Hi Café,

Just wondering how do any of you handle a two-child birthday show. When the parents have two children, and they want to celebrate both their children's birthday together.

Please let me know. I have one booked and haven't performed one before. Do you make both the star and have both come up and be volunteers??

Please let me know.

Thanks,

Yes.

We've had parties of up to four or five sharing. You can't feature them all holding a magic wand, but you can easily think of something else.

My "Happy Birthday" tapes, which I record myself on electric organ, have the tune on six times (just in case).

Tony.

Just do your normal show. I pick both birthday children for different routines. I had three birthday children at the weekend, so I just used each child one at a time to help.

If the kids are the same age, twins, or just a year or so apart, I just do my normal party. If, however, the age difference is huge, i.e., a four-year old and a nine-year old, I wont take the booking.

I know from experience the party will be extremely hard work, with the nine-year olds trying to dominate the party, and scaring the four-year olds.

I did a party last year for a five-year old. The party consisted of the birthday kid and 20 of his friends. His Mum had let his older 8-9 yr old brothers and sisters invite a few of their friends as well. The birthday kid plus some of his friends spent half the party hiding in the kitchen as the actions of the 8-9-10 year olds running round pushing to the front all the time frightened them.

Yes, definitely. You do not want to make one child more special than the other. Use them both for volunteers. Try to use them both even if only one volunteer is called for. For example, have them each hold then end of a silk if you normally have one volunteer hold both ends. Have them each hold a wand or have one wear the hat while the other holds the wand.

Yes I just always make sure I have 2 tricks that are used for each b-day child. I also use both of their names as the magic word for the day so they both feel special. It is basically my same show but I learn to adapt to incorporate both children.

Kyle

I'll try to include both. If I have to pick either one of them due to the nature of the trick, it will depend on situation like:

1) If the age group is wide (5 yrs and 9 yrs), I'll pick the younger one and let the older kid know that they are big kid now. They'll like to be recongnized as the 'older' ones.

2) If it is a shared group or they are twins, I'll get one up to perform with me and give a special balloon to the other.

3) If BOTH wants to perform together, I'll just get one to hold the item, the other to say magic word or 'guard' his/her peers to see if they have done it right. Both kids receive applause in the end.


I do have situations where the party if for 5 years old and her sister is 11 years old and the older girls are just not interested in my show. They do their own stuff and even disturb my show.

I can still get them to involve by asking them to be 'guardians' during the show. They will guide and teach the younger kids to clap when I do the show.

Because I recognise them as older kids, they will usually do what I said.