I am doing a show for a birthday but they are allowing his class to come during school hours to a small stage down the street. They did ask for a math , science and reading trick. The latter two I have but curious what might work for 6 year olds that might explain a principle they are learning but not explain the effect.
It has to play on a stage and be magical and does not have to work via math but be themed to math.

thanks for any input.

Any thoughts?

Mobius bands

OK I know this effect . How do you suggest it be applied to 5-6 year olds?

It's been a few months since this question was first posed, but I'll take a stab at three suggestions.

1) How about something as simple as writing down a prediction and having a child roll a die and add the number on the top to the number on the bottom? Then show that the prediction--7-- was correct!

2) The following is not a trick, but more a riddle. I announce that I have 11 fingers. There are two ways to "prove" it. Start by counting each finger on the left hand with the pattern "1-a-6, 2-a-6, 3-a-6, 4-a-6, 5-a-6..." and move to the right hand "7-a-6, 8-a-6, 9-a-6, 10-a-6, 11-a-6."

3) Another riddle version is to count the five left fingers backwards "10, 9, 8, 7, 6" and then show the open right hand and saying "plus 5 is 11."

4) Do the penny to dime and at the end say "We started with a penny and now we have a dime. How much more money do we have now?"

6) Six card repeat.

7) Since geometry is related to math, you could do Squircle (either the newspaper trick or the metal ring to square). Throw in the riddle: What did the acorn say when he grew up? Geometry! (Gee, I'm a tree!)

8) Coin tray. Pour five pennies into a child's hand and she closes her fist. Then vanish two coins and say "If they reappear in her hand, how many pennies will she have now?"

9) Flying coins (the one with the two red plastic quarter-size cups or their more expensive variations)

10) As "hcs" suggested, the Afghan Bands. As you cut the single twist ring, ask "How many rings will I have been I finish cutting all the way around?"

There's also the Tenyo "What's Next" trick. And their "See-Thru-Card"

----- Amado "Sonny" Narvaez