Hello!

I have been teaching a magic class to kids that are as young as 7 and as old as 12 for the past several years now, but I'm out of new ideas for tricks to teach them.

I have 3 different classes a week (two for 7, 8, and 9 year olds, and one for 10, 11, and 12 year olds) for 12 weeks, and I get a budget of $35 per child for materials for all 12 classes.

http://www.massapequaculturalarts.org/program.shtml

Look right above the picture of the chess players for my class.

I work with a local magic shop that gives me a good discount on the tricks since I buy about 30 or more of them at a time.

The kind of things that I've been teaching them are:

Ring on a spring
The magic coloring book
Penny and dime
Sponge square into sponge ball
Stoplight
Ratings pen
Mind control
Coin slide
Some things from Steve Dusheck's "Pocket magic act", which is stuff that he actually gives away for free

Those are basically the good ones that I repeat every year.

I know that this year, as in years past, I will be getting repeat kids that were really interested in magic, so I'm in desperate need of some new but inexpensive stuff to teach them. I also get rid of the things that do not go over too well, so I constantly look for new material anyway.

Anybody got any ideas for me?

Thank you very much in advance, Jack

Check out James Munton's "How to Teach a Birthday Magic Class." I think you can buy it directly from James Munton at www.magicsells.com.

There are so many options that it would be hard to mention them all. Get Mark Wilson's complete Course in Magic. It has tons of practical offerings. You could even get the instant author books from those that offer them. Check out http://www.prestomagicproducts.com as I believe this is the best of the instant author books and would be great for teaching a class. It also may be possible to set up an account with a wholesaler for ordering tricks. You should have little difficulty providing quality tricks for the materials budget you have.

Go to a pulic library and look through the kid's magic section. Lots of good stuff and it's usually geared to a certain age.

Noland, charlie and plink, I certainly do appreciate your advice!

Just so you know, I actually have been teaching this class for 7 or 8 years now, so I do have knowledge of a decent number of kids tricks.

I actually do have several children's books (most of them published many, many years ago!), and I find those tricks just not good enough for my kids for the most part. They are either too complicated, too silly, too much work for me (Several years ago I taught them a rope trick. I bought a spool of rope, and I had to spend about 6 hours cutting the rope and melting the ends together. I don't teach rope tricks anymore!), too easy to see through, too expensive to get the materials, etc, etc.

I'd rather spend money on something that comes straight out of a package than have to put it all together myself. While I enjoy teaching the class, I cannot spend too much time running around and putting things together. I don't get paid for that.

My magic dealer once recommended Lubor Fiedler's "Coin through latex". I thought it was a great idea, and I used it. Imagine my surprise when only about 5 or 6 out of 30 kids could do what was required to get the job done. Very disappointing to me and the kids! My magic dealer assured me that it was a trick for 8 year olds. Yes, they could do the performance part with no problem. They could not do the set up part. I don't teach that trick anymore, either.

A trick like the Penny and Dime always goes over REAL well. It's a Scotch and Soda for kids (as I'm sure you know), and I only spend $4 to buy it. The kids are amazed, and it's real easy to do. Same with the Magic Coloring Book. It also costs me $4. I can't get better mileage out of a trick than those two!

I will certainly research your recommendations, guys! Thanks a lot! But if anyone has any specific trick recommendations that normally retail for about $8 or less, please let me know!

Learn to teach tricks that can be done with common household items, rather than "magic shop" stuff. I taught magic camps for years, and our local magic club here is hosting a teach-in in October.

Styrofoam cups and pom poms make wonderful cheap sets of cups and balls. The pom poms themselves can be used for 2 in the hand, 1 in the pocket.

Pencils make nice wands. You can also do the rising pencil from a bottle, or do the rubber pencil illusion.

Fabric (pot holder) loops can be used for penetrations, jumping bands, etc.

Butcher twine can be used for 2 to 1 string (fake twisted ends).

There are plenty of two-person mind reading codes that require no props at all.

You can "catch" a ghost in a paper lunch sack.

Draw and print the magic boomerangs onto card stock and let the kids cut them out.

Show them how to make and perform Buddah Papers.

The Vanishing Queen (or whatever card you have) can be made by cutting a flap card and attaching with tape.

The objective is to show them that magic is possible with everyday stuff and on a very small budget. It also makes it possible for them to easily replace any lost or broken tricks.

Http://www.ezmagicrobbins.com/

I use three resources - I take the most relevant from each

(1) magic Trading Cards (Performers Print Shop) -12 tricks

(2) Mr Greggy self-printing book - 44 pages

(3) Tommy John's "How to conduct a one hour children's workshop for less than 25 cents per student" - 5 tricks including elastic bands and crayons

I steer clear of teaching items available from common magic sets, that way the kids have something as a next step to move on to. Keen ones always seem to get a magic set as a present at their next birthday due to theirvlow cost.

I tend to teach tricks using impromptu things first, then move on to dealer items later. But the age listed in most magic tricks usually refers to the reading standard of the instructions .... Nothing to do with magical skill nor dexterity.

Ditto what Noland said. James Munton's video has lots of great ideas for a magic class.

These are two of the tricks I taught to some first graders:
1) Afghan Bands

2) The 198 force as a prediction. Write the number 198 on a piece of paper and put in an envelope.
Then write the numbers 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 in a row on a chalk board or piece of poster board.
Example: 765
Reverse the digits and write the reversed number below the first one:
765
567
Subtract the smaller number from the larger number. You always get:
198
I use the 198 force in conjunction with a book test by first giving a picture dictionary to a child. Then when they arrive at 198 I ask them to open the picture dictionary to that page but so I can't see the page. I then gradually reveal some of the pictures on the page.

----- Sonny

Thank you all!

Unfortunately "How to teach a birthday magic class" is sold out. It looked like something I could use.

I taught the 1089 force a few years ago- it did not go over too well. The 198 force might be better since I can combine it with a book test. I was a little confused at first by it, but I get it now.

I will definitely research all of your recommendations.

Jack

At the homepage of www.ezmagicrobbins.com there is a button show me all tricks below 1 $. Lot`s of these tricks are really GREAT. Some not. Be prepared to buy some stuff you will not like.

Lots of magic tricks you can build together with your kids. This way you don´t use too much time at home and they learn how to make the trick.

1) The card trick with 4 kings, 4 queens, 4 Jacks and 4 Aces gets very good responses.
2) Two card monte, just glue four cards together.
3) Let the kids make some letters of Google disappear and reappear - click secretly on the homepage http://darkartsmedia.com/google.html and then put your hands over the letters.
4) paper to bill - they love it - 1-$-stores sometimes sell paper bills.
5) knot a ring on a rope - handkerchief above it - the ring comes free
6) Show an ace of diamond - push it through a deck of cards - the diamond in the middle is gone (use a rubber to delete the diamond - at the beginning you have two cards in your hand ...)
7) The trick David Copperfield performed: Everybody puts the thumbs down - right hand over left hand - later only you can turn your hands to the top.
8) Kids love the trick with the six number cards: Think of a number between 1-60, is your number on this card, ...

PM me if you need more material.

I would take out the Magic Coloring Book and Sponge Ball to Square. Magicians who make a living performing use this. Exposing and revealing Magic shop store bought tricks that Magicians use in their Shows to entertain Children is a bad idea. As previously stated, using common household items they can do tricks with is a Great idea. These can easily be replaced, can be found at dollar stores and are cheap. Also, I like the idea of making your own Magic from common items found around the house.

I'd like to give a shout out for the Buddha Papers! With a pack of inexpensive multicolored paper from Walmart, it's a fun and easy craft project. You can do a lot with Buddha Papers, such as transform coins, or make a name appear on a piece of blank paper.