I think my show is mostly targeted for 2-9 year olds(I use a few silly tricks such as the wilting flower-nested wands, misdmade flag with the magic bag - and such , but at the same time I also do some other stuff such as the flower bag- silk 2 cane –stratosphere- balloon 2 dove , popcorn 2 bunny –and I also do close up after the show which is definitely for anyone, adults or kids – such as cups and balls, coin tricks, card tricks, sponge tricks, rubber bands…ect…, but its always kids that wanna watch – adults pretend to be 2 cool- of course there is the occasional true person that doesn’t care about others opinion and stays and watches some of the close up- (I have gotten a few of request for 11 year olds or 12 year olds kids parties but have turned them down due to my thinking that they are too old for magic – but of course I do not say that to the parent s- Then I Though – What I’m I doing? – Magic is for all ages ! – I just booked an 11 year old birthday party – and not sure how to gear the show for older kids- I’ve used the same routine for the past 5 years. And I do remember once doing a 10 year old party and it was good – I mean I’m sure there will some smaller kids there too – HOPE SO ! Adults scare me! just know that 11 year olds are a bit more grown ! So any help will be greatly appreciated. – It’s a Harry Potter Theme Party which is GOOD !

I plan to bring in larger items – such as Dove 2 Bunny Cage and Disappearing Bird Cage and Bigger Wands – These are Items I have reserved for my 2nd package option – and this will be the first time, besides the 3 shows that I used them on for practice but never charged extra. – So this will be the first time I’m charging the second package, hey got to start somewhere. – also I plan to bring someone with me to help carry stuff in and out this time due to me bringing in all this extra stuff – hopefully I can eventually figure out a way to do this all on my own as my regular show.

Once again any help will be greatly appreciated and please if you have nothing good to say then don’t say anything. Good Magicians help each other out !

Thank again,

MagicJac

I do the yes game with that age. Works great. Also, if you have any real magic chops, use them. The older kids get into real magic stuff.
Coins, cards, bill in lemon, etc.

The best advice I can offer is to go for it! Kids in the 10-11 year-old range enjoy the same type of effects you are currently doing - perhaps with just a tad less silliness. I'm not saying NO silliness, just a teensy-weensy bit less. I actually use the same, basic show for kids 5-12 - adjusting JUST my patter and jokes enough to fit the age (occasionally… dropping the really silly stuff).

Your miss-made flag and nested wands will still work with the 10-year-olds. Stratosphere is great for that age, as is silk-to-cane and balloon-to-dove. By the looks of it, you have everything you need to kill an audience of 10-12 year-olds… except confidence. Trust me and just give it your best. You WILL be fantastic. These kids, although brought up with higher demands of learning in the computer age, still want to be kids and laugh, giggle and enjoy the amazement of magic.

Don't forget to post about your HUGE success, after your show.

I agree with Michael. Do the same stuff you usually do, just connect with them at their level. Don't do the silly stuff the way you do it for the 6 year old crowd. Do it tongue-in-cheek. They'll love it. They want to laugh, they want to have a good time. It'll be great.

You guys are awesome ! yes I need a shot of confidence!!

Thanks guys !

Magic Jac

I want to add two points. One, tell them up front on how you expect them to act. In other words tell them the rules for the show. If they don't know how to act, they will act out. Second, treat them as equals and don't talk down to them. These two things with change the kids entire attitude.

Oh no! The dreaded word "rules"!

11 is not much different than 9. Remember it's turning 11 if it's a birthday. You're good until they get to middle school. Bigger Wands will be great, not sure about the Stratosphere suggestion. Cut and Restored Rope, Hippity Hop-type tricks, Invisible Deck, Torn and Restored Tissue, Half-Dyed Hank and a Sponge routine are a few things that I personally use. Anything that uses animals will be great. But don't feel like you have to bring the kitchen sink. These are still kids for a short time more, and they'll enjoy the show. They'll enjoy silly stuff as long as it doesn't seem like baby stuff to them.

As my son is now 11 (where does the time go?), I have noticed that he is suddenly a lot more challenging about the magic. He wants to grab the props and examine them. You may not get this, but be prepared just in case!

You can also do stuff like paper balls over the head for this age. They are old enough to get the joke and play along. I'm a fan of rope magic and linking rings (don't currently do a ring routine, but I love them). I like being able to put an hour of magic in a briefcase, but I have to admit it doesn't play as big as some of the larger props.

Interestingly enough, spongeballs can still be killer at this age. Not sure why.

Good luck!

-Patrick

Kids at that age like to learn good looking magic tricks. So maybe include a part where you teach them 2-3-4 tricks they can do right away. Send me a PM if you need advice for the tricks.

I guess it must be different in the States. For this age group, I'd never even consider "Bigger Wands" (or ANY magic wands), "Hippity Hop", "Strat-O-Sphere", Mis-Made Flag, or ANYTHING which is very silly. I don't even use Stinkey Winkey Rat for this age, as most 11 year-olds in the UK regard puppets as too childish for them. I use arm or head-choppers, Bill in Lemon, Water Monte, Human Puppet (the one puppet routine they really do enjoy), Red Carpet, a card trick such as Barry Mitchell's "Super Sleuth" (all audience-participation effects), as well as strong visual magic such as flash appearances, rope tricks, soda can effects like Healed and Sealed...etc.
Instead of silliness, my shows for this age are far more acerbic. Full of mock insults and "cool" jokes. At least in my area, kids of this age will eat you alive if you try to perform anything they consider "childish". They think of themselves as young adults, and will simply not tolerate anything which includes feathery flowers, pictures of rabbits, or magic wands that break. Mostly they have seen a hundred or more magic shows by this age. It's essential to offer them great, strong magic, but of course, still to avoid any sign of arrogance in presentation.
Doug

They are young adults, at least in their minds.

They now see you as a man that can do magic, so now they expect to see something magical. Silly routines may fall flat so you need an out. I made the mistake of doing Stra-O-Sphere to a similar age group and bombed. They knew it was a prop and wanted to know how it worked. They were not interested on what it did but how it did it. So I brought out a deck of cards and performed feats of skill which they saw as magical. I won them back.

Just be ready with a backup plan, just in case.

Thanks for all the help and positive comments, specailly this one!

"The best advice I can offer is to go for it! "

Magic Jac

I've developed a special show for this aged audience and up. Of course I've spent a good deal of money doing so. I have the dagger chest, visible sawing through body, the hand chopper, smash and stab, catching a dart in between my teeth shot from an air gun, and my Lester Lake Guillotine.

I present my show in both a comical and serious way. The audience does not know if the illusions I'm doing are really dangerous or not.

This is actually my favorite audience I perform for.

I love eleven year old audiences. A great age. I am with Potty - he put it very well. No silliness, treat them as young adults. Then you can't lose.

Changing bag
Square Circle
Hand Chopper, use an adult
Nesting Wands
Shrinking Head
Multiplying Bottles
Lie Detector

Rope tricks go good with kids of that age.
comedy glass
get sharkey
cups and balls

That age can go both ways. They can be just at the end of the child-like amazement, or just entering the "I dare you to fool me!" stage. And you can have both types in your audience!

Magic happens in the mind when the impossible occurs with no explanation. By 11, these kids have used cell phones and Google and watched a lot of TV. They know stuff, so their definition of "impossible" is far different that younger kids.

They're also entering the era of the "rat pack", and they are learning to defend their fragile egos. If you come up with colorful props that entertain younger kids, but now you're going to fool them with that??!!??, they'll eat you alive!

They're old enough to understand the intricacies of basic card and coin stuff. They will try to get you by denying that was really they card. And they are easily captivated by group silliness that is more fn than anything you are doing. Body functions with noise and smell fall into this category.

Good luck!
Ed

11 year olds? I get a lot of that age for my Harry Potter Wizard Magic Shows. The answer is show them something they have not seen before. Do not do baby stuff. Also, not all 11 year olds are the same. Some will be ready to enjoy and be open to having a good time. However, I have had some who sit with their arms crossed like a Judge in court. For those it helps to perform unusual routines and have Handmade Props nobody else has like me.
If you don't, my next piece of advice is to do some of your adult show.
This has worked for me. Talk to them as people and do not talk down to them and you should be fine. Cheers!