My brother's girlfriend's little sister is having a birthday party this Saturday, and my brother was telling them that I was into magic. His girlfriend wants me to come and do a few tricks for her sister and her friends. I've met her sister before; she's a really sweet little girl. I think she's in about 4th grade. I just don't know if I could do any tricks that would really go over well. I thought about sponge balls, handkerchief through arm, maybe a dime/penny transposition in her hand. But really, since they're friends of the family, it makes me that much more nervous. If I end up doing any kind of show for them, I'd hate to leave them unimpressed with it. I'd feel like I was cheating them, sort of. It's not a definite thing that I'm going to do it anyway. They're just talking about it. Does anybody have any advice, maybe some good "colorful" looking sleight of hand tricks that I'm overlooking, or do you think I should just try to get out of it? If I could do something spiffy for her birthday, it'd be great, but I sure wouldn't want to be the bad magician who ruins the birthday. Especially not for her. It's sort of a precarious situation.

Wow...I could go off in numerous directions related to your post.

If you practiced a lot and are ready, you'll be fine, on the otherhand, it's a small group ideal for getting experience.

Sleight tricks for 4th graders can flop big time. This group's goal is to expose your magic. If it isn't in the right hand, it must be in the left. Avoid, these types or use it to your advantage. On the otherhand, the Miser's Dream which uses sleight of hand can be done and done well for this group. Choice of tricks makes a difference. Girls like colorful things.. silks and the like. A geni tube production or silk color changes, 20th century silks are also good.

For close up, there are numerous options, ready made easy to do tricks, are good. Remember, it's not the tricks as much as how they are presented. Humor and Comedy and Prop stuff works well with this age group. Have you heard of the floating Barbie Asrah doll trick?

If you set yourself up as one who is just learning magic, you may be forgiven if thing don't go as they should.

What is interesting is, I think, we all started this way.

Good Luck
Just my thoughts.

You should do it !!! Forever post away on message boards or become a performer!
Best of luck, let us know how it goes!

GlenD

I felt a need to follow up on my last message to you, Serling. So, here it goes...
I did'nt mean to sound harsh or abrasive, just wanted to offer STRONG encouragement so you won't have any regrets about passing up on something. You know you can do it, I believe you can do it, so I hope you go for it!
Cheers and take care,

GlenD

The Miser's Dream, for sure.
Youngsters don't seem to think that you are a "real magician" until you pull a coin from behind their ears.
After that, you can (almost) do no wrong.
And GlenD's advice is worth heeding: Go for it!
So what if something doesn't go as it should? The only way to insure yourself against failure is to do nothing!
Remember, only YOU know what you are going to do so the outcome of any effect is (or should be) unknown to the audience.

Stick with no-passout effects that you know very well. Do the six that you can do with a blindfold on. Skip the other ones, and you will be confident enough to do a good job.

I hate to tell you guys this, after all your kind encouraging words, but it never materialized. I don't have a car yet, and nobody was going to drive me up there. I guess they just forgot about it or reconsidered. It never was clearly going to happen to begin with. Maybe another time.
It's sort of encouraging, though, that my brother's girlfriend's birthday is coming up not too long from now (I think it's October or November, can't remember exactly), and she said she thought it would be awesome - she's never seen any of my magic at all before. So there is hope.
:-)

Hey thanks a bunch for sharing and getting back to us Serling, i was wondering how it turned out. But hey, dont feel bad. You will have other opportunities, maybe some that will feel more right too.
Take care and keep having fun.

GlenD

Pretend it happened and do it for the neighboor hood kids! Practice is Practice!

I have found that doing magic for "a friend, or a friend of a friend", usually turns out bad. Even if you do all your "tricks" well, you are still "Billy" or what ever your real name is. This applies to family too. Especially if you have a big family...it will never end.
Like Rodney Dangerfield says "I get no respect". A prophet is not without honor except in his own home turf, and neither is a magician.
You would be better off if you told them you might bring a few pocket tricks with you. Perform them only when requested.
Do two at the most three effects and leave them wanting more, but do it informally. It will take the edge off of it for you and you won't seem like a show off or worse...a bore.
Good luck. Remember do only what you really KNOW.