This is my story on performing for kids:

Performing for kids is fun. When they react to an effect, you feel good. When they laugh at your jokes and funny stage antics, you feel good. When you get a loud round of applause at the end of a show, you feel good. When you leave and go home after a successful kids show, you feel good. Performing for kids can really make you feel good.

But getting to the point of actually performing a great kids show is, well, as you often read around the Penguin forums, difficult, or more appropriately, alot of hard work. And TIME. Yes, alot of time.

I began performing kids shows back in may of 2001. My actual practice began in january of that year, about 4 months before the first show.

This first show (a couple of them back-to-back) were actually test shows, not paid shows. I managed to get the shows through relationships I had with people. I did no advertising at this point. The shows went fine, but there were a few problems such as trick visibility and some presentation. Some tricks were too small to be seen with over a hundred kids in attendance and I pretty much went from trick to trick w/o much presentation. The shows were still a little successful as they were short (15 minutes), but by the end, it was obvious I couldn't continue this way had the show been planned for half an hour or more.

And today, over 6 years later, I have JUST BEGUN to perform publicly about a year ago (with the exception of a couple of public shows previous to that year ago).

You see, it took me about 5 years to reach a level where I can perform in a public (advertised) venue. And even with that, I just recently declined a show that was to have over 1,000 people in attendance due to the lack of some stuff that would equip me with the proper things needed for a show that size. I'm hoping in the near future I can reach out into these larger shows, but I know my limitations (that alot of beginners with only weeks practice don't). Because I know my limitations, even after more than 6 years of practice, I still need to turn down shows. Why? Because 'success' is something that must be reached when you perform or else your magical career might get flushed down the drain. Plus, I don't want to ruin some event or at least be a low part of the event.

Performing for kids is fun and it doesn't have to be as long as it took me to reach the level I'm at now, but it does take TIME and EFFORT, the rewards most likely being very beneficial.

Sneak, I enjoyed reading your post. I agree with you. We must all realize our limitations. My daughter was recently offered a job. She was recommended by a City as she has done work for them in the past. So after we made initial contact and had gotten into the specifics of the gig we realized that they were not looking for the type of magician she is. She does either a stage show of does a stationary interactive show with kids. They were looking for a strolling sidewalk magician, which we know is its own field of magic in itself-- to the client, they don't know the difference. Being responsible, instead of just taking the gig and floundering through it, my daughter turned it down and we recommended some magicians that worked in that area.

We were very happy to learn they hired a great professional magician who is a friend of ours and will do an excellent job for them. He is highly qualified, the chairperson has actually seen him perform before, and yet through it all--- the chairperson wrote us and said she appreciated the help we offered and will keep our name for next year's event as our daughter comes highly recommended and she will check back to see if our daughter has added that type of magic to her repertoire.

It is never wrong to turn down something that is beyond your capabilities at the time--- in fact it is the BEST thing you can do for your reputation.

Kudos to you!

Thanks for your kind words, kristen.

It was great reading about your daughters 'professional' maturity in the show she turned down as well. Alot of people would just take shows regardless of whether they can perform for it or not as they would just believe that if they have a bunch of tricks, they can perform. There is so much more to it than that and each type of magic, whether kids or walk around, are different. The types of tricks you perform will often be different, your presentation would have to be different, etc.... Each type of show (magic) needs it's own study and work.

I suppose my post above would work for any type of magician, but it seems to be the norm here in the kid show section that many beginners think they can perform a professional kid show with just days or weeks of practice.

Like you, however, I do try to be positive (I believe my post above was) and would try to help anybody the best I can just as you have and still do. So, kudos to you as well!

Wow that was a great speach and I agree. I myself am a beginner and I like magic because it makes other kids happy. I was asked to perform a trick for a 5 year old and I did a simple trick (wonder bar) and it made me feel so happy because he kept telling me to do it over again. It was a great experiance!

Coolio, good essay.

You're a sales person, selling to a target market. You MUST research your target market BEFORE buying tricks, products, anything else. That means spending money on books, learning from other people before you dive into the kid's show arena and purchase tricks.

Or you can buy all the tricks like akirafist and make real sweet video reviews.