how do you open a kids show but more importantly how do you avoid the awkard silence and leave the kids cheering and make your exit. my best closer effect is probaly snowstorm. any suggestions would be appriciated.

My daughter opens her show by walking up and telling the kids that "we're going to make some big beautiful magic today, with" ....... and using a large silk she shows it both sides and then makes a large bouquet of flowers appear. Then she just continues on with her show.

I like kristenl's daughters (above post) opening with a large flower production from a silk as it is very visual, quick, and a great hook to get your audience interested in you.

To close, go back to kristenl's post. End with a great visual trick to leave the kids breathless.... and remembering you. If the kids are a bit older, for example, I often end with making something disappear like a deck of cards. You know, 'no more cards, no more tricks....'

My daughter actually has a false ending, and then a FINAL ending. That statement doesn't really make sense, so I will explain.

My daughter finishes her routine and then gives this nice little wrap up with thanking everyone, etc., and then she says, "but before we go, I need the birthday girl/boy to come on up one more time!" Then she does a cute little routine where she says, "forget Build-a-Bear, today we're going to Build-a-Bunny! What show would be complete without a magic rabbit? She then has the child place a felt cut-out of a rabbit in a rabbit pan, along with a big red heart, some stuffing, and some "magic" dust -- she covers it, and a stuffed bunny appears for the child to keep.

It really is cute! And, the child is left with something special to remember my daughter by. Of course, there is also a little business card tied around the neck with a satin ribbon.

Then my daughter interacts with the kids for a few minutes and hands out her "give-aways" with her card attached. Works very well for her.

kristnel, that sounds really cool but i have a question. How much does all of these giveaways cost??

I do vanishing bandanna and a mouth coil at every show, plus i give a little magic set to the birthday girl/boy. All together each show costs me about $3 plus gas.

Ben Winter

Her giveaways do not cost much at all. LOL -- I am the "crazy woman" that pushes around a shopping cart after Easter packed filled with bunnies! You can pick up rabbits extremely reasonable at this time of the year -- you just have to have a place to properly store them.

The giveways for the other children are very inexpensive, but is a little keepsake with her business card and the theme of it matches the theme of her show.

(i dont do kids show but i work with a a proffesional magician who does kids shows sometimes)
start with the multiplying sponge balls, but make a big deal out of it and do it with music etc.
and close with a vanishing cage with a dove in it

what are the give aways for the other people.

Just something that ties in with the theme of her show. No biggie!

can u give me an idea please

Flight2, I purposely didn't tell you what she gives out -- please understand -- not to be unhelpful, but to get you thinking.

Look at your act. See what is it in that might reflect you and how someone might associate something with you that you hand out.

My daughter spent a lot of time thinking about hers and developing her marketing strategies and giveaways. We debated different things and she finally made her decision on what to do. I don't feel right about giving away her information without permision -- and again -- I don't think you would find it helpful. It is something that reflects her character and I highly doubt it would be something you would utilize. I can tell you that her giveaways average about .15 cents each, which she hands out to each child.

Think of this as a "challenge" or "magic homework". See what you can come up with. If you want, I will always listen to your ideas and give you feedback if you PM me. It just has to be something that reflects you and your show so that it is memorable and the kids will want to keep it.

I'm out of the kid show business now, but back in the day (last year) when I used to do them, I would actually open up with a very stunning (gimmicked) vanishing coin.

I then say to the kids that it looked like "real" magic, but we all know that it wasn't real, but we've all got really good imaginations, so for the next few minutes let's pretend that it IS real magic, and every time you see something that looks like real magic, clap your hands. Then during the act if they don't clap, I'll say something like, "that looked like magic to me..." Then they usually applaud.

Right after the opening coin trick, I ask them if they know a magic word. "On the count of three, yell out your favorite magic word." Of course someone always says "abracadabra," so I always pretend that I misheard them and that I thought someone said, "Have a banana." Then I do multiplying bananas.

At the end I make the bananas disappear, and I tell them, "on the count of three, say the magic word." Then I count to three, and I yell out "have a banana." Some of the kids will be smart enough to catch on and say "have a banana." Others will just say whatever. Anyway, for the rest of the show, that's the magic word I use. By the way, I got the magic word gag from a friend of mine ([edited] Roy) who probably got it from someone else.

Anyway, hope this helps.

Jeff Stone

I forgot to post my closer...

I just use a dove pan and produce a pan full of candy. Then I toss the candy out over the kids. I always have a back up bag in case some of the kids don't get any. I tell the parents that they can come up and get some more candy if they'd like. I also encourage the parents to come up and get a flier.

In the opening, I tell the kids that if they're good and clap a lot that I'll give them candy at the end.

Jeff Stone