About the sucker tricks, they really can add comedy and audience participation. I like using the die box with a routine.

Iam about to start doing kids shows. I do't have any gigs yet, but by July I plan to. I just ordered Vanishing Bandannna and Peanut Butter and Jelly Illusion last night. Here are the tricks I plan to use so far.

Dream Bag
Change Bag
Pro Van Cabinet
Sucker Die Box
Professor's Nightmare
Peanut Butter and Jelly Illusion
Vanishing Bandanna

I am also looking into getting Stratosphere. I am hoping to take up at least 45 minutes. I am going to block all of these out and see how long I can make them.

im gonna start getting into kids shows as well this summer. Here is what i got:

PB&J
Vanishing bandana
Strat o sphere
Square circle deception
TT vanishes
Enqual unequal ropes
*maybe* more rope stuff if learned in time
*maybe* dlites
Coloring book with vanishing crayons
Dishonest abe
Sponge ball routine
Multiplying rabbits
out of this world
coin sqeeze
buddha money mystery
ending with thank you silk/happy b-day silk.

I may throw in a change bag if i decide to buy one. If so, i'll do mismade thank you silk at the end. I also want to add appearing 8ft straw, but they are soooooo expensive.... I want to get at least a half an hour down by this summer.

If you want to have a kick [edited] routine you gotta find a theme for your show...lets say circus....then you put tricks in an order wich you will b able to connect them together

I like to start off with magic coloring book...I say: I went to the circus when I was a kid and I colored every thing I saw inside this book ( I show the blank pages )....oh no...well lets take our invisible pencil and lets draw....( then you ask them was is there in a circus...blablabla...they will say...clowns, elephants....I then riffle the pages to show all the pictures that " they " draw ) ....then I say alright...pull out colors from your shirts and throw them in the book....wait let me help you out....( I take out sum multi colored handkerchief and make em vanish....I then open the book to reveal the colors )

Then you keep on going with your best tricks you've got!

I'm really glad i'v read this, because i'm doing my first show in a week and I appear to have the right sort of tricks (for a 10 ywear old).
My routine consists of:

Big dice thru silk (i'm the only one i know hu has it, bought it second hand)
Good cups and balls routine ft appearing wand.
No tear kidz
Smiling assasin (real good one for kids)
multiplying golf balls
Unequal ropes
colouring book
a ring on string trick (not finger ring)
Sponge balls
Zombie ball
And then a do a finale with a change bag, a "the end" silk and a quick unexpected appearing cane.

Thats it i think.

It

Im not trying to be rude but you are a kid. You are a little young to be doing shows. How long have you been doing magic?
-Tyler

Squared Circle Deception is a very good trick for kids and adults. Do it to music and come up with some funny stuff to put in there (glasses with big nose that you try own, maybe chattering teeth, maybe even some candy, etc.). HTH

----
Best Regards,

WhoDeanie

Personally I dislike sucker tricks unless the croud is one that can joke around a little. Right now I plan to buy one or two sucker tricks for my upcoming show I am making. I have been planing and gathering for about six months and think I am on the right road. I have started to show my parents my tricks and have been adding extra twists on to all of the tricks I get. I believe I still need to buy some more things though. I also beleive in what Daiversion told us that people just love being made feeling like an idiot. I have a question. I am looking into about a 45 min. show and here is what I have so far.

1. PB&J trick (twisted to my own routine)
2. magic coloring book mixed with vanishing crayons
3. Appearing cane.
4.strat-O-Sphere.
5. Change Bag
6. HUGE color changing silks
7. A mini chick pan ( witch I am going to probably buy a duck pan)

Then I am hoping to get these things before I start my show.

1. Hippity How Rabbits
2. Genii Tube
3. 2 pck. mouth coils
4. Large duck pan
5. 10 large sheets of fLash paper
6. lota bowl small

and maybe a few things you guys sugjest. My moms friends have younger kids. the moms alwaysask if I can do a show at their kids party because they always see me practicing the tricks. I also think I will get fanaga but am not sure but it deals with harry potter so it looks good. I also am getting a toy for productions for the party boy/girl. Be glad to hear from you guys for sugjestions.

P.S I am also thinking of getting into ballon animals.

Could you post your routine for the PB&J Illusion in the PO forum?
-Tyler

I have an idea for part of a routine

...
- Blow up a borthday balloon, pop it and there's a bottle of pop inside it (It's a non-penguin trick)
- Pour the liquid into one of three cups and do a three cup monte routine using the super gel stuff
- Cups and Balls
- Sponge Balls
...

well, i personally don't do cups and balls on stage. i do it in close-up though... well, maybe some of u would like this idea:

instead of 3 lemons or something like that as jumbo loads, have 2 lemons, and 1 sponge ball. from there u can say like: oops... that wasn't suppose to be here, which always gets a huge laugh. then say: i don't care, i'll just work with it. get it for examination, and go into ur sponge ball routine...
that workes great for me.
here r my stage effects that i own right now:

a LONG silks routine with lots of talking-i know u usally don't wanna talk, but the kids go insane by this routine, it's a huge sucker effect, but the end just kills. the routine is about 4-5 min long.
magic coloring book-the silk routine ends with me holding a multicolored silk, i then take out the magic coloring book, show everything blank, then everything with drawings as i patter... i then give a shake to the multicolored silk, and it's not black! (it's called the "color chaning streamer") i then open the book and it's with the drawings now painted.
sponge balls-u can't go wrong with this one...
devil's canister-i think that's the right name for this trick... u borrow a ring/bill/any other small object, then u throw a match into the canister, and it now has flames coming out of it. u throw the borrow object into the flames, and u have instant posses of it and can produce it from anywhere u like. i usally use a borrowed bill to take out from a lemon, or if it's a kids show then a small ring or anything else i see a kid have... i really think penguin should sell this one, it's a killer, and the routineing of it is so fun to make up.
nest of boxes-another trick penguin doesn't have... i give a box to a member at the audiance when i start the show, after everyone sitted down and i explain to him to guard it with his life and don't let anyone see what's inside. after the devil's canister, i call him up on stage, and tell him to open each of the boxes. the audaince is amazed to find the borrwed onject in the last box!
i usally end my routine there, but if i still have more time i also do the invisible deck (bill malone's version).

that's usally my basic kids routine... it's not that expansive i think, i mean, in 2 shows that i did for kids i got my money back for all this stuff, it's great
hope u all like it, right now i wanna buy some other stuff, like the zombie, vanashing cane... stuff like that.

Tomer

Okay, here is some of the greatest advice that you will ever hear when it comes to doing kids shows.

1. Do not do card tricks. Too many kids are unfamiliar with cards to use them regardles of wether the kids sign them. This not only includes strait card tricks, but also ones where you find the cards in weird places.

2. Use props that will fuel the kid's emagination, like box tricks. The kids will want to know what is in the box, what the box does, and what the box is called. You can go on with saying anything before you go to your next trick if there is a box on the table to get the kids' attention.

3. Do not do tricks that kids can duplicate at home that are dangerous. I have seen magicians do card stab in front of little kids and made out nives to be cool

4. Use big props. no sponge rabbits, stick with props at least 2 inches wide. If the people cant see the props they can't see the magic.

5. Kids want to catch the magician mess up. So, start off with a sucker trick and the kids will think that you are the greatest magician in the world for recovering your mistakes.

Hope you take theese tips into consideration.

Good information. I am starting paid gigs and some kids shows in a few months. I am finishing getting my supplies and now it is practicing time. For older kids, starting at age 8?, you can do a find you card trick but i wouldnt reccomend that for stage. Also a good card trick for older kids is the Svengali deck. What tricks do you have in your routine John_Frawley?
-Tyler

I've found (when doing some tricks for my class as a treat) that they love the Audley Welsh aka Long Distance Spinner. It's very good for audience participation. If you're performing at a kids party or any event where you don't mind them getting excited and chasing the cards, do it.