Hi all,

I'm trying to work on a kids show routine. I have had many ideas and I wanted help structuring them into something useful. I am not going to say "I bought a folding coin and a D'lite and I booked myself a show!" As I have not booked a show and I am not so stupid as to think I can structure a kids routine like that.

I guess I should list some ideas that I have had...

I was thinking a comic levitation, like I put a breathmint on the table and say I will float it into my mouth. Then it won't and I turn around to sulk while behind me, the mint is floating, the kids will scream and laugh and I will turn around and it will fall back down. I will repeat until I "notice" it and float it into my mouth (Using a hookup I invented, controlled by my foot ).

I had the idea that after that I explain that it was a magic mint and to watch, I would plant a mouth coil and pull out the streamers. I was also thinking of another use for mouth coils, perhaps "pulling" some streamers out of a kid's ear?

A mirror box was also on my list of ideas. Perhaps pulling a "magic wizard's hat" from it, then whenever I use volunteers, having them wear the hat, saying it gives them magic powers.

I was also thinking of a comic version of the coin in your ear trick. Perhaps I give a kid an envelope and some coins and ask him to put them in the envelope. Then they vanish and I tell him they are in his ear, I "look" in his ear, but can't find them. Then all of a sudden, all of the coins start pouring out of my ear in a stream (I can do this! I invented a gimmick!). I catch them and give them to the kids as souvenirs.

My rope routine: Cut and restored. I do it right, I then say I will do it again, I cut the rope and get a volunteer (Ask them to wear the hat?) and tell them to "magic" them back together. Of course they can't, so I tie the two pieces of rope into loops and do something I invented recently, a linking rings routine with rope (I call it linking strings ). For the final unlink, I will get the volunteer in the hat (still standing there) to hold them. Then have them open their hands to reveal the unlinked ropes.

I was thinking maybe a sponge ball routine with lots of kids involved.

I have many more ideas, but this is a long post, so if anyone can comment on these first, that would be great!

-om3ga

I have saw many people on these forums looking for advice, but of all the people you seem most interested and sound as if you want to go somewhere with magic kid shows.

I think some of your ideas are great and you should keep thinking. If you want to go somewhere with this as a career then I highly recommend getting a book from David Ginn. Most of the kid show magicians out there have started of from one of David's books, so do yourself a world of good and invest a little money into one of his books. If you want to do a little research on him first browse on Google!

www.ginnmagic.com

You sound like a good candidate for Wizard Magic. The popularity of the Harry Potter books New one coming out this month!) and movies (new one coming out in November!) means the kiddies are definitely interested in the appeal of this type of magic. You'll find many good ideas on my site in The Wizards' Journal (Google for it) and also in Jim Gerrish's Kid Magic series.

The Wizard approach makes a good central theme and allows you to get away with wearing robes with long (and magically useful) sleeves. You don't have to be an old man with a beard, thanks to Harry Potter and the gang at Hogwarts. Anyway, give it some thought. Good luck on the beginning of a lifelong career in magic.

Om3ga,
I like the way you think! The mint skit is very good, kids love the magician in trouble syndrone.
Write out your entire skit word for word, you don't have to follow it like that but you have a show in format and from there you can make your changes and adjustments.
Your show should have an intro, instuctions on how you choose your helpers (rules) a warm up, intro of the birthday child and by this time you should have the kids ready to leap off a cliff for you.
You have a really good imagination which will help you. The site Michael gave you has lots of kid show ideas. Check out Steve Taylor's site as he has many kid show ideas available as well. Read, study lots of ways others have made a living at and you will pick up good ideas that have worked for others. Change them to fit your personality and show and you are on your way.
Good job!

Thanks for your help everyone, I am writing a routine right now and it is going well, the great thing is that I'm only using my own tricks, so I'm not going to be influenced by other people's patters.

Thanks!

-om3ga