Hello I am preforming for 1-5 year olds wanted to know if anyone has any tips?

No I will not be doing my regular 45 min show I will be doing the following:

puppets
magic
balloons
some games

I know the basic tips such as keep the routines short and simple , not complex.


Don't be too loud, etc.


Just wanted to know if anyone had any tips? Thank you.

Many have thought this is a hard age group, I happen to think 3-5 is the easiest.
They are generally thrilled at just about anything you do.
You have the right idea mixing puppets and other fun stuff along with magic.

For your magic, I suggest you use lots of volunteers, and lots of color.
Keep smiling and have fun and it will infect them like a virus.
What do you mean don't be loud? Do you mean the group or you?

Good luck!

When I mean "don't be loud" I'm referring to myself because you don't want to scare the kids , right? Thank you for your helpful advice.

Be prepared to have less audience control. The wee ones will want to come up and touch your friends (puppets). Use this to draw out your "show". Let them all engage your puppets physically (all the kids get to shake hands with them, etc). Slapstick really goes a long way with this age group.

For magic, vanishes work very well and you can repeat many times.

Start off with a sing-a-long to win their trust. "If You're Happy and You Know It" is a great participation song to use and gets them used to your elevated voice level (which you may need to be heard over a lot of chitter chatter from them)

Hi,

Expect to entertain parents and get them involved too, as with this age group, (depending on what or where the gig is), I'd assume that they will be accompanying the kids. Parents are the ones that hire you so let them enjoy themselves too and the children overcome shyness if they see the grown ups having fun as well. Parents love doing the sing a long or actions with the kids.

Break down your activities so that you do some quieter things like puppets, than switch to say perhaps a lively action song..then perhaps switch to some magic...ect.. Remember in this age range they do have short attention spans and everything is magical to them.(Think of Sesame Street) the show changes the activity every couple mins to hold young children's attention. Young kids do understand the concept of dissapearing and changing items and you can do some magic based on that.
Bright colors, music, interaction, repeating words after you..all helps them become involved and feel part of the show. The coloring book and change bags impress kids at this age.

Lastly, becareful handing out balloons to kids under the age of 2, as most liability insurance, yours or the place that hired you, won't cover you if anything happens. Balloons are hazardous to babies that tend to put things in their mouths.Animal balloons unlike the round balloons, are easy to pop in a baby's mouth, You could give advanced notice ahead of time and most parents or the host or hostess of the party will see you are concerned for the well being of the kids. Providing some other safe toy as an alternative to those ones under 2 if you buy them at a discount rate to keep cost down. Rarely will you get an irate parent that will insist on a balloon for baby even if you've told them of the danger.

Lastly have fun as the children will pick up on that too. Good Luck!
Hand out coloring pics with your business card attached or a charicature of yourself so as parents can contact you for future bookings.

Chrystal

I have around 10 yellow beach balls , does anyone have any game ideas I can use with them?

LOL, well I'd leave nine of those bad boys at home for starters!

A battalion of 1-5 year olds with an arsenal of inflatable missiles, I get tired just thinking about it!

George

I like to use a lot colorful and visual magic for this age group.

Work toward the four year olds and it will be fine. Do only bring one ball. I forgot who said it but for a warm up and to get the kids on his side a magician would roll a ball to a kid, the kid would roll it back etc and more kids would be drawn in...rolling not throwing the ball. The kids will think you are way cool before you start.