How to Solve the Top 10 Problems of Performing for Children
Lecture Notes Author: David Kay (Silly Billy)
Pages 23 :Stapled Booklet Copyright 2000
Price $10.00
Availability: Contact: Denny and Lees [email]dennymagic@aol.com[/email]

Table of Contents
Introduction: A Brief History of Solving The Top 10 Problems

Part I: The Silly Billy Distraction Progression Theory

Kid Show Magic Is Hard Work

The Five Steps To Solving Any Problem

• 1. Prevention.
  
• 2. Use Humor.
  
• 3. Ask Nicely.
  
• 4. Ask Forcefully.
  
• 5. Stop the show.
  
• Remembering the Five Steps.
  

Part II: Solving The Top 10 Problems

1. How do I get the adults to stop talking?
2. How do I stop toddlers from walking around and interrupting my show?
3. What do I do if the children yell out that they know the tricks?
4. How do I deal with that one troublemaker? The one that keeps calling out and grabbing my stuff.
5. How do I deal with troublemakers who are much older than the rest of the group?
6. How do I contain the children, keeping them in their seats?
7. What do I do if the birthday child is shy and doesn't want to participate?
8. How do I deal with an audience of mixed aged kids
9. How do I convince the client not to have the show outdoors?
10. How do I keep from getting performer burnout?

Review:
Thirty professional kid show entertainers in 1999 Kidabra Conference brainstormed the 10 most common problems facing entertainers of children. They spent many hours coming up with this above list along with the solutions and a five step process on handling all of these problems. This booklet was compiled by David Kaye, known to many as Silly Billy.

The booklet is divided into two parts. The first is the How-To resolve all problems dealing with children using the five step process. The second goes into detail on the then common problems. Many of these problems have been asked in the Magic Cafe. The answers are inside this booklet. The prevention tips are excellent suggestions so the problems are minimized, however, if they do "creep" into your show move into solution #2 the use of humor. It can be read in an hour and you will most definitely pick out the humor suggestion that fits you and use them in your show. As the old saying goes, if you can find one worthy item in a both, it is worth the price of the book. You will find more then one, without a doubt.

The solutions by using the use of any one of the suggested humor methods are worth the price of this booklet.

Highly recommended for any magician, clown, or entertainer of children. This booklet should be in your collection along with those other great book related to entertaining the kids with magic.

Very nice review, thank you.

As bill malone said on his dvd, to deal with kids, all you do is take them in the corner and beat them. And then when there not lookin kick them again

The five steps refer to all problems except that steps 4 and 5 are rarely done if you done your prevention by "leaflet". An exapmple was given where a child's arm was dislocated, accidently, and the show was stopped so the child could get to the hospital (Happens often with this particular child).

The wandering two year old is also addressed... of the numerous ways to handle this, I particulular liked grabbing a remote control and pointing it at the child and humorously saying "Back...Back...Hmm...Remote is not working..." Parents get the hint. (Step Wwo). Another option that's not listed is showing the little one a cute pumpkin and then have a horrible scarry monstor rat puppet pop out and scare the Pi...err beejeber's out of the kid. It's funny, it works, and the kid will never return.. and the parent gets the hint! (By the way, my niece still hates me for doing that...She runs to my brother everytime I stop over...How come? You don't think I scarred her for life do you?).

Well, experience is a good teacher, prevention is better, and short cuts, like this book, help the beginner. The book is good...look how much fun we are having with just the one item!