Ok so I have a question for you all... I got contacted by the daycare that I did two shows at over the summer, they want me back at the end of Nov. Now the thing is the woman in charge has no idea who will be attending so I can assume that many of the sames kids will be there. Now I have done two separate shows there and I don't know what to do for this time. Do I need a completely brand new show, can I do some of the same effects as last time?

Thanks for the help!

~Josh

(Right now I am coming up with some effects I could do if I need a brand new show and I have TP over the head, STS as an opener, 4Q by Magick Balay, Liquid Metal, and a routine with Rocky the Raccoon)

For repeats, I mix old and new. Always write down the top 2 hot tricks for that particular group then keep those, plus add a few new.

For LM, beware anyone getting ahold of your forks. They can easily stab each other/self in the eye and you'd get sued pretty hardcore.

IMHO of course.

Yeah I was def planning on using that with the older kids and keeping a close eye on them the whole time.

Well the top two effects they liked were the Vanishing Bandanna and D'lites... I could def do another D'lite routine, but I think the VB will not be as strong as last time since they know what will happen

You don't need a new show. If you want...maybe have one or two new things but more often than not, they will have forgotten the tricks you performed.

The reason they hired you again is because they liked your first show. You have probably gotten people who say, "hey show my friend that trick you did with the cards" and they want you to do the exact same trick. This is the same with the stage show.

Unless they tell you they want a new show you should never put one together in such a short amount of time.

Awesome... I was just a bit worried because since its a small school that the majority of the audience would know whats going on

i perform over a hundred (this year should be close to 200) daycare shows annually.

I have 6 completely different shows that I perform at different times of the year. Children WILL remember exactly what you did if it was only a couple months ago and you wont get as strong of a reaction. TP over the head will only work for older kids, if there are any younger children they will yell out that you threw it over the assistant’s head.

If you are an experienced children’s entertainer it would be easy to put together a new show. Since you are talking about the end of November I would suggest you make part of it holiday themed.

What are the ages of children in day care?

Thanks guys! I just heard back from the woman in charge and it will be a group of 15 kids, all who have seen me before. I think what I will do is just combine the groups into one show. I'm planning on doing

D'lites (that was a big hit so I can use different music this time) [1min]
Hippity Hop Rabbits [3.5min]
4Q [2min]
TP Over the Head [4min]
Invisible Deck[1.5min]
Miser's Dream[5min] - I did this at my last gig for them, but I have improved it since then so I may be able to get away with this one again)
Liquid Metal [3min]

Total Est Time - 20 min (not including interaction and jokes)

It's a mix of old and new. I did the ID for the older kids last time and the HHR for the younger ones. Since it will be one group, half of the audience would not have seen either one of those tricks.

Also if the kids of Silly Bandz, which I'm pretty sure I remember them wearing, I can also do some linking rubber band effects since it's a small audience.

What are your guys thoughts?

Hey Zenn! Congratulations on your success! This is something I've come to learn, and maybe I'll start to write more about it.

In life, we are practically salesmen.
We sell our looks, our pride, our art and our magic.
We are bound to get repeat customers, those many or few that love our product because of what it does for them.
Sure, after the first time, we can tweak it, change it, give it a new coat of paint, but in the end it's what still remains that counts.
They want you back because you gave them the notion that anything can be possible and that magic is real.
They want you back because you did not just give them "tricks".
You did not just give them a "show".
You gave them magic. You gave them belief. Beyond the illusions that we cast, and the tricks that we set, the real magic we create is within ourselves. It is in the hard work we put into our acts. You gave them the performance that made them see the world in our eyes. The real world where magic thrives, and imagination runs rampant.
This is what they're asking more of, this is what they want.
No matter what you do to your show, no matter how much you revamp it, change your routine or order of tricks.
Make sure you give them what they want most, and only you know what it is.

Good luck on your show, ^_^ I know you'll do great!

If you have ever baby sat a Kid before, you will notice that kids seem to love to watch the exact same movies over and over, despite knowing what will happen. This is because they were entertained the first time and want to be entertained again. Therefore, there is no real harm done doing the same show. HOWEVER, you should mix in a couple of new effects as well (by new I mean new to them but rehearsed by you).

When i first started I thought that i would need a brand new show when I did a repeat performance. So i remade an entirely new show. I spoke to the kids and they just kept asking about the tricks that I did last time.