Rereading this post I now know why I used to have all the audience announce their own age. It does not happen anymore, but I used to act surprised when the birthday child told me their age. I don't know why I did it. It does not make any sense that I should be surprised by that. Anyway, I suggest anyone not act surprised to that. Otherwise the other children will also try to surprise you with their ages.

Andy,

Good catch... Sometimes we cue the kids, and don't even realize it until much later.

I was thinking about the post from Gr8, and using my own similar background, It occurs to me that this age is also very age conscious; more of this age cohort will add, "and a half", or, "and three-quarters", to their years than at any other time.

I do the age and little girl lines at times, but never got into the habit of using either one on a regular basis. Balloons give me one of my favorite lines; when I get done making something, and the lady (older or young) says, CUTE!, I thank them, then look disappointed when I feign realizing that they mean the balloon.

Andy... regarding your signature line... WHY!

JM

JesterMan writes: "Andy... regarding your signature line... WHY!"

Okay, make that "438"!

A kid comes up to me with a name badge on I say
"What's your name John?"
"JOHN!"
"Whats your first name?"
"JOHN"
"OK John John what we're goig to do is........."

Or if they have a birthday badge with thier age on it I say
"Hello 7 how old are you."
"MY NAMES NOT 7 IT'S SUSAN"
"Well why do have a name badge with 7 on it then."
"BECAUSE I AM 7"
"But you just said your names Susan"

I love these silly chats because if the kid thinks I'm stupid and funny, they don't think I'm scary. They relax and we have more fun. This job lets us be kids ourselves for as long as we want. If I ever get to the stage where I grow up and think I'm stupid then I'll give this game up.

In doing hands up etc, I say "Hands up all the boys and girls that are here?", and place my hand up,then follow with "Hands up all the boys and girls who are not here?"....sure enough, you will ALWAYS get a kid puting their hand up....
Another cheeky way to get your business card into EVERY childs home is this gag, which is performed as a runing gag through the show by asking, "Who wants £5.00p??", near the end of the end of the show ask "Who wants £5?..Right what you need to do, is see me after the show, and get one of my cards, then when you go to sleep tonight, place the card under your pillow (Start looking at the parents now)& when you wake in the morning, you will find a £1 coin, and my card will magicly appear in your dads wallet, for him to remember your birthday party".......
Abit cheeky, but believe me, it works...

You might like to try:
"How old are you?"
("five")
"wow! that's really old! You're older than me then?"
("No")
"Are you younger than me then?"
("Yes")
"How old are you?"
("Five")
"Well then, you ARE older than me!"
("No I'm not")
"Yes you are! I just heard you say that you're fifty five! He just said he was fifty fivem DIDN'T HE, BOYS AND GIRLS?"
("NO!")
"Yes you did, I heard you!....How old are you?"
("five")
"Oh, FIVE! I thought you said FIFTY FIVE! Hey! wait a minute.....that's very funny.....because I was five when I was your age!"
This extends the banter, and tends to stop the kids shouting out their ages too. Not that it's a problem when kids shout their ages, that's called interaction, isn't it?

Sometimes when you ask the birthday child their age, they will say their old age first and then correct themselves.

"How old are you?"
"Four... five."
"Oh, forty-five?"

An Eric Sharp line:
"How old are you?"
"Seven."
"When I was your age I was ten."

A QR line:
"How old are you?"
"Five."
"I'm nine."
"No, you're not."
"I'm big for my age."

Or how about:
"How old are you?"
"Five."
"I'm nine."
Pause and smile at audience
"I'm OLD for my age."

Hre's how I use it:

Me: How old are you?
Boy: 5
Me: You're kidding? You're 5? Wanna hear a secret? I was 5 when I was your age!
Me: (To his sister) What's your name?
Girl: Aliss
Me: And how old are you?
Girl: 7
Me: You're kidding? You're 7? Wanna hear a secret? My name was Alissa when I was 7! (Pause for laugh) Okay, I was just kidding.

But a really WAS 5 when I was your age. But now I'm, like, TWICE as old as you!

And, yes, I shake the kid's hand, and then have him smack me in the face. I've swatted myself pretty good a few times and left red marks! But they say Larry Fine's face was numb from having Moe hit it over the years, so we great ones are willing to suffer for our fans!

Can someone explain the 'arm-shaking' thing please? I didn't really get the gist of it from KenScott's description.

It's on his Making the Birthday Dough DVD. Basically, shake hand with child while your other hand holds onto his elbow. After you shake hands, begin talking but get "interrupted" as you raise the child's elbow up so it looks like he wants to shake hands again. So stop speaking to shake his hand. Do this bit 2-3 more times, but the last time the child "raises his hand to shake yours," you pretend to get hit in the stomach or chest.

Ask the child if you can shake his/her hand. Instead of taking the hand, take hold of their wrist and shake it, thereby making his/her hand shake. Great bit!

My favorite is, "How old are you?"..."FIVE!". And I say, "Wow...five...how old are you planning to be when you're 6?". You have to get the right inflection in there, and that makes this hilarious!

Steve

Thanks all.

I like to use the following running gag with this age group.

Hi, what's your name?

"Mary

Hi Mary, that's my middle name.

Then when the next child comes I ask his/her name. I say, "Really, that's my middle name. All the kids will remind you that you just said your middle name was Mary.

I say that's my other middle name. This can go on throughout your show. And if you have really good memory you can start adding the names on as the show progresses.

Hi Billy, that's my middle name.....

Derrick MaryLewisJanetDavisBilly Rose

Another funny hand shake is while shaking hands, jump up and down as though the child is really strong and tossing you up and down. While this is happening, say, "Put me down, put me down!". After ask if they've been working out.

j.

Here's another I use a lot:

Me: How old are you?
Kid: Five and a half
Me: Really? Which half?

Gets the kid confused, gets a laugh from adults.

As for the arm control thing, I find that very few kids leave their arms "limp" enough to control that easily. I generally just keep a grasp of their hand and don't let go, as if he wants to shake for a long time. Finally, I grab his arm while poretending to pull our hands apart, and that's when I slap myself.

This is ages old. It may well be on someone's video, but I'm pretty sure Ogg the Caveman Magician was using this bit.

Thanks everyone for sharing these gags.

Vijay

Here is another one that is quite a lot of fun that I use at shows and often times at strolling events. It gets a laugh from the kids as well as the adults.

You: Give me five. (hold hand up in air high)
Kid: (slaps your hand)
You: No. Give me five (said a tad louder and hand now palm up at waist level)
Kid: Slaps your hand again)
You No. Give me 5 (pause) dollars. Didn't they tell you their was an admission fee when you came today? (pause and watch the kids reaction hehe)
I am just teaisng you Billy. But while your hand is there, let me give you a round of applause.

It is a silly and funny bit of business that always get the kids laughing and the adults chuckling.

Kyle