OK, all of you who currently do magic for kids parties, what have you found to be the best items for goody bags. I know what I would use, but I want to know what everybody else is finding when they do parties. Also, where do you purchase the items you put in the bags?

Also, if you do not mind stating, what do you charge the parents for the goody bags, and what other items do you offer to the parents and children for sale, if any?

I don't use goody bags. I put kid's security first. A lot of kids at most parties are very small. Imagine if a child tried putting one of the items in their mouth and choking on it.

If I wanted to use a goody bag, I would put candy inside with my business card.

If you are sure the ages are ok, you might want to put in the "Fortune telling fish," "Two card Monte," "Tree Card Monte," and other cheap tricks you can buy for wholesale prices.

Try offering 10 bags free. Charge your customer $2 or $3 dollars for additional ones.

Try selling magic tricks after the magic show.

read the past topics in this section, it's a subject that's been covered before.

Hi John:

Here's a few that work well for me:

1. Fortune Fish
2. Balancing Eagle
3. Finger Trap
4. Donkey Puzzle
5. Snapper

All these items can be bought at Rhode Island Novelty or D. Robbins.

Hope this helps you.

Ron Reid

I don't want to be a killjoy so early in the morning, but I would not put candy in a goddie bag ever. There are parents who do not want their kids to have excess sugar for a variety of reasons (ex.) diabetes, hyperactivity, braces, etc.

I have always suggested to the host or hostess that they may add candy to the bags if they would like.

Goodie bag or a magic trick is a great add on for a party. I can make $50 to $100 extra at a birthday party by just selling the parents a magic trick for each child. The sales pitch is; "Have you got your goodie bags yet. Well if you wish, I can bring every child a magic wand with a magic trick for $5 each. This way you don't have to go to the store and buy all of that junk. Buy extras in case some siblings show up and end up paying for a bunch of stuff that you have to throw-a-way. With us, any that you don't use. We just take home." Or something like that. The point is, my way saves them time and money. I buy my promotional wands and Magic Ball Puzzles (Ball and vase) from D. Robbins. I bought the copyright for a card from Eddie Wade that teaches the kids 6 tricks that they can do with the wand. This card also has a cut out of my business card. I twist tie the card to the wand and have the trick separate. I have less than a dollar in the set. When they buy, every kid goes home with my business card as well as the magic. Plus I put an additional $4 per child in my pocket. Depending on the time of year 30% to 50% of my birthday customers buy them, The parents are going to spend the money anyway. They might as well give it to you.

Windrunner, are you INTENTIONALLY digging up decade-old posts to comment on? Isn't there enough current stuff here that people may really want answers to?

Windrunner, Thanks for the info. I think that is very useful and I'm going to try to put togethor something similar.

Internet conversations don't have an expiration date. You find a thread in various ways and it interests you, you read it and sometimes comment. I've commented on threads that were years old too.

I wasn't on the Café a decade ago. I didn't mean to upset anyone. Just trying to help johncrosby. Many times I have seen similar information stated in different treads. I just excepted it as part of the discussion. Chill!!!

Windrunner

I appreciate that you find old threads to bring back and discuss; it saves me the trouble of looking. keep it up... please

I use small shopping - goodie bags with handles along with 4X8 custom labels on the outside with my picture and contact information on it; the contents change depending on what’s available in packages at the 99 cent store.

Keep it up! Some people just want to complain about everything!

Mark

I sell goodie bags for $5 per bag (free one to the birthday child), with a cost of about $2 per bag (you don't want to be too cheap). I buy from either Rhode Island Novelty (RIN) or D. Robbins. When ordering from RIN, purchase a full case for the best price. I use smiley face bags from RIN, and currently include a magic wand, finger trap, fortune teller fish (a case of these will last you a lifetime), whoopie cushion, a coin slide vanish, and 3 other assorted magic tricks (so not all the bags are identical). They are a great upsell, and I put together batches of bags while watching TV. I also have a magic book that I sell.

I recommend the bags for kids ages 5 and up.

I LOVE to add the goodie bag to parties. It's good extra profit. I use the cheap felt top hats and include a plastic cups and balls, a plastic wand, and a color changing pencil box. At the end of my show, I teach the kids how to do the tricks for their parents when they get home. I get $10.00 each with a free one for the birthday kid. The children LOVE having a "magic" hat!

I like the had idea. I is a good replacement for a bag.

I don't offer goodie bags. Instead I offer a customized version of James Munton's "Great Magic Tricks You Can Do" plus an individually wrapped magic wand (from Loftus). I sell the combo for $5 to the birthday Mom. She then puts them in her goodie bags, and sometimes adds other stuff.

I find there is a good market for this because the kids go to so many parties and get the same old trinkets and candy at each that mine is unique--particularly if the b'day party theme is magic.

Also, the magic book is customized to include my name on the cover, a little bit about me on the back and, of course, my contact information. This is something the kids will hang on to and their parents will see.

You can get the kit for the book from James at http://www.magicsells.com

All of my giveaways are at small house parties, and they are free of charge. I don't give away anything during my stage shows. I give away streamers for the coloring book trick. At the end of my show, I make stickers appear from a change bag and candy appear from a dove pan. The streamers and stickers are gender specific, and I limit the candy I hand out due to health and cost reasons. I also give away an easy small trick to the birthday child.

I have the ability to provide small shopping bags with a label on each side which I can print the child’s name and photo, along with the date of the party; it makes it more personal of a presentation.

I don't do goody bags either. keeps the cost of the show price down. sometimes a simple birthday party may have 25 to 30 kids even at two dollars a goody bag could get expensive. if it was my exspense.besides most partys I do the parents already do goody bags.

Bowers,

It’s not a giveaway; you are not keeping the cost of the show price down; you are diminishing the gross earnings of your show.

When I book the show, I offer to sell the bags to the parents for a price; the magic goodie bags tie into the theme and they appreciate the service as one less project to complete before the party and I earn more revenue on the extra sale.

I will also sell them the rabbit I pull out of the hat, if they want him

My motto

Maximize profit

I use to give them all a coloring book. Back in the day, I got these for free.

Greg