My Magic Show: Results

[Dylan P.]

As some of you may know I performed 5 different shows today for third graders at my moms elementary school where she teaches. I went class to class until I had covered the entire third grade and the kids had to go home. Unfortunately my mother forgot to charge her camera and I have no pictures for you. My bad...

Anyway, I still will tell you how everything went.

I arived and the kids were thrilled to se me because I'm so cool because "I am the teachers son..." I'm not sure why that made such a big deal to them. Then before the show, during morning work, I entertained the children who were done their work by drawing cartoons. I am a cartooonist also and take classes at my school. I drew Mickey Mouse, Donal Duck, Goofy, Fred Flintstone, Spongebob, and Squidward.

Then I started the show. This was how the final setup of my effects came out...

Crossed
Wand From Wallet
Magic Bag (To produce Sponge Ball) (Own Routine)
Sponge Balls (Own Routine.)
Dissapearing Knot
Torn and Restored Rope
2 Card Monte
Ambitions Card (Own Routine.)
David Stone's: Ghost
ANGLE ZERO.

All together, with my patter and funy ways to get the kids involved, each show lasted approximately 30 minutes. The perfect time. Pretty much all of the classes were exactly the same. They had some laughs and great reactions. I wasn't heckled once. No one caught me on the tricks either and as we know little kids are your toughest audiance.

Anyway, I had fun. I am going back on December 17 to perform for 2nd graders, 1st graders, and kindergarteners. My show will be adapted for the first graders and kindergarteners. Any comments?

Dylan P.

 

[CaseyC]

Cool. I like the routine...sounds very engaging like you said. Must have been fun. Kids are usually fun to perform to.

 

[Cliff|Bumgardner]

You did 2 card monte, ACR, Ghost and Angle Zero for 3'rd graders?

...

If you pulled it off, congrats in the highest form. But wow those are some odd choices.


C

 

[Dylan P.]

You did 2 card monte, ACR, Ghost and Angle Zero for 3'rd graders?

...

If you pulled it off, congrats in the highest form. But wow those are some odd choices.


C

Third graders are a lot smarter than you may think and actually understand card tricks quite well. I simply changed the patter for the 2 card monte. Ghost was easy because they all thought I messed up big time then they got the kicker ending of a deck dissapearance. The ACR got them involved a lot. I had them snap and flip the top card over and it was cool. Angle zero was pretty sweet because the corner appeared in a HUGE envelope taped to the kids "mailboxes." Where they get their announcments and work back.

I picked them because those are some of my favorite effects and I thought the kids would like them. They did.

Dylan P.

 

[coastaldude]

Yeah definitely some odd choices but w/e works. Start charging and get dat "cheddar" as the youngins say. Anyway this is a great start if you ever want to go professionally, with my experience the younger crowd may not be the smartest but if you flash they are on you in an instant. Good luck with the next shows.

 

[Cliff|Bumgardner]

Third graders are a lot smarter than you may think and actually understand card tricks quite well. I simply changed the patter for the 2 card monte. Ghost was easy because they all thought I messed up big time then they got the kicker ending of a deck dissapearance. The ACR got them involved a lot. I had them snap and flip the top card over and it was cool. Angle zero was pretty sweet because the corner appeared in a HUGE envelope taped to the kids "mailboxes." Where they get their announcments and work back.

I picked them because those are some of my favorite effects and I thought the kids would like them. They did.

Dylan P.

Well, like I said then, congrats in the highest form.

 

[Morgan B]

Wow Dylan, I agree - odd choices...I would have loved to be in the room while you did the show, and see if your perception matched that of the crowd. When I was your age, I tried to do close up for kid shows...cups and balls...a few card effects - then I saw a talented kid's magician...and realized for that age, it is NOT about the magic.

Kid's magic is a different branch - the magic is simple (as in easy to understand), yet solid - but what I find about GREAT child entertainers is that they make the kids involved...really involved, not one at a time - but the entire group is screaming and laughing - a good kid's magicians brings things to a level that is fun and has a group dynamic - it plays on their strengths, not yours.

Two examples:

Pick a card - look I tore then end of it off - it disappears - and the ripped off piece (you never see) ends up somewhere else - so your closer, had someone pick a card. One person involved...hell, even if the entire group said stop at the same time - it really is a limiting form of involvment and energy level for a kid...let alone a group.

So compare it to this.

Magician states he needs to find his rabbit...just then, a rabbit peaks his head out of a box in the back...he is still looking for his rabbit - one or a few kids shout - it's over there...so the magician walks past it - where under the desk...(a bit louder)...no, over by the teacher...he looks under the teacher's chair...(now the kids are screaming bloody murder) - NO, RIGHT THERE...and they are all pointing and laughing, as this moron can't find the rabbit, which he does and thanks them for their help. Then he uses the rabbit for his next trick - where all the kids sceam a magic word...and are part of the fun....I could go on - but I share this, because it was ONE part of watching a show from a VERY good children entertainer.

I am sure some of the kids "got" your stuff Dylan - but I think people are surprised because the magic wasn't really about the kids...it was about you...the stuff YOU liked. They may have liked it, but what could have have done for them to LOVE it - for them to really be involved...rather than here...turn the top card over - your stuff played small for the most part - when it could have played big...it is impossible for two card monte (Eddie Fetcher's - Be honest, what is it) to play big - the attention is around one person and it plays small - it's CLOSE UP magic you are doing, NOT parlour/platform, which is what a classroom would really deserve.

If you are going to try to do more business as a children's entertainer, you should re-think your approach. It is a good way to get experience...and I am glad you felt they enjoyed it...but like I said in a previous post - Pro's worry about what they could have done better, amatuers gloat over their success.

I am concerned that you will lose your audience even more as the age decreases - as from my experience - you will notice a BIG diffence in one grade down...good luck.

Do you REALLY feel the show went perfect? What could have been better?

 

[Zeedub81]

I did a show for kids not too long ago. They were all saying, "can you make my hand disappear?, can you levitate?, can you make me disappear?, can you saw me in half?" lol
Did you get that too?

 

[Mat La Vore]

... as we know little kids are your toughest audiance.

Definitely agree those are some odd choices of effects to perform for third graders. I've spent A LOT of time working with that age group over the years, and I have to say, I wouldn't consider those to be the ideal effects for that age group.

Anyhow, glad to hear it went well.

I do have to add, though, that I disagree little kids are the toughest audience. Drunk and belligerent college students or stone-faced lawyers/doctors have little kids beaten by a longshot. Little kids are easy. False transfer, production from a kid's ear and they're happy. Really--that's the number one effect kids want to see and are impressed by from about 4th grade down. Do that, a bill change, and make something float and they'll think you're the greatest magician alive. Simple spongeball routines go over really well too. Also, kids are way easier to misdirect, and cover a screw up from. They're also A LOT more forgiving if you do mess up as they're quick to forget the mess up as soon as you show them something new.

Again, glad it went well, but you may want to consider some different effects next time. Especially if you're going to perform for first graders and kindergarteners.

 

[Cliff|Bumgardner]

stone-faced lawyers/doctors have little kids beaten by a longshot

It all personal opinion and style, but I adore performing for people like that. The more intelligent they are, the harder their mind tends to crash.

One example would be my uncle. He's a computer guru and insanely smart guy. To this day he still talks about my metal bending (arguably one of the simplest MO's in magic) and how it totally blew his mind.

I recently had a discussion with another magician about a similar subject, kids versus intelligent adults. The psychology there can be mind blowing.

C