I am primarily a birthday party entertainer who has specialized in parties for 4-7 year olds. I am interested in knowing what props work for the older kids and what may work for both?

I am sure this has been discussed, so If somebody can direct me to a previous discussion I would VERY much appreciate it.

Any help would be appreciated.

-stephen

Might I suggest teaching a birthday party magic class!
I won't do any other kind of show for this age group.

Some other kind soul might suggest a learning source for you...!

Best regards,
James

I had the same problem I just did card tricks. It depends really if they look mature enough then go into a little complex card tricks... Or simple coin tricks.

James,

I have your DVD and have considered the magic class. I am wondering about people who want a show.

Thanks,
-stephen

This is too good a set-up to pass up.

A great learning source for teaching a children's magic class is James Munton's video "How to Teach a Birthday Magic Class," available at http://www.magicsells.com

James takes you through what he teaches, tells you how he does it and what supplies you will need, and shows what he teaches through a live performance. He also tells you how to pack your case and where to find the supplies.

I've watched this video several times and each time pick up a new idea or insight. There is nothing astounding on the video (although Mr. Baggie will make you wonder why you didn't think of it) but it is a good, solid, cover-all-the-bases video about how to teach a children's magic class.

James is an old friend, but if I didn't believe in this video, I wouldn't post anything. I can honestly say that I strongly recommend it. Frankly, any party where the kids are going to be more than 9 years old, I agree that a teach-in is best. You might dazzle them with your favorite trick or two, but get right to the teaching. These kids are ravenous to learn magic.

I do almost the same show I do for adults ... Classic stuff ..Cups and Ball Card Manip act ..and if it is oked by the parents I do the Razor blade swallowing act ...this one goes over very well ! And then as an upsell I do magic lessons

I just did a rare b-day for 9 year old girls. I performed the following(not in this exact order): Sponge Balls, a mentalism card trick, TT and silk, Toilet Paper over the head of grandma, Snake production, Hissing Cockroach and Millipede production, balloon animals (they were GIRLS!) and a straitjacket escape.

I might have left out a routine, but that's most of it. Everyone had a great time and the tricks went over great with that age group.

So, besides the mentalism trick, everything else plays for the younger group as well.

Chad

See I knew I should have gone to james' lecture when he was here! Good Idea on teaching he class. Larry you'll hagve to school me the nexttime I see you.
Mike

This is one of may favorite groups to do magic for.
They are bold, heckling devils and I take every advantage of it.

Lots of feints, bluffs, sucker stuff mixed with excellent sleight-of-hand.

they love the cups, and anything that plays big.
I do my street type act with them. big and bold. I take no prisoners.

This is no kids show, by any means. My case with the change bag, silly wands, die box, etc. never comes out at that show. Well, maybe the die box.

I seem to remember that there was a thread (either in Penny For Your Thoughts or here) suggesting that you perform mentalism for older children (even possibly suggesting that you give them readings).

(It went on to say that you could pitch it to a niche market of 16 year old girls slumber parties.)

Mark Strivings is the guy who does the slumber party mentalism spook show stuff.

At my last 13 year old bahmitza party, I was hired for one-hour and performed:

1. Thimble Manipulation
2. Cheeky Monkey Puppet Routine
3. Fork Bending Routine
4. Silk Through Mirror
5. Stiff Rope & Cut and Restored Rope
7. Zig Zag CD & Vanishing CD (Die Box sucker style)
9. Three cards chosen, and found & Mind Reading Card Tricks
10. Ring Tricks
11. Ring and Rope Routine
12. Arm Chopper Illusion

I finished with making all the children a balloon sculpture, of which there were about 15 children.

I do lots of these shows, and the only thing you have to remember is to perform some powerful magic near the start to hook them immediately. With me its thimbles and fork bending. After that, they remain seated for the entire show, whatever I do as they have stopped looking at me as the joke and now believe that I can actually entertain them.
Once they see me as a 'magician', I usually act silly like I normally do for any age, but the children are more willing to play along with me and join me for the ride, as I have impressed them early on.

As always, learn a dozen jokes, preferably football jokes as that will entertain them even if the magic doesn't.

And I do lots of these events, since all the other magicians are scared of the age group and I seem to be the only one marketing to Jewish synagogues...

Amazing Steve

I agree with all the comments about James' magic class video. It is WONDERFUL and will play great for this age group.

I do quite a few 10 year old birthday parties and I do a version of my adult show. 10 year olds are pretty sophisticated these days and the appreciate being treated like adults. They have even developed a mature sense of humor and understand sarcasm (scratch that, they personally have a REALLY GOOD GRASP on sarcasm). They also have an attention span and intellect that will allow them to hang with you on a more involved trick (as long as the pay off is there at the end). But the absolute second they feel as though you are treating them like "little kids" they will eat you alive.

Make the magic high impact and the jokes funny. When you bring them up on stage to help make them look cool and they will love you for it. They REALLY dig mentalisim! My 10 year old son thinks the coolest magician alive is Jon Stetson...I agree with him.

10 year olds are pretty cool themselves (they are obsessed with it actually and are afraid of anything that will make them look un-cool in front of their friends). You just have to treat them right and SHOW NO FEAR!

It's also why James' course is a great choice for this age group because they ALL look cool and get to learn some really cool stuff that will make them look even cooler Monday morning in school.

Best,

Dan-

All good points. I like doing the birthday party
magic class for older kids as well, tossing in a
quick lesson on balloon animals.

One thought though... always ask what the mix of kids
is beforehand. I've found that if the party is a
range of little kids to older kids, you can (and I
think should) do a program that works for the little
kids as well.

If there are little kids in the room, the older kids
will enjoy just as much the gags / bits that have the
little kids laughing their heads off. (Who doesn't like
to see little kids cracking up?)

Another thing to consider... and please don't think me
sexist... but a group of 10 year old boys is totally
different from a group of 10 year old girls... which
is different from a blended group of 10 year old boys and
girls.

I think working a crowd of all boys is the hardest bunch
of all -- you have to be funny and magically solid.

The old saw, "know your audience" is really important.
Find out who's coming to the party and adjust your program
accordingly.

--J

Run Fast and make a fart joke LOL
but before the show try and make friends with them and tell them you will show them how to do a trick after the show so now they wont gang up on you because you are a friend to them and they will sit and enjoy whatever you do

What to do for a 10-12 year old birthday party??

Leave the engine running..

I've actually begun to enjoy performing for this age range a lot more recently. Although I do find them easier with a crowd of adults at the back as when you get laughs from them it signals to the 10-12 year olds that they're not watching kiddie magic.

George

LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

At this age I've found they are usually segregated by age. The 10 yr. old all girl shows are a joy. The boys a nightmare. For all boys, I usually double my $ and hope they say no.

Great information here. I just would add that you really at this age need to make sure you treat them as young adults instead of talking down to them. Many times magicians will treat this audience the same way as a younger show and the tone in the voice and the way you speak needs to differ. This age group will and does evaluate you within 5 mins of seeing you. You need to make a good impression, treat them as more young adults and you should be a lot better off.

Kyle