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Christopher Lyle Inner circle Dallas, Texas 5698 Posts |
What do you enjoy performing for very young children? I'm talking the 2s and 3s crowd...as 4s and above seem to get and follow most everything.
My favorite routine is a bare handed rainbow silk streamer production. I then borrow their napkin and vanish it in the cloth napkin and then make it reappear inside their shirt sleeve. I'll then vanish it again w/o the napkin (no cover) and then make it reappear in my mouth. As I pull it out, all the kids laugh and the parents laugh b/c their kids are. What's your "go to" routine for this age group?
In Mystery,
Christopher Lyle Magician, Comic, Daredevil, and Balloon Twisting Genius For a Good Time...CLICK HERE! |
Damian Veteran user 363 Posts |
For the youngest set, I ask them about their squeaky shirt: "Is that one of those squeaky buttons?" or, "Oh, you've got Elmo! Is it one the squeaky ones?" I "squeak" their button, or whatever, which gets them to try it. When nothing happens I point out that they missed the target by a smidge. This goes on and on, we move on to others' shirts, etc.
My other go-to is similar, but instead of squeaking their clothes, I pull a red light out of their shirt pocket, or from under their arm, and put it in my pocket. I do this a few times, collecting lights, putting them in my pocket, while the kid keeps checking his pocket for more. Then I start pulling out lights, eating them, pulling out the ear, etc, which gets the kid to laugh. If the kid is too tender, and I can't get close, I turn to an adult and do the light routine with him/her, so the kid can watch. And if the kid is just too shy for any of the above, there's still bubbles. Bubbles can sometimes do the trick when nothing else seems to work. |
magicians Inner circle Teacher and Legend 2898 Posts |
I also do the squeaker and check to see if everyone squeaks. I just love to do my duck routine.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YhSREbnmfTg age 3 to adult
Illusionist, Illusionist consulting, product development, stage consultant, seasoned performer for over 35 years. Specializing in original effects. Highly opinionated, usually correct, and not afraid of jealous critics. I've been a puppet, a pirate, a pawn and a King. Free lance gynecologist.
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jimvines Regular user Brooklyn, NY 161 Posts |
As clever as the routine sounds, and I'm sure it plays well... Do you ever get a weird look from parents when you start messing around with the kid's napkin, then producing things from your mouth at the table, etc? At my restaurants I definitely stay away from mouth productions, and from anything that would require me to handle a guest's silverware, dishes, or napkin. Maybe I'm being too cautious, but the last thing I would want is a customer asking for a table reset, etc., LOL.
Magic & Mentalism
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davidpaul$ Inner circle Georgetown, South Carolina 3086 Posts |
Just last evening I had a family with a 2-year-old girl. I ALWAYS have my Rabbit in Hat Silk on me. It goes over very well with the very young as well as the parents and grandparents. I of course developed a routine that lets the child be the star as well as other bits-o-business........anyway she loved it. All were happy.
Guilt will betray you before technique betrays you!
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Damian Veteran user 363 Posts |
I love how in your duck routine no one gives a crap what the card was in the end! Hilarious.
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Christopher Lyle Inner circle Dallas, Texas 5698 Posts |
Quote:
On 2012-08-31 18:09, jimvines wrote: It's all how you play it... First, I always ask if I can borrow the child's napkin and it's usually handed to me. So I'm not actually "reaching" for it. After it's vanished, I'm very playful as I look around for where it might have gone. When I say, "is it in your shirt sleeve?", I wink at the parents and at this point, they're fine with it b/c they can see their child is diggin' my mojo and they're having fun. There have been a few times where I could tell the child was a bit "nervous" about me being there (stranger danger) so I would use Dad's shirt which plays well for the child. As for pulling "objects" from my mouth during my act, I don't. I pull an "object" (singular) from my mouth very quickly in a flourish and it's received with lots of laughter from parents and children. It's not a "gross" thing and I only do it for young children who think it's funny. It's a most requested routine by many of the younglings who come back to see me time and time again. I also do metal bending so borrowing a fork from their table isn't a big deal. The servers know which tables I'll do it for and when they bring the food, they also have a replacement fork to give to the person. I normally bend the snot out of a fork having it look like this... ...and then once I'm finished I take my biz card and I weave it around the spokes of the fork and present them a very interesting gift that they can take with them. But I don't do that bit for young children... I also use the "squeaker" bit and it plays very well. It plays great for adults too.
In Mystery,
Christopher Lyle Magician, Comic, Daredevil, and Balloon Twisting Genius For a Good Time...CLICK HERE! |
Countage Veteran user Charlotte 361 Posts |
I like reaching under the table and pulling a light out using dlite and saying "Yep its still there", and then putting it back. The little ones go for it every time and the adults get a good laugh.
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Ray Bertrand Inner circle Ottawa, Ontario 1452 Posts |
Kewl stuff. I never really tried to entertain children under 4 or 5. Great ideas. I'll have to work on it. D'lite and squeeker sound great.
Ray
Mentalism in Ontario.
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magicians Inner circle Teacher and Legend 2898 Posts |
Quote:
On 2012-08-31 19:50, Damian wrote: Yes, they never care. The movement and comedy of it goes so fast, they are entertained by the animation and chaos. A card selection or anything cerebral at their age is a waste of time. Although a little large for table hopping, I do use it and carry it in a doctor's bag tableside. Usually if there is a seated birthday event at a restaurant. ------------------ My other tableside routines is taking the napkin and doing a torn and restored, silk vanish to the parents wallet or birthday hat, ajumbo-sized hot rod I made out of plexi glass flat and large stars (star bar). I also make the same jumbo plexi rod with hearts, called the Heart rod. I make a third one called lightning rod.
Illusionist, Illusionist consulting, product development, stage consultant, seasoned performer for over 35 years. Specializing in original effects. Highly opinionated, usually correct, and not afraid of jealous critics. I've been a puppet, a pirate, a pawn and a King. Free lance gynecologist.
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Dai Hard Regular user 138 Posts |
D'Lites all the way. Instant, visual, no attention span required. Long or short, straight or silly, child and parent alike.
Infinite Rider on the Big Dogma
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jugglestruck Inner circle Wales 1038 Posts |
Squeaker and sponge balls combined.....very funny for the adults too.
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