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ldl1017 Elite user 476 Posts |
For the last 4 or 5 years, I have been contracted by a local establishment to perform for their Easter and Mothers Day brunches. This particular place has a 70% to 80% return. Meaning that 70% to 80% of the people that I perform for have seen me in the past. It's great to see lots of familiar faces, but it's hard in one respect. 90% of the kids want to see sponge balls and that's it. I've tried to introduce new items...Cards , coins, rope, mini chop cup, but they keep asking for "the little red balls".
I'm looking for some suggestions on some novel items that would have the appeal of sponge balls. I've thought about Bizarros Overstuft or Cookie Bite (is Plus better than the original?) or an egg bag routine. LMK some thoughts.
“I am, as I've said, merely competent. But in an age of incompetence, that makes me extraordinary.”
Billy Joel |
Chamberlain Special user 629 Posts |
I was hired by a local garden centre to entertain at their 3 previous family days. The material I used was:
-Sponge Bunnies (great opener) -Fanta-Stick (a flat hot rod) -Mini Colouring Book -Basic card selected from a red deck, they blow on the deck, we go through and one card is blue, turn over and it's theirs, I then get them to shake the card and it turns back to red (using a red/blue double facer) -Basic ambitious using a signed blank playing card > appears in wallet > omni deck to end (works for most kids over 6+) also sometimes used a signature fusion effect with their parents signing a card -Crazy Mans Handcuffs -Cardtoon -Hand Twist -Turbo Stick -TT Silk (either appears and vanishes from bank note or vanishes and appears inside the card box they are holding) -D'Lite (not too great in well lit places) -Ear It Is (harry lorayne effect with a jumbo coin with the pen vanishing behind the ear, then the jumbo coin vanishes) |
Doc Willie Regular user 160 Posts |
Sponge Bunnies would add novelty while fulfilling the request. "My red balls all hatched into rabbits, see?" Start moving the rabbits before they have a chance to respond.
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Mary Mowder Inner circle Sacramento / Elk Grove, CA 3659 Posts |
Bracelet through wrist, I don't know the real name for this. I've seen it before in different versions. (Bead and String Mystery form Jeff McBride's Magic from the edge). Kids will line up to have a turn and the other Kids will watch it over and over.
Silk or sash through wrist T and R Dollar John Bannon's Revolutionary Penetration. Not very Easter but the Kids love it. Adults like it too. -Mary Mowder |
55Hudson Special user Minneapolis 984 Posts |
My grandkids (5 & 3) can't get enough of sponge bunnies. Over and over and over again .... I also do continuous coin production (miser's dream - but into my pocket instead of a bucket) and small silk production from their clothing.
But when I walk in the door, all they ask for are the bunnies! At under 5, no limit to the number of times you can perform this and they will still enjoy as much as if they've never seen it before. As they get older, I will have to introduce more, but he young ones are happy for now! Hudson |
frankieacemagic Elite user 498 Posts |
Chop cup with tennis balls loads! Classic and eye popping. And a small silk with a TT or FT has limitless possibilities. Also check out the pizza paddle. (Forgot the originator. But it's relatively new.). I use it to pull pizzas out of the kids armpits. And it comes with a small separate pizza for a little one coin routine! I made a jumbo pizza (jumbo coin size) to pull out of the kids' ears
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frankieacemagic Elite user 498 Posts |
And the kiddies also love the Mismade Bill as much as the adults do!
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Levi Bennett Inner circle 1778 Posts |
It's hard to top sponges. Switching to bunnies or adding other sponges (color change, cube, giant ball, etc.) is an idea. Turbo Stick is a fun way to intro the balls as well. You can also take your sponge routine to the next level by expanding your skill set with the sponges. There are some great sponge DVDs out there with more moves you can add to the routine. With more moves you can even do two routines and not get bored with it yourself. Do one routine at one table and so on...
I know you were asking for other tricks, but I just wanted to say that about sponges since you can change your routine for all your repeat customers and give them something new. Again, I have the same "problem," the sponges kill and overshadow most everything else. In regards to other tricks to perform... I always had great reactions with an ambitious card routine to wallet. Kids love to see their card come out of the wallet and they get to keep it. I also always had great reactions with humor and gags. Making the kids laugh with card to forehead and other silly stuff works great if it fits your personality. I found with kids a lot of times it's not about the awe-inducing magic as it is the interaction, making them laugh and have fun, etc.
Performing magic unprofessionally since 2008!
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Rocky Elite user 486 Posts |
I agree that sponge balls have a lasting effect...especially with kids. I also realize that 99.9% of magicians realize that the "Magic Ding Dong" is an ADULT ONLY prop.
Unfortunately several years ago we had a senior member in our local magic club who purchased a Ding Dong thinking it was simply a final load type of prop to use at the end of a typical sponge ball routine. At our annual Christmas party you could have heard a pin drop when an 8 year old kid opened his hand to reveal the obscenely shaped sponge. |
charliemartin Special user Rapid City, SD 779 Posts |
Pizza Paddle has become a "worker" for me.
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frankieacemagic Elite user 498 Posts |
Charlie, I'd love to hear what you do with the pizza paddle!!
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jimgerrish Inner circle East Orange, NJ 3209 Posts |
Mother's Day magic for children should include production of a live flower that a child can then present to his or her mother. The napkin twisted "rose" that transforms into a live rose is always a hit here.
Jim Gerrish
magicnook@yahoo.com https://www.magicnook.com Home of The Wizards' Journals: https://magicnook.com/wizardsTOC.htm |
MeetMagicMike Inner circle Gainesville Fl 3501 Posts |
The kids love sponge balls because of the moment when it appears that THEY did the magic. With effort, you can make this happen in many tricks. If you do a double lift and show a card change that's you doing a trick but if the change happens after the child rubs the card on the table that's them doing the trick.
"Mom, look what I did!" is what you want to hear. Kids request my rope trick simply because I let them hold up their fingers like scissors and THEY cut the rope. The adults appreciate all of the other stuff that happens but the kids want to cut the rope with their fingers over and over again. Same with chop cup. Let the kid lift the cup to reveal the final load and act shocked and ask them how the heck they did that. |
dennye New user Toledo Ohio 41 Posts |
I only pick ones that are instant reset; Appearing/vanishing streamer, magician's choice, sponge bunnies, prophesy, coin routine, chop cup
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wally Inner circle 1828 Posts |
Does anyone know where I can get explanation for Jeff McBrides Bead and String Mystery without buying the 3 dvds. message me please,
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wally Inner circle 1828 Posts |
Ritual of liberation is on a few dvd, I may get live at the table,
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MikeLiu Regular user vancouver 120 Posts |
The thing is a must !
The Modern Magician - Mike Liu
Alcardmy - http://www.penguinmagic.com/p/S20648 EVANESCE - http://www.penguinmagic.com/p/8577 Project M - http://www.penguinmagic.com/p/S26858 www.mikeliumagic.com |
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