and saying it. As a sidenote, it's also a good way to qualify a good volunteer. It gives you time to actually look around for a good helper while the kids are making faces. I'm sure everyone has other ways of keeping the little darlings in line. What's yours? Troy Roark |
Adam V Special user 603 Posts |
Barbed wire fencing around myself.
Adam V - 9 out of 10 dentists recommend him.
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TroyRoark Loyal user Springfield IL 282 Posts |
Hmmm, barbed wire. Much easier than that funny face bit.
:righton: Rock on Adam! Troy Roark |
Dennis Michael Inner circle Southern, NJ 5821 Posts |
Troy,
That is an excellent method! Silly Billy suggested to have them cross their legs. This way you could reinforce your rules when you see them make the move to get up and come toward you. If you give party favors out you could also make it know that after the show only those who followed the rule will get a bag of magic tricks. They will all want them!
Dennis Michael
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ChrisZampese Veteran user Hamilton, NZ 341 Posts |
I think it is best to conbine a few methods. I saw an interesting study on kids personalities once and it went like this..
Shut the kids in a room with a small plate of lollies. Tell them that you will be back in 10 mins, and if all the lollies are still there, they will get 10 times as much. About half the kids ate the lollies that were in the room sa the temptation was too much (these are the kids that will run up and grab your props for instant gratification despite the propmise of a reward at the end) and half the kids waited and got the payload at the end (these are the ones who will behave so they get the 'reward'). I think you really need that 'instant' reward (eg I'll only pick my next volunteer from those that are sitting up nicely etc) as there is a portion of the kids that will not be able to wait for the reward at the end.
The most beautiful experience we can have is the mysterious. It is the fundamental emotion which stands at the cradle of true art and true science. Whoever does not know it and can no longer wonder, no longer marvel, is as good as dead, and his eyes are
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khuber Regular user SLC Utah 125 Posts |
I just tell them the rules of the show and what I expect but in a very fun way.
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p.b.jones Inner circle Milford Haven. Pembrokeshire wales U.K. 2642 Posts |
HI,
I use a similar aprouch to Troy But I never use words like "Best" or judge any child as being in any way better than anyone else. Here is my script (it is posted somwhere else too) During the show I will be looking for more people like ....... to come out front/onstage to help me out. I will be looking for people who are Sitting down ON THEIR BOTTOMS, quietly not saying a word. with their hand nicely and quitly in the air like this. I will not be picking anyone who is talking while I am talking, being rude, being silly or going ME ME ME! Please put your hands down for a moment I wil be looking for some help later and don't forget I watch all the time not just when I ask for helpers. I find this works well and from an NLP view point provides guidlines for both move toward and away from personalities. Phillip |
Emazdad Inner circle Plymouth UK 1954 Posts |
I've covered what I do in another topic, but in short I use bribery and corruption, I also re-inforce the message everytime i ask for a new helper, "i want a helper who's sitting nice and smart with their, arms legs, lips, belly buttons, ears crossed, who's been sitting still and not trying to cross the magic line" They all sit up stiaght and if there is one or two fidgety ones it helps calm them down for the next routine. If a child continues to be a problem I remind them the balloon animal is watching and they won't get to take it home, if that doesn't work I tell them a story about a boy who wouldn't behave and kept running about and at the end of the party the balloon animal said that everyone had been so good that I had to give all the kids balloon models to take home, except the naughty boy who got nothing. So if you want a balloon model at the end you'd better sit down. I've never not given a child a balloon, what I do is give them a pink poodle, it's always a boy isn't it? and a pink poodle is not the same as the sword and ray gun the other boys get. SWEET REVENGE!!
Mind you have to learn to tell the difference between naughtiness and excitement. IE, I did a party for 11 x 5 year old boys last night, 2 of them sat and watched the show and were really enjoying themselves, they weren't naughty, they weren't trying to cross the line, or grab or anything like that, they just found it impossible to keep still. it was like the electric chair illusion where the person sat on the chair keeps leaping up as if he's had a shock. It looked like there was something it the carpet biting their bums. I think their mum's had loaded them up with Coca-cola and chocolate when they picked them up from school and the sugar in the party food plus the fun of the magic show was just to much for there little systems to cope with. it was funny to watch and of course they got the sword and ray guns they wanted. The big balloon model always goes to the quiet shy cute child, I do this as a bit of a confidence booster and the huge smile I get is worth it's weight in gold.
Yours Funfully
Clive "Emazdad" Hemsley www.emazdad.com "Magic is a secret, without the secret there is no magic" Remember there are only 3 types of people in the world, those that can count and those that can't. |
Billy Whizz Special user Plymouth, UK 576 Posts |
After I've done my 3 or 4 min warm up, I get the kids shouting my magic word. I then give a 'Biz Biz Billy Whizz Magic Badge' to the bestest behaved, loudest magic word shouter. And I then explain that if you're sitting down arms crossed, legs crossed, you too could win a 'Biz Biz Billy Whizz Magic Badge', and I'll be looking for helpers to assist me, but only those sitting arms crossed, legs crossed and not shouting ME ME ME will be aloud to help.
I don't actually give out any more badges during the show exept to the helpers. But it seems to work, although, at the end of the day, you'll still get some kids being a pain, no matter what you say or do. All the Best, Billy |
Dennis Michael Inner circle Southern, NJ 5821 Posts |
The chinese water torture illusion works best on them!
Dennis Michael
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Darkwing Inner circle Nashville Tn 1850 Posts |
Dan Harlan, in his birthday party video has some excellent material on controling children. There is also some good material on doing b'day parties. Dan did not get very good reviews on his b'day party video, but I got the video anyway. My first thoughts on the material was lukewarm until I sat my little 4 yr old daughter in front of it and she cracked up over the show. I then remembered what we find funny and what children find funny are sometime two different things.
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Emazdad Inner circle Plymouth UK 1954 Posts |
Have ypou ever noticed when you watch a video on how to entertain children How the audience is always made up of perfectly behaved well mannered children. Where do they buy them or are they connected to the mains under threat.
Yours Funfully
Clive "Emazdad" Hemsley www.emazdad.com "Magic is a secret, without the secret there is no magic" Remember there are only 3 types of people in the world, those that can count and those that can't. |
mforteath New user Tasmania, Australia 62 Posts |
I set down some friendly ground rules right at the start. I tell then to please not come up on to the stage, or past a line unless I ask them to. believe it or not, i have been very lucky with this. Most groups have been excellent. I did have noe loud kisd who kept shouting out "I know how you did that". I got sick of him after a while, there was no way the little brat would have known, so after doing the professors nightmare he shouted out again, I invited him on stage and gave him the ropes, and asked if he would like to do the effect again, to the audience. He went red faced, and took hold of the ropes. All the other kids and partents laughed at him, he then said "I don't know how to do it". I shook his hand, and thanked him for his help, and he returned to his seat, and was well behaved for ever after.
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Darkwing Inner circle Nashville Tn 1850 Posts |
Clive,
I agree, they must be the children of the "Stepford Wives" |
Emazdad Inner circle Plymouth UK 1954 Posts |
Often the problem is not caused by the children being naughty, it's due to them getting so excited, especially when they're shouting that somethings happening and your pretending you can't see it, that they just physically can't contain themselves any longer. I love it when it's like that, and a gentle word "Oooh don't cross the line you'll turn into a girl/boy" usually keeps them the other side of the line.
Putting the persitent big mouth on the spot always works, I find saying to them, "Do you realy know how it works, well that means we both know a secret, now lets see if we can keep the secret and don't tell your friends" often works. They're only trying to look clever they rarely know what your doing and because love to keep secrets they often shut up. I had one once who really did know how things were done, "My uncles aa magician and he's shown me how to do that, your doing this, the bags got a pocket in it" But when I reminded him about what his uncle told him about secrets he shut up. which was lucky as I was getting close to turning his chair on.
Yours Funfully
Clive "Emazdad" Hemsley www.emazdad.com "Magic is a secret, without the secret there is no magic" Remember there are only 3 types of people in the world, those that can count and those that can't. |
Mago Mai Elite user Venezuela 485 Posts |
David Ginn has a lot of ideas in his books.I use a lot of them fron KID BIZZ.
Mago Mai
I invite all of you to share some of my magic on videos.Please, CLICK HERE
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Darkwing Inner circle Nashville Tn 1850 Posts |
In a lecture I attended by Sammy Smith, he was relating an experience he had in a school assembly show for around 500 kids or so. He went on to tell about a 12 year old kid on the front row who was standing on his chair and dancing during the show. Sammy simply went over to the kid, looked him straight in the eye and said "sit". He said the child immeaditely stoped and droped to his seat and the audience burst into applause. I guess when all else fails, the direct approach might work.
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Andini Special user Columbus, OH 685 Posts |
Although it's a good idea, Troy, I wouldn't recommend picking people that don't raise their hands. You don't want to be caught in a desperate search for well-behaved volunteers. I like the mehthods that have everyone sitting nicely with their hand quietly raised better.
-Andini |
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