Lets start a new thread about strolling magic for kids gigs. Rather than getting into a list of tricks or details about specific tricks, lets talk about it in more general terms for this thread. How many of you offer strolling? How often do you do it? What are your strategies and tips and experiences?
Here are a few thoughts:
For certain strolling gigs (about 20% of the time) I bring my small Lefler suitcase table, that way I have lots of stuff to choose from. I like to have a wide variety of stuff with me so I'm prepared for a variety of situations. Sometimes there are a lot fewer kids than expected, or some kids follow me around all day like the pied piper, sometimes the kids are older or younger than expected, sometimes there are almost no kids so I entertain the adults, so I want a large amount of material. Some magicians can entertain in any situation with very little stuff on them, and that is great if it works for them, but that's not how I do it. When I bring the Lefler table, I tend to have at least 1 puppet, misers dream bucket, stuff to do a mini show if I feel like it. Sometimes I'll get mobbed and so it's just easier or better to do a mini show rather than strolling. It also makes the client happy that I'm doing so much. When doing strolling I have a big buskers pouch with lots of stuff in it - like Batman with his utility belt prepared with shark repellent, just in case. I also usually have balloon and caricature stuff in the car, so even if the client didn't book me to do that, I have it for back-up when needed. Those of you who are experienced know that often a gig situation turns out to be very different than you were told it would be. If few (or no) kids show up, do you do stuff for the adults? How much of your strolling material works for adults and kids?

Great post Dan. Wow you travelheavy, but I guess you're prepared!

I stopped offering strolling a few years ago. My experience with hiring yourself for strolling for kids leads to some of the issues you brought up, especially kids following you around. They don't understand that you're there to show a little magic and move on to another crowd. Nor do they care. It can become the biggest nuisance for a strolling magician especially when they begin to spoil the ending of a trick for the others who haven't seen it.

I had a woman one time get upset with me because when I approached an empty table, she said "ok kids! Sit down. The magician is at your table!" BUT, the kids had been following me around for FIVE tables and already saw the magic I was performing and I by passed the table, explaining to her that they have already SEEN the magic. She didn't like my answer, and, I didn't care. When strolling for dinner events, I had everything ON me. Props in my pants pockets, coat pockets etc. No extra tables or bags to carry around.

When performing for restaurants I had purchased a cosmetic case. It opens on both sided. I thing I bought it at Target but it was perfect for strolling and I had a very small side table with wheels that I would wheel around with me. On the outside of the table (along the border) I had elastic strapping, which I hung 260 balloons in different colors all around the border of the table, so I didn't have to carry an extra balloon bag with me. It really worked perfect for me.

Tommy, I like your set-up for restaurants. I knew a magician that uses a little table at all of his strolling gigs, even high end corporate for adults, but it worked well for him, no reason not to if it works. I only bring my Lefler table to around 20% of my strolling gigs, or sometimes I leave it in the car as back-up. I usually like the strolling gigs, but it really saves me to have a lot of stuff I can do, including balloons and caricatures, game leading stuff for outdoor gigs (mainly a parachute)or even a little show. Some magicians, even when they do a strolling gig at a home for adults, end up getting mobbed, so they choose to do a parlor show cause in those cases so many people gathered around anyway.

I love working Strolling Close-Up with Kids.

I have at least ten things I can carry on my person but I do tend to carry my small Close-Up case (which looks like a small leather purse).

When Kids start to follow, I tell them "I'll show you something else next time I see you". They will hide for a second and say "This is next time!" but I just laugh and say "You know what I mean." They always go away for a while. Appreciating their joke works part of the success.

When I'm facing a crowd that has not seen Magic and one of those Kids IS there I just say "Don't tell anyone what is going to happen!" smile and put my finger to my lips and sort of wink. It works MOST of the time. Letting the crowd know that that Kid is "in the know" helps make this tact work. It gets them the attention that giving away the secret would in a "helping me out" sort of way. The Kids always love the Magician so we can use that.

It can help to have something that all the Kids there will want to try, like "Bracelet through wrist" then everyone knows what will happen but they want to experience it for themselves. After several sessions of the same single trick being done for a gaggle of new Kids, the Kids who've seen it tend to go looking for new fun.

I do dole out my Magic over the course of an event which makes for new Magic coming out over time in the gig.

Keep in mind that with Kids it is more about the experience and interaction than actual Magic (although the Kids are VERY surprised at my tricks the first time through). Kids are desperate for attention now-a-days. Give them a little interactive attention, they deserve it.

-Mary Mowder

I carry the purse for larger situations. I have a scarf for "silk through wrist", "Ninja Rings", "Ring and Rope", rope for various Rope bits and Playing cards which can all play BIG.

Lately I've been getting a good response from the large safety pin (pinned through) that slides all the way down a bandana with out tearing it. (If any one know the correct name for this trick let me know). It allows a Kid to do the pinning (with a little instruction) and lets another Kid moor the other side of the bandana as the trick is done.

Having lots of touchable interactive Magic props is a good thing. One advantage is that by the time all the Kids have examined the props, quite a lot of time has passed. They are still enjoying the interaction but uses up fewer tricks.

Keep in mind that Kids hands are sometimes very dirty and sticky at these events so don't hand them your rope or cards (you need to carry two decks) with out checking first.
I carry a baggie with a wet paper towel with a bit of alcohol in it. That won't help if your rope gets sticky though.

-Mary Mowder

I have very limited experience in doing "strolling magic" in professional "situations", but my friend, Mary, has, I think, made some good, and very practical, suggestions.

Since the early days, I have made it a point to learn, and perform, in my school show, tricks and routines that can be performed almost anywhere, for almost anyone, so, much of my working material, COULD be used in strolling gigs.

I would strongly recommend becoming proficient in tricks that use/need GENERIC PROPS. (rope, handkerchiefs (silk, nylon,etc.)small balls (golf, etc.) rings (4" for "rope and ring") cards (for "cards across, etc.) safety pins (large, "blanket" pins for Piff Paff Poof, and, what I have called the "Zipper" (Mary referred to it above. I'll try to look up its "official" name.) I remember, "Fifteen Minutes With A Piece Of Rope" (long OOP, but it had some great stuff): the G.W. Hunter "Impossible Knot", the Vanishing overhand knot, Chefalo, the "threading the needle", The ancient "Chained", newly "reinvented", ETC. All or most of these props, can be carried in pockets.

The recently republished "Encyclopedia of Impromptu Magic", although "pricy", is an excellent investment!

Scroll up and reread Mary's tips on handling the kids who "follow the Pied Piper". Those tips are worth more than you know, until you book one of these gigs. Then, you'll realize how good are her ideas!

P.S. When I did hospitality suites in Chicago, I got a lot of 'time' out of the Hunter Impossible Knot. I would have CEOs "struggling" to tie that knot! I'm sure it would "work" for kids. too.

Kids love acting as a mob. If you can find a way to satisfy it that doesn't drive you mad, don't totally toss away the idea of engaging with the mob fervor, instead of avoiding or preventing it.

Lots of people avoid mentalism for kids, but at a certain basic level it can be great for this situation. If you do "Which Hand" for one kid in a group of 8-ish yr olds, it's basically guaranteed that you're going to have to do it for every other kid there. You'll be swarmed, but it's a trick that can handle that. Other good ones are a simple business card drawing dupe, or even just some marked cards with solid color dots on the face. All of these tricks have the feature that it's not important if the audience knows what's coming, and they happen fast enough that every kid can have a turn.

I use a lot of the same material strolling for kids as my adult effects. The only difference is the audience handling sometimes has to be a little more precise or directed. Card tricks with complex plots won't fly. But I often do colour Monte, which always plays well. You have to be prepared for them to want to touch everything, and will often just grab. They will also want to try themselves, which can be fun if you have the time.

I don't perform very many strolling gigs for kids, but when I do, it's been mainly at malls, festivals and picnics. I carry a light-weight, very mobile table (weighs about 1-2 pounds) with a small bag attached like a servante plus I wear a pouch. When I perform at malls and festivals, I usually convince the client that rather than stroll, it's better if I set up in one spot and perform close-up magic for people as they pass by. I then handle the performance the same way as when I busk--I stop families as they pass and do kids' magic close-up. I may perform for one kid, or build a small crowd of kids and adults. My performances may run a few minutes or up to about 20 minutes. When I finish my set, I dismiss the audience. I rarely have kids hang around--usually because they're accompanied by their parents and if they do try to linger, I politely encourage them not to and then just wait for a moment and do absolutely nothing. They usually get bored and leave. When performing at picnics, I "stroll", that is, I move from table to table. My set includes materials from my stand-up set I've adopted for close-up performance, including miser's dream, a cup and ball routine, a no-cut no re-set cut and restored rope routine and hat productions (I wear a hat). I also do sponge balls, a finger mouse routine and a coin routine all tailored specifically for kids. I do carry a set of tricks just for adults as well in case I have to perform for a group of adults or teenagers--this is part of my sales pitch, that I can perform for any age group. Incidentally, when I'm hired to perform at a purely adult event, I ditch the pouch and table and work from my pockets.