Mastering Magic with Kids: Turning Dread into Delight
It’s easy to feel a sense of dread when you see a child at a table. Kids can be boisterous, express their sincere opinions freely, or just be difficult to entertain. However, instead of dreading this situation, use it to your advantage. An audience will be on your side once they’ve seen you make a child happy.
A Happy Child Equals Happy Parents!
Depending on the age of the child, there are many strategies you can employ to maximize this opportunity. Here are a few effective techniques:
- Make Them the Star: Invite the child to stand next to you and participate in a routine. Show them the magic and then give them the praise, ensuring a much bigger round of applause for both of you. This also enhances your reputation as the good guy.
- Balloon Animals: If you have any balloon modeling skills, a simple balloon animal makes an amazing prize for younger children. It’s a surefire way to win their hearts.
- Magic Wand Trick: During a card routine, you can hand a pen to a child and ask them to use it as a wand. The joy on their face as they wave the wand to help your effect is priceless to their friends and relatives.
- Appearing Sweets or Lollipops: Use flash paper to make sweets or lollipops appear. This adds an extra element of surprise and delight.
- Spinning Plates: If you have space in your suitcase, a few spinning plates can be a fantastic distraction and also look impressive from a distance. People will notice you entertaining the kids before coming to their table, building anticipation and excitement.
- Engage Older Kids: Older kids can sometimes try to ruin your tricks, but you can win them over by showing them a simple trick they can perform themselves. The jumping elastic band trick is ideal. Encourage them to circulate the table, showing off their new talent. This not only keeps them engaged but also prevents them from following you around.
- Managing Persistent Followers: If you find kids are following you from table to table and their parents won't do anything to help, it can be challenging. Since it's not your place to tell the child to sit back down with their parents, one technique is to say to the child, "If you are coming around, please don't tell anybody how the magic works." This often makes them feel special and responsible, reducing the chances they’ll give away any secrets.
Additional ideas:
- Ask them to be your body guard!
- Ask them to hold something for you until the end!
Looking for material for kids? We have an article with 10 essential routines, just CLICK HERE TO READ!
By turning potential challenges into opportunities, you can create a memorable experience for both the children and their parents, enhancing your performance and building a loyal fan base. Embrace the presence of children at your shows, and you’ll find that their joy and enthusiasm can be infectious, making your magic even more magical.
