I have a special education class show this Thursday. I had to take out some things from my show.

I will leave in the rabbit of course. Then I will take longer with my vent dummy. He only gets about a 2-3 minute opener for my birthday parties.

Wish I had the D'lites now:(

Most of my kid's shows are for 3 and 4 yr olds. I agree that 2 yr olds don't really understand magic, but 3 and 4 yr olds really do enjoy it. I let them believe that they're doing the magic and if they don't say the magic word, blow etc. things don't work.
If I perform for a playgroup I usually do about 30mins. but I have done a couple of shows for up to an hour and held their attention.

I start with introducing myself, but while I'm talking I'll act surprised and pull something out of a kid's ear. I'll reprimand the sponge ball/coin/etc. for coming out too early and ask another kid to hold it - it disappears. I'll keep on doing that with the props interrupting me for a while.
I then go on to the magic coloring book -I get them to draw pictures with their fingers on the book. I try and get around to each kid so they can have a turn. Then they throw colors at the book etc.
I do bloomin blossom - where I show them the flower, sneeze and the flower disappears. While I'm looking for the flower it keeps on appearing so the kids see it but I don't. Eventually I get a kid to make it appear using a magic wand - a couple of wands later...
I do comedy funnel and usually end the show with trying to make some sweets in a dove pan, but get a guinae pig in stead. We try again and the sweets appear.
Some other ideas:
I try to vanish a silk, but end up destrying the thing by accident - I use the wrong magic word. Then I produce a whole lot of silks while looking for a new silk.. and so on.
I think the key is to involve them as much as possible. At this age they can distinguish between colors and shapes so you can play around with that by getting it wrong and they correct you - I do that with squaring the circle and I go on for about 3 mins just changing it from a square to a circle and back again. I have found that this age group enjoys repitition - so you can milk an effect for all it's worth.
Personalising your props is also helpful - give them names. Giving a silk or a sponge ball a name can really make the routine come to life. I have a sponge that is a running gag through my show. He always pops up when I least expect him, and then I'll eventually let him do his magic show (the sponge routine I do). I've even had kids sending pictures for the sponge

Hope this helps

I do pre school shows all the time as a clown and I'm 6'6" tall and as long as you aren't too loud. and take it gently as children of this age aren't too sure about people dressed up in costume, you'll be ok, I keep things very colourful un-complicated and that seems to work well. They love slapstick like you twanging your finger with a balloon (Laughing at your misfortune)
good luck you'll be fine.

I did another pre school show today, they anted songs and actions I don’t do that so I did a couple of simple party games to music, the show was 1hr long I originally was going to do 20mins Songs 20mins Magic 20mins Balloons But the were too many kids to do that many balloons the woman originally said about 20 kids but their was more like 40. The show went pretty well, I was talking to my friend about my problem with the flower trick (bad show blues) and gave me some good pointers to make sure that doesn’t happen again and it hasn’t. (Touch wood). Apart from the kids shouting the magic word when not needed everything went well. Except the kid I picked hammered my dove pan with my brass tipped wand (ouch) it’s sort of dented!
I use the multiplying bananas trick were it turns to fruit it gets a great reaction, I ask who can count to ten we count to ten, the kids really love it, then when we count them back out their are three pieces of fruit and no banana’s, so I ask which animal do you think may of eaten them, expecting monkey as I go from that into my monkey routine, The kids shouted ME ME I eat banana’s!! That made me laugh.
Matt

Matt

Out of every 10 parties I book, I get at least 2-3 birthday parties that are for 3 years old, 2 years old, 1 year old and even 1 month!!!

For the young ones, I feel that only puppets can do the job.

Other than that, you just have to perform FOR THE ADULTS.

You see, parents will sit with their young kids and you can include 2-3 tricks that are meant for the adults. I even invit adults to come on stage to assist me in magic.

In that way, parents are entertained, kids are entertained with my puppets and everyone is happy.

And, the adults are the ones who pay you and book you for other shows, right? :>

Get Dan Garrets video kidshow konnivery it has great stuff for young kids.