How does your show change for a 9 year old boy? I've got one coming up and just wanted to get some feedback. I'm going to make changes to the show I do for the 3 to 7 crowd.
For instance, is the rabbit in the hat puppet out?
Many thanks.

Jim

Nine years old is right on the border, in my opinion, between little adults and little kids. Especially for boys. I have found, that the 10-13 year old range is not as difficult as some may have you believe, you just have to treat them like little adults. I have even had great success with a few comedy card tricks for that age group.

Now 9 may be a bit more of a gamble as far as card tricks go, but I bet you can sneak in a visual, straight-forward, and/or comedy card trick.

I would probably shy away from the rabbit in the hat puppet for them.

A good Ring and Rope routine might go nicely with that age group. Use lots of audience participation with it.

For the 9 year olds, I would also eliminate anything too "kiddy", such as props with silly, cartoon-like graphics. 9 year olds might think they are beyond that.

Overall, I would lean slightly more towards the adult effects, just routined for a younger crowd. I mean, they are still kids, of course. But at that age, boys especially, might reject things that they deem too "kiddy".

Alos I would like to add that nine year olds are in the stage where they grow bored with a "sucker" effect. From my expieriance's they just want the trick to happen with very little fun inbetween. I would also shy away from props changing color. By 9 years old for some reason they don't believe that is magic. Hope this helps.
SanCho

True, and that point reinforces my point about doing adult effects, just routined more accordingly for the younger crowd. The effects need to be a little bit stronger and more deceptive, as the age of the kids gets higher.

9 year olds are on that line between child and adolecent. I would agree that they don't want a lot of nonsense. But then again...a little is OK. For instance I do a rabbit-in-the-hat routine for this age group. In fact I've done it in school shows up to 5th grade. But then it depends upon the routine.

Having performed for this age and taught magic for this age, I sense a lot of what has been said is true and good information. They really are on that borderline where they are trying hard not to be kissies yet they are still kids and like to have fun.

I think you need to make sure you start off by not talking childish to them. Get them to know you, like your personality. You can still use comedy but change the tone of the comedy you are using.

I think once they get comfortable with you, they start to let down their guard and learn to be kids again. They stop trying to hard to be and act like an adult and instead learn to enjoy what you are showing to them.

Kyle

I think the 9 year olds are a great age for magic. Old enough to enjoy the good stuff and not quite old enough to think magic is only for small kids. I agree leave out too much kiddy stuff.

Tom

I don't think 9 year old boys would REALLY find rabbit in the hat puppet entertaining.

Rabbit in the hat puppet is just a prop. It really is nothing more than that. If this is the case, and if magic is entertainment, then it is safe to say it is not the prop that makes the effect entertaining. It is what the magician does with this prop that will allow it to go over well for that certain age or not.

Just soemthing to think about is all.

Kyle

Yeah, Kyle, thinking about it, I believe that a Rabbit in the hat routine with the tone and humor of say, The Simpsons, would work well for that age group.

Thanks for all the advice, guys. I'm going to have to rework the show for this age.

Jim

Hello, I think at that age you could have a great party by teaching the kids how to perform some simple magic, in fact I do not even sell a regular show to b-day moms for that age, I sell them a magic workshop(and you can charge a little more)