Seriously, I was just asked if I could do some kind of adapted show for a summer camp with blind children. I'm totally at a loss, and will probably have to decline, but before I do, maybe someone here has an idea?

If they're children they may be too young to understand mentalism. Wow..that is a tough one. I'd probably decline myself. I don't have anything that would be suitable. I wish I could have been of more help.

Robert Haas

I have one effect whit haydens impromptu card code hope that helps

Depends on the age - just because they're blind doesn't mean they're stupid.

If they're - oh, say, 10 or over ... take any effect from the category of "magic on the radio". And re-cast your paradigm of "show" into more of a "sit around the [imaginary or real] campfire together and lecture or tell a story".

I think even the whit haydens impromptu card code he talks about not using children for it (or the elderly).

I'm sure there are some effects out there, but I doubt there's enough that you could put together a quality show. Maybe making balloon animals or something would work? Its not magic, but its "fun".

Are the children really blind, or just partially blind? Maybe they just need big objects. Silk productions perhaps? Huge playing cards (not "jumbo" but like, huge huge ones).

Let us know how it works out.

Any magic that occurs inthe child's hands will work. Sponge balls work really well. ]
Ed Gilmore

One thing you might want to consider is the use of a narrator. Someone who can accurately describe what is happening without taking away from the magic effect...much like closed captioning for the hearing impaired/deaf.

As Ed mentioned, anything that occurs in the hands would also be good. Also consider the fact that anything performed should be able to withstand inspection by curious children.

I think that's an excellent analogy.

I bet there can be a type of way. One thing that is important is the amount of children. If it is a large group, perform multiple close-up acts for small groups of children.

"Magician's Force" will be a good one using fruit. Describe a fruit is in a box. Let one of the children hold the box. Do the force with several fruits using a different child. Open the box to finish the performance.

If playing cards are made to read by braile, certain card tricks can be performed.

Certain "Cut and Restored" Rope tricks can be performed by the children feeling on the ropes.

The "Chair Suspension" can be performed as the kid feel one of the friends are on the board. Next, the kids move the board and chair together. They can feel their is still suspended in the air.

I'm sure more can be performed. As long as we can get creative, they will not be left out.

I once did a show for a group of visually impaired children that came to the theme park where I was performing. They had varying degrees of vision, and some were totally blind. Most cases were very severe, and I'm sure they were all "legally" blind.

Anyway, some kids could see a little.....color, etc., and some kids had only perifiral vision. The ones that were the most visually impaired had a narrator. The narrators sat with the kid and spoke in a very soft whisper.

I could not change too much of my show, but I do visual, colorful tricks anyway. I let them pet my rabbit at the end of the show.

Todsky, please don't turn this show down. It could be the only chance these kids ever have to experience a magic show. I'm sure if it is a summer camp for the visually impaired they will be set up to have narrators, etc. I was caught off guard, and it kind of put me on the spot when it happened to me. When they came into the theatre I was very apprehensive, but let me tell you the reward was great! These kids seemed to have the time of their lives. They came into my magic shop after the show and had a ball too. Many of them bought things and they were so excited. That has been one of the most memorable and rewarding shows I ever performed. Looking back, I am so glad I had the opportunity to perform for these kids. I hope they have memories of me as that are as fond as the memories I have of them.

Regan

Todd -

I seem to recall that a few years back, there was an article in the Linking Ring, about doing magic for the visually impaired.

I don't know which issue off the top of my head (and my entire library isn't here), but maybe someone on the Café could track down that information for you.

- Donald

Wow, some wonderful suggestions here!
I'm not sure if they're completely blind, or if some have some sight, I'll have to inquire.
The narrator idea is very good, magic in the hands, rope magic, Mike's "Fruit Force",
It might just be possible...

Another way is to have a staff put 21 on a card with braile before the show. Put the card in a small box. Have the spectator hold the box. Row three dice and have the kids total the top and bottom numbers by feeling with their hands. The child opens the box and speaks out the number that is on the card.

Another way is to do the one where they think of a number divide it by so and so, etc. (forgot the name and method.) The child holding the box has the same number in it.

And remember their can be tricks performed over the phone. Slim King knows a lot of them. Most of the same tricks will work on the children if you are in a different room.

Another one is when all the children has 12/9 sections of a square in front of them. Tell them to start with one, count over so many squares without going diagnoly, etc. At the end the kids will have the same item, the same one a child was holding in a box inadvance.

What we think of as "magic" might need to be re-thought a little for this type of audience. A well-told story with props that the kids can touch and hold may very well invoke feelings of wonder and be very "magical".

Use lots of audience participation. Maybe a tip-over box they can reach into to feel that it's empty. Then reach into to pull out a rabbit.

Using a narrator I think is real good. Just try to get the kids as involved as possible. Make a lollipop vanish (maybe not super magical when it's just being described to them), but then have them check under their chair and find that there's one taped to the bottom (one under every chair). You could even make one of the kids appear out of an empty box.

Good luck with the show! Sounds like an opportunity for a pretty amazing experience.

Mike Engstrom

One thing that comes to mind is a story from Reed McClintock doing magic for a blind and deaf girl. He used a glass to cover a coin that was setting in the girl's hand. He then made the coin move without touching her. I think the sorry is in last years Magic magazine that he is on the cover.

I have done this myself for a young lady at our church. She was so happy that I could show her magic that way. It touched my heart that I could share that with her. I give Reed all the thanks in the world for sharing his story. This allowed me to have one of my own now.

Cheers,
B-Rad

Kevin James tells this wonderful story about Whit Hayden. He would do this when he came across a blind person having dinner at the resturants he worked strolling. It is great because he not only lets the blind person be included in an experience they normally couldn't enjoy but it actually makes them the star. He takes a few cards, 20 or so and shuffles them. Then he asks the blind person to call out when they feel a red card is visible. It is surely possible because when one sense is lost it is common knowledge that the other senses are heightened. The magician secretly taps the blind persons toe when he says "red". They understand that they are being cued when the red cards appear. They get them all right. The crowd is amazed. The blind person is the star and they will NEVER tell their teachers & friends the secret. Do this to give the kids one over the sighted teachers!

Bicycle does make a Braille deck combined with standard card printing. It's quite likely that the school will be able to provide a deck or two for your use. Depending on the age of the kids, this makes some card effects very doable. Warning: Practice a bit first as the Braille deck is naturally a bit thicker than a standard deck.

The "Grey Elephant in Denmark" mentalism routine works well with older children and adults - Using a Braille sign or map for Denmark and a stuffed elephant in a box as your blow-off.

What about Needle Through Balloon. Once punctured and sealed, the children can feel the needle (not the point!) through the balloon.

The Anderson torn and restored newspaper provides sound and rough paper edges. 3 or 4 children can loosely hold your hands as you restore the paper.

Sponge balls and sponge rabbits in the child's hands is a great suggestion. Another might be a silk effect such as the Rabbit in the Hat or Barry Mitchell's Twinkle Star. The child stuffs the small Twinkle Star silk into a larger silk only to have the smaller silk vanish and reappear from their elbow, behind the ear, an empty change bag in the child's hand.

Michael Finney's cut & restored rope effect allows the knots to vanish right in the child's hand.

20th Century silk with a reappearing textured silk might do the trick. Maybe an appearing 8-ft pole from a bag or box?

Sometimes, the schools will have baseballs, golf balls and such with little noise "pingers" built in. Some of these balls have remote activation/deactivation switches. You might create a routine with a ball vanishing from a box one child is holding and reappearing in an empty box another child is holding.

If all else fails, ask the teachers what they would suggest. They've been around and have surely have resources that you and I lack. Let us know what you wind up doing! This would make a great M-U-M or Linking Ring article!

Don't forget coin through rubber dam. It's only good one on one, but you can have several set up and ready to go.

Also, any trick where you put something inside an inflated balloon and then let the kids get it out.

That is one great idea one-on-one...and fairly easy to set-up!

Because of all the suggestions, there should be a book dealing with "How To Perform Magic For The Blind."

Well, I wanted to thank you all for the great suggestions and references for entertaining blind children. Unfortunately, it turned out that they have a miniscule budget and cannot afford my rate, so it won't be happening.

Cheers,

Todd