Hi All,
I've been running a magic camp for the past 6 years now. It only runs for a week during the summer, but recently I've picked up another camp as well. I was wondering if there is anybody else out there running a magic camp. If so, which effects do you usually teach? I tend to teach close up easy material to keep the kids interested and excited. I'll list mine here:

1. Sponge Balls - basic two ball routine - takes the most work and time
2. Circus Card Trick - the classic "the next card I turn over will be your card" trick.
3. PATEO Force - I usually do a last person standing type of routine to give it a mental slant.
4. 3 Key Card Location routines
5. Professor's Nightmare
6. Spectator Cuts the Aces
7. Multiple Selection - All of the cards reverse in the deck
8. Pen behind the ear

That's about it. I'd love to know what everyone else is doing out there. There have been years where I've had the same kids 3 years in a row. I've obviously expanded and have taught those kids diverse things such as cups and balls routines. Overall, it's new kids all of the time.

Bryan
Check with Sam Sandler.

Torn and restored sucker napkin
French Drop of a coin for a vanish
Cut and restored rope the simple version
Penetrating tooth picks or match sticks
Piff Paff Poof aka unlinking safety pins
Penetrating safety pin on hanky, pin is moved to desired position

You only teach 8 tricks in a week. The magic classes in out town teach 30 tricks in 5 classes of 2 hours each. I am not familiar with most of the things you list, but that seems kind of advanced stuff for introductory classes.

There are hundreds of good beginner magic books that you can get great simple magic tricks from, many of these are classic beginner tricks.

Check Mark Wilson book, Tarbell, and Scarne on cards.

Al thanks for the acknowledgement! think I spelled that right

Hey twistedace - I have been running magic camps for about 12 years I do 7 week camp every summer

shoot me a PM and we can talk.

I teach a lot more then just a few tricks. I have differnt effects for each day and diffenrent themes for some of the days

for instance I have animal magic day. I start by having a mini show for them performing some dove productions. then I teach them one or two of them and then let them work at it.

the one I do most often for them is a dove pan. simple easy and wow.

I perform it and then teach it then let them each learn it and perform it.

I have silk magic day
card magic day
everyday object day

and so on

I also feel that is important to not onoly teach them but let them go home with some magic as well! no they don't all get a dove pan but I do let them keep rope, sponge balls, every one gets a magic wand - they love this!

there is a lot more to it but that's just one of the things I do.

talk to you soon

Sam
Bryan is a SAM 4 member, and works part time for Bob Little. I suggest you two get together for coffee.

Bryan,

What are the ages of the children you're teaching? Also, is this a real magic camp or are you just teaching magic at regular summer camps?

Personally, I just don't know if I would reveal something like the Professor's Nightmare, which may in fact be a copyrighted trick, to a bunch of kids. To me the trick is just too good to expose.

Over the years I taught at a few magic camps, but it was all beginner type stuff found in kid magic books. Jon Jenson's magic courses (Jack Turk may still carry these) were quite good. His magic goody bag stuff were all simple starter magic effects. Brian Flora also had a few good ideas. James Munton's magic class was also very good. When I was doing this, I took 1-2 good ideas from each course to create my own course. Again, though, it wasn't magic classics like Professor's Nightmare.

To me - and this is my own personal feeling here - I just think you need to use some discretion here as to what tricks you teach and which ones you don't.

Gerry

I've taught one-time one hour classes, one time one-day classes, 2, 3, 5 and 10 day camps (as a segment in other camps) and my longest running "camp" which will be a one hour class a day program, one day per week for 9 weeks camp (this will be my 6th year at this location).

I've purchased "training programs" from a variety of people, took their info and ultimately made it my own special unique blend of magic camp. Now in my 6th season of doing these camps, I'm finally starting to feel pretty comfortable with what tricks work well with what ages, etc; Prior to last season, I purchased a "Magic Camp" program from Tommy Johns, an Atlanta area Magi, which proved to be a very wise investment.

I think I had a pretty good program in place, but Tommy's materials helped me "take it to the next level". You can find details of Tommy's program materials at http://www.magiccamp.info (It seems to display better on IE as opposed to FireFox.) I use some of the effects that Tommy prescribes along with some that I've developed from other sources but there was one idea from Tommy's program that allowed me to increase my net profit on that 9 week camp by nearly 50%! That paid for the course materials several times over!

I have no financial interest in Tommy Johns program and I don't make a % on any sales. It just really worked for me and for those who are just starting or want to take their semi-developed class/camp program to the next level, I'm sure you would benefit as well.

To answer your question specifically, here's a list of tricks I've taught to various age groups of children, typically from 6-12 years in age:

Sponge Balls
Floating toothpick
Floating/Magnetic Magic Wand
Physic Crayon
Coin slider
Ball & Vase
Spring Puzzle
"Invisible" ball and bag
Mr. Bagge' (A James Munton effect taught on his Birthday class DVD)
Imp bottle
Two Card Monte
Clip Card
Various "Force a card" and revelation effects
Paddles
Fortune Telling Fish
Jumping Rubber bands
Linking paper clips
Appearing knot in rope
Cut & Restored (not the typical approach however)
Silly Balloon in Bag
Key Card
Upside Down card location
3 out "I Knew You'd Pick That"

I'm sure there are more, but these just come to the top of my mind.

I typically buy my class/camp materials from D Robbins in the spring and charge a "materials fee" per child, in addition to the class fee. The materials fee covers all of the props I hand out (typically around $1.00 per day per child)...I think I charge $2 or $2.50 per child, per day for props which they each take home with them, along with a printed booklet highlighting the tricks we did that day and of course my marketing message. At the end of the day, the "materials fee" per child more than covers the props and the printed materials.

Classes and camps are a growing segment of my business and it gives me an opportunity for several follow up private shows as well. I didn't really enjoy it so much the first year, but now that I'm getting a better handle on the whole process, it's becoming a lot more fun...and profitable!

Hope this helps!

MagicAL