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Krumb Loyal user Vancouver, WA 300 Posts |
My g/f's son is 20 months old (I've been around since he was 6 months). I'm always performing simple stuff for him. I'll do some retention vanishes and ask him where the object went. But the funniest one I've done with him has been the Over the Head vanish. He will sit there and search all over for it and look kinda confused. He seems to get a kick out of it.
How young was your youngest spectator? |
magicgeorge Inner circle Belfast 4299 Posts |
I'm not sure how young my youngest spectator was. When I'm doing my restaurant gigs there will often be a baby at the table. If I'm making balloons they often can't take their eyes off me, much to the amusement of everyone else at the table. I think its the colours they enjoy.
A friend of mine has a smart dog - he goes pretty mad if I do a French Drop on a dog biscuit. |
Chad C. Inner circle 1522 Posts |
I've done a b-day party for a 1-year old. I would have said "no" except all the guests were at least 4 and up. It went really great, but the b-day child was more interested in eating the wrapping paper than watching my show! But the rest of the guests were quite pleased.
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drhackenbush Special user 686 Posts |
I do lots of 1-year-old birthday parties, and yesterday I did my weekly under-one mommy & me class for babies, and the youngest was 4 months.
Again, I don't bill myself as a magician, but a children's entertainer, and adjust accordingly. |
Dynamike Eternal Order FullTimer 24148 Posts |
I do a lot of one year old parties also.
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Chrystal Inner circle Canada/France 1552 Posts |
In my area it is customary for some ethnic groups to hold huge celebrations for a child's first birthday. The parents will rent a hall and invite hundreds of people for the festivity.
These parties have huge potential for allowing your business to grow. So it's a suggestion to you out there that are interested to perhaps look into it. I just do my standard family show to entertain the audience and try to have at least one thing that will make the baby smile. Playing peek a boo with a giant muppet usually works! |
Jon Gallagher Veteran user Elmwood, Illinois 395 Posts |
My grandson is just over a year and I've been playing with him using magic since the time he was born.
What I find amazing is that even at a year old, if I do a French Drop, he'll follow the hand he's supposed to follow, but as soon as I open it to show it empty, his eyes dart immediately to my dirty hand. After all, logically, where ELSE could it be? |
Jewls Veteran user Michigan-USA 360 Posts |
That's why we have to clean that hand up! You always have to stay a step ahead with kids! they are smart little cookies.
Jewls
www.Jewlstheclown.com |
Vilago Loyal user 230 Posts |
I've done parties for one-year olds...as Chrystal mentioned, these are usually large parties for the families, and you get many people of an appropriate age who can enjoy your routines.
I always do a trick where I have the child (no matter what age) wave the wand...any age can do it (even an infant will jerk it around before they try to eat it!), and it makes the parents' hearts melt Dan |
Frank Tougas Inner circle Minneapolis, MN 1712 Posts |
The first year party is very special for certain ethnic groups, although the program is mainly for the family not the one year old.
Consider this. The first time you play "peek-a-boo" with an infant you have performed magic.
Frank Tougas The Twin Cities Most "Kid Experienced" Children's Performer :"Creating Positive Memories...One Smile at a Time"
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Emazdad Inner circle Plymouth UK 1954 Posts |
I've performed to pregnant women before, does that count?
Yours Funfully
Clive "Emazdad" Hemsley www.emazdad.com "Magic is a secret, without the secret there is no magic" Remember there are only 3 types of people in the world, those that can count and those that can't. |
Frank Tougas Inner circle Minneapolis, MN 1712 Posts |
Heavens No! Emazdad,
For gawd sakes man, think of what you are doing! We can't ever let that count because if it did we would all be stuck in an endless time loop. let me explain, if the pregnant woman's unborn child is younger than an infant, that means every female child we do a show for is a potential pregnat woman later in life. That puts us in the pre-pregnant stage, which means her mother, and her mother's mother and the mother before that!...yikes, it will loop all the way back to the premordal slime. Oh where is Dr. Who when you need him.
Frank Tougas The Twin Cities Most "Kid Experienced" Children's Performer :"Creating Positive Memories...One Smile at a Time"
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Dennis Michael. Regular user Denver, CO 103 Posts |
I just recently refused to do a gig for a daycare of just 2 year olds. I made sure by asking "just 2's?" She wanted something just for the 2 year olds. Ugh! And this woman runs a daycare? Shouldn't she know a little something about childhood development and that a group of 2 year has no concept of what it means to even be an audience. Give them jello and some music to listen to but don't try to hire me to come in and hold their attentions.
(anyone remember seeing a magic show when they were 2 yrs old?) Normally I'll do the gig if there are enough older kids, or adults. I couldn't think of a bigger waste of money for them or reputation for me. She did thank me for my candor.
I'm Back
Dennis Michael Denver Colorado |
Emazdad Inner circle Plymouth UK 1954 Posts |
When I get phone calls for parties for 3's and under the first thing I ask is are all the kids going to be around 3 or are the majority going to be older. If they say theres going to be a majority of over 4's I'll do it, if mot I reccomend they spend the money they'd pay me on a big present for him /her and give me a ring when they're 4. The customers are always gratefull for my honesty.
Hi Frank, I agree the space/time continuem would not be able to stand the magical shock and cause a possible fracture in the time loop. You could end up in a "Groundhog day" loop, and wiith the kids from hell as well.
Yours Funfully
Clive "Emazdad" Hemsley www.emazdad.com "Magic is a secret, without the secret there is no magic" Remember there are only 3 types of people in the world, those that can count and those that can't. |
Chrystal Inner circle Canada/France 1552 Posts |
Hi Dennis,
Just wanted to comment on what you said. I agree with you somewhat and at the same time disagree with you on some points. Hmm can I do both at the same time...? Okay here goes: I agree with you that at age two children don't really understand the concept of magic but it is possible to hold their attention for a 1/2 minimum at that age - although the entertainer has to be lively and the show had to have audience interaction and participation (babies on mom's laps)Both participating. There are literally thousands of Moms and Babies storytimes held at the library or Moms and Tots programs at Community Centers held all over the country. These are made popular by the entertainer introducing a lot of sing songs with the mom bouncing the baby on her knee...or clapping songs...silly props being introduced, that kind of thing. Music is great for this age too. Krumb mentioned vanishes..this age group will start to look for things that dissapeared so it is possible to use brightly colored silks and make them "dissapear " into a change bag...the coloring book works well with this age group. I agree with you somewhat that this age is extremely difficult to perform just a magic show. It wouldn't work but if the entertainer introduces other things..bright visual props, music, and lots of audience participation it can be done. |
drhackenbush Special user 686 Posts |
As I said in an above post, I specialize in the newborn-to-4 age range. I just finished doing a 2-year-old party 30 minutes ago, and most of the children were 2 or 3. They loved the D'Lites and bananas and peepers, and of course, I mainly did music. But the birthday child, who had initially been shy, kept giggling about the "fireflies" (I did D'Lite and she touched the light). This just happens to be my niche, and I don't mind at all if others won't touch it. I have never done any advertising in the almost 10 years I've been doing birthday parties, and as far as I'm concerned, what the client wants, I'm happy to give. Of course, I would not risk taking a gig if it was out of my realm of being able to give a good show - like many are saying, that is what can ruin your reputation. But if you are the person people automatically think of in your region for a specific type of show for a specific type of audience, then it doesn't matter what the details are, that's what you should go with. I was laid off from my conventional job 2 years ago, and have been doing my performing full-time ever since, as a home business. So do what you do best, and don't worry about what others do.
To clarify, when I just wrote "It doesn't matter what the details are", I meant if they kids are infants or perschoolers, it doesn't matter to me, that's all within my area of specialization. What I woudn't do, f'rinstance, is a program a religious preschool asked me to do a while ago, which was minister to the children. I have absolutely no backround in their religion, and felt that there was no way I could give them a program that would actually meet their needs, so I turned it down. I wasn't about to risk offending people because I didn't have any idea what I was talking about, and though I could've been real cliche-y and make nice soundbites like "Be nice to each other", the gig was way out of my league. |
Dennis Michael. Regular user Denver, CO 103 Posts |
Quote:
On 2003-10-04 12:26, Chrystal wrote: Of course you can do both (agree and disagree). Looking back at my post I guess I sounded a little agitated. I was just fresh off the phone with the woman and a just a little urqued by her persistance that "Mrs X" referred me and insisted that I was the one she needed. I appreciate the high regard that this referal had for me but I know my show better than she does. I also know that if I did the job I would be inundated with 2 yr old mom's calling me for their next party. Most parents of 2 yr olds don't want to pay my rates for their party. So it's a waste of my time and theirs. I am focusing on a different market. Had she said it was for the whole school... You betcha! But she made it very clear that it was just the 2 yr olds. In the end I did have her best intrests in mind. Looking back I also forgot to mention in my post that I tried to refer her to other entertainers who I thought would do a better job and make her event a better event for this age group...but she wasn't really interested. As a matter of fact she abruptly said she had to run and didn't have time to take down the information I was giving her. (a little rude if you ask me) I was trying to help her. One thing I have learned in my years working is that people sometimes have an idea in their own mind of what their event is supposed to look like. They say,"we want a magician." When you ask them to describe what they have in mind it is usually a over simplified explanation, wrapped in emotions and mental images...It is an idea that is based mostly in fantasy and not in what would make the event work best. I know if what I do is going to work for what they have in mind. I can adapt to a degree and I will try when possible to give and alternative solution (ie: a show for everyone at the school) If they don't let me do my job the best that I can, then I am already giving them less than what they are paying for. I appreciate your response to my post. I will try harder to make myself more clear in the future and to avoid projecting my own emotionalizing of a situation. Thanks, Dennis
I'm Back
Dennis Michael Denver Colorado |
drhackenbush Special user 686 Posts |
Dennis said, "Give them jello and some music..."
I've found that those little Pepperidge Farm crunchy goldfish are much easier to clean up from the rug. |
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