Well let me say this. My wife runs a home daycare business out of our house. On more than one ocassion I have done a card effect for my 3 year old son and a couple other 3-4 year olds. I have them select a card. I tell them to remember the color and shape ( it doesn't matter if they do or not). I put the deck to my forehead and try to picture their card in my head. Of course I fail to see it and when I remove the deck the card is stuck to my forehead!

This never, and I repeat, never has failed to have the kids roaring with laughter. I look up and down as if I don't know what they are laughing at. I carry on for 10 seconds or so before I pull it off my face. Whether they know it's their card or not doesn't matter. The presentation was such that it made them howl with laughter and that was the purpose of doing it, to get the kids laughing and having a good time.

Of course your standard pick a card and I will find it will bore them, as it would many adults. If presented right almost any magical effect will appeal to kids. You can have a blast with an AC routine if the patter is right. Naughty kid is sent to his/her room but everytime you turn around they are out again (top of deck)

Children can be a difficult crowd to entertain but if done right they can also be the most rewarding!

Gary

I like it [edited]!

[edited],
Yes you can make a toilet plunger funny if done right for kids. But if you choose to do card tricks over 'standard' tricks for kids it is a mistake.
"Certain" card tricks may keep their attention for alittle while but card tricks for kids is not a good idea.
Ask any kid performer who has traveled the Country making a living doing kid shows and they will tell you the same. I'll take their word over a high schooler with limited experience.(Kyle)
Although I agree with some of Kyle's comments and he seems to be head and shoulders above most 'Teenage' magician's on this site, I totally disagree with using cards for kids five to eight years old.

I understand what you are saying. I never meant to imply using card effects over "standard" kids effects. I was only giving an example of how a card effect can please even kids in the 3-4 range.

I have done several kids shows for various age groups and during a half hour to forty five minute performance I will do one card effect, maybe two...tops. Of course staples like magic coloring book, pb&j, TT silk vanishes etc, are the core of the performance, I don't think people who believe doing card effects for kids is a mistake, are doing themselves any favours.

Gary

Just because you can get away with doing a card trick for children, is not good enough reason to actually do it. I don't believe you can maximize the magical impact of your show by doing card tricks for young children. It is for that reason that I choose to peform other effects instead.

I believe that whenever you do a show, you have an obligation to provide maximum impact to your audience.

Get away with doing card tricks? LOL. I dont consider performing a card effect for kids and having them laugh and have fun getting away with it. Its all in the presentation my friend. I'll bet I could do a couple of card effects for young kids and they would get far more out of it entertainment wise, then someone who does a half [edited] PB&J Illusion. I didn't say overwhelm them with cards, but to say "don't do card tricks for young kids" is poor advice!

Once again, I'll take the advice of seasoned pro's who has done thousands of shows. I will not now or ever do a card trick during a kid show. It's your choice, if it works for you than do it -I'll stay away from it I think card tricks are boring myself, so maybe it's a personnal thing for me.

Well sluggo, I have nothing against you and don't want to start a argument. But from what I understand Kyle has learned a lot from David Ginn (a experienced kid worker). I was talking to David at a convention only last week and he told me you can perform anything for kids with the right presentation. David himself does card tricks for children, I am not trying to influence you to start doing card tricks for children. If you don't that is your preference.

Having said that I think it is wrong to tell someone not to do card tricks for children, if you don't that is you if someone else dose that is there choice. You can say I prefer not to do card tricks for children, but don't say don't do card tricks for children.

In the end of the day it is all about entertain with a bit of amazement. The main thing is having fun. If you can entertain children with cards and have fun with them. Then I don't see what the problem with cards is.

Michael,
You are right, that is why I said if it works for you then do it. Ginn is one of the people in one of his books I have that said card tricks aren't really for kids. Yes, cards can be done where it can be somewhat entertaining, but that is not the premier choice.
When I do a show I want each and every trick to get the maximium effect. With cards you really have to put a good spin on it for it to work and you may get a response.
It's a personnal choice for me, I think card tricks are boring with little excitement. Kids enjoy more visual effects if you know what I mean. Kyle appears to be very good at what he does, especially for someone as young as he is and I can see him performing for a living once he is out of school.
If you ask me what I think a kid would want to see- a card trick or a P&J, Square circle or a die box Schtick, I'd say they would rather the latter three. So why not give them what they rather see to the maximium.
I wouldn't base my show on several card tricks, I don't care how good you are with them.
I am giving my opinion to it. Opinion's are like bung holes...everyone has one..right or wrong.
The kid said that he is a card/coin guy I believe, I wouldn't bulid a kid show on that.
Thanks for your response Michael, I always respect your's.

Thank-you. That was all I was trying to get across. If you have a rule of never doing card effects for children that's great. The kids won't care as long as they are entertained. On the other side of that, you can't say that because I choose to do a card effect for kids, they are not getting the maximum entertainment out of the show. That is absolutely ridiculous. When I do a kids show I strive to make sure the kids are having a great time. This is what the kids want and this is what the parents are paying for.

If I choose to do a card effect for kids, believe me they will be
entertained. To think that a child would be more entertained by a non card effect is purely a subjective opinion. Every time I have done my goofy card to forehead the kids have gone nuts. They have laughed, hollared, pointed, nothing short of running up with excitement and pulling the card off my face. To me that's entertainment. The parents love to see the kids getting involved and having a good time.

If you have a rule that you don't do card effects for kids thats great. It just bugs me when people come on here and say that you should NOT do card tricks for kids because they are not as entertaining as other standard effects. If you think that maybe you should come to one of my kids shows!

Gary

[edited],
Like I said, it's My opinion, right or wrong. That is what's good about discussion, you can get several different out looks from different people.
It's my own personnal dislike for card tricks, I just think they're boring.
Doesn't mean they are to everyone, but they are to me.
The person who started this post said that he is an amateur card magicican, now if that is all he knows and tries to do card tricks for kids as a show I think that will be a tough sell.
Me, I'll never do even one.
Neither would I ever suggest any.
How many card tricks would you try at a kids show??

Well, I guess to each his own. I am an avid follower of guys like David Kaye, who have made very successful careers in childrens performing. For the 3-4 year old age group, you will never find guys like that performing standard card tricks.

By the way, David Ginn is coming to Calgary, Alberta at the end of May. I've seen many of his lectures and I've known him for years. I'll ask him if he ever performs standard card tricks for 3-4 year olds.

Card tricks for very young kids would certainly seem to be the road less travelled. But, over the years, I've learnt that sometimes the road less travelled is less travelled for a reason.

As for card tricks and very young kids, I understand what that reason is, and I accept it. If performers in my area want to do card tricks for very young kids, all the more power to them. I'll be happy to pick up all of the repeat bookings they don't get.

On a few occassions I've actually had parents ask me if I do "real" magic and not card tricks while booking them over the phone.
I will never understand how anyone can argue that card tricks are for kids.

Yes discussion is good. You will never see the people you mentioned above doing standard card tricks for kids and guess what....you wont find me doing them either. Read through my posts again. I never said I was doing standard card effects for kids. One card to forehead is not a standard card trick. It is a way to make myself look goofy and the kids love it! Again read my post. I HAVE done this trick to kids in my wife's daycare (3-4 year old range) and they thought it was hilarious. I was just making a point that children in that age bracket can get much enjoyment out of a card trick if presented effectively. If you base your kids show on cards or coins you are setting yourself up to fail, no arguement here.

If I were to do a kids show for 3-4 year olds I may not do this effect. I was just pointing out it can be done and can be very effective. As for the 5-10 year olds. I will do the card to forehead everytime. EVERY time I have done this it has received great reactions from all the kids.

As for repeat bookings...thats funny. I had no idea that doing ONE card effect that gets the kids laughing and involved in the show would jeopardize a future booking from the same people. I guess you learn something new every day!

Gary

I have to say I agree with you on that one, I got away from the point that he is a amateur card magician. I would not recommend a amateur card magician to do card tricks for kids.

The basic point I was trying to make is; if you entertain, have fun, and the kids enjoy you and what you are doing that is all that matters. Whiter it be a card or match box trick once the right presentation is put into a trick it will work.


Yes that is a good idea, ask him. But 3-4 year olds? where did you get that age from, it certainly wasn't me. And as for standerd card tricks they would not work for kids, I said if you put the right PRESENTATION into a trick it will work. Obviously a standerd card trick wouldn't work for kids, you need to put a fun easy to follow twist on them.