I have read many of the post on shows for this age group and I am right now building and putting a show together for the 10-13 year olds. I have a show for 4-9 year old's that I have done many, many times and it works well and for my adult show I have also performed the same show many times but it is a mentalism show. So basically I do not have a regular magic show for adults and from what I read you need to perform an adult show but change wording for this age group. Obviously a full mentalism show or my kid show would not work. I have a list of effects I am comfortable with and think might work and I would like some opinions on which effects (I know it is how the effect is performed is very important as well) would work and which will not.

This is what I open my kid show with and not sure if it is too kiddie (my open is a mix of many effects done quickly to get their attention):
Open: Appearing wand, gloves to silk, no tear newspaper restore, 8foot straw from bag, vanishing coke

-5 card repeat (bill abbott)
-drawing duplication & book test
-blindfolded (duct tape) determine who's drawing belongs to who (uses 3 people)
-Egg bag
-Timmy Toilet paper
-Cards across
-bill to lemon
-gypsy thread
-Canasta Card (card is chosen and other person using their finger points to it with their eyes closed)
-Card to Wallet
-Name and Place (Bob Cassidy)

Please let me know you thoughts, I do not have a show coming up but I go get calls for this age and have turned it down but I want to develop a good show for this age group.

Thank You

Hi Hood,

I am working with children in the age you are going to acting for.
They like rope magic with clear short effects (no long stories) and Cups & Balls (I know it's unbeleavable ).
Further Chalk Paddles and Silk to Money are good tricks to come into communication with the kids.
I think communiction with kids is better than only showing stage tricks with only "viewing-pleasure".
From your programm I think Egg bag the egg bag is one of the first choices.

Try something

BR, Heinz

Hood, it is really not what you use, it is about how you present it. There are a lot of tricks some magician like to use, but others will not. It all depends on your beliefs on using a certain trick. I don't know your character or personality because I never seen a video of you. To be honest I can not tell you what you can use. People ask the same information a lot. It would really help us to help you if you supplied us with a video of how you present your tricks. From what you are asking you are only going to get the right information from different individuals with different personality and character if they were in your shoes.

Don't get me wrong, I am not saying you are wrong by the thread you started. It was right for you to post it because that is how you would receive tips from us. The only ones who are wrong are the ones who reply with negative criticism remarks giving you no explanation.

I hope you the best in your show.

I would not bother with your opening but the rest of your material seems sound for that age. I love cards across myself. I am not familiar with Timmy Toilet, so my approval of the material does not include that!

I recommend an opening that gets an immediate laugh and a fast magic effect. Show them immediately that you can entertain them and fool them, and from there they are yours. This age group needs an aggressive rather than a gentle start, but then they are yours. A pleasure to entertain.

I made the mistake of making them wait too long to see some magic and I lost them. And if you're going to do anything that requires them to follow a plot or remember items or events, you have to win them to your side. They will give their attention to what they deem interesting -- if it isn't you, never mind!

Ed

I open up with the Linking Rings. I don't do cards ticks for kids. It's hard for the ones in the back to see. Also they don't know a King from a Jack. Kids don't play with cards like they did back when I were young.
You can't go wrong with the egg bag. This plays great with any group.
The Bill to Lemon I used to do in my night club shows back in the day. As for kids, I never saw a kids with bills in their pockets.
Your blindfolded trick sound like this could be a big hit. I would put music to this one.
I wish you the best with your show.

Thank you everyone for the help as I have had the privilege of performing my new show multiple times over the past week now and it has been going very well. I ended up opening my show with my balloon swallow which gets their attention so fast. I have seen many people say not to do this at kids shows but I have yet to have an adult say anything about it other than they really enjoyed it. Plus I asked a few teachers about it and they all said there should not be a problem since jugglers come in and do very dangerous things at schools so a balloon no worries as long as I said do not attempt this at home. Overall the shows for this age are going great and learning a ton as to which effects worked for me and which did not and for some reason my 5 card repeat died on each show so hence the balloon swallow went in and huge difference. Now my show is just about set for this age as I have found my own right mix of effects.

Balloon swallow is an opener that is hard to beat. I open the kids show with it, and get ten minutes of laughs. I open the adult show with it, with a different routine. Great stuff. Well done.