I'm a long time-reader-almost-first-time-poster in these forums and I really want to do kid shows. I love working with kids and doing magic for them. I get great reactions from them. 1 problem: I haven't the slightest clue about how to get started. I've decided to take everyone's advice and buy one of David Ginn's books to start, but which one should I buy? There are a lot. Kid biz sounds good but I would like to know which one is the best and has the most useful information. Thanks!

kid biz is a very good books I would start with that one.

if you are looking for tricks to get to start out here are some great ones

-strat-o-sphere or joker tube
-a change bag
-magic coloring book
-build or buy a mirror box
-get some mouth coils
-sponge balls or 3d sponge bunnys
-tear and restore news paper
-zombie ball
-apearing candles or cane
-dancing cane
-hippity hop rabbits

Oh yeah, another thing, you mentioned zombie ball, and I've been trying to get that from penguin, but it seems that they NEVER have it in stock! I've been checking for over two weeks and the same message keeps coming up about them not having it. I'm thinking that it might have been discontinued or something, but I'm not sure. Do you know where else I could get it (for a good price)? Thanks for the book advice, though, I'll definitely buy Kidbiz.

That list is good but it could cost you a pretty penny! You do not have to go out and buy a bunch of props to have a successful kidshows. I own thousands of dollars worth of props now, but when I started kidshows, I made a lot of my own props!

Kid Biz is the best Ginn book you could buy in my opinion...and believe me...I have read many!

Zombie is a good STAGE effect...I would not reccomend it for use at a childrens birthday party...or any show where you will be level with the children or in their reach. Kids are curious...they will reach up and grab the cloth and try to jerk it away if you are not carefull...they will indeed sneak up on you and try this...it has happened to me a few times...

Now if you are doing a kidshow on stage...then by all means, Zombie is great...but like I said I would refrain from using it at a birthday show or any other similar show.

yes kyle is right the list I gave will cost you but those are some effects I own and love but I bought them during a two year period of planning my kid show when I was still to young to do one. In a living room show you could get away with only payin 20 dollars doing things like sponge balls. There are so many alternatives to large scale tricks. You could try buying two tricks from that list and then filling your show with comedy and simmple sponge routines and things like that.

as for zombie I don't actually own one to be honest I was thinking of buying it but I guess I wont add it to my birthday routine thanks for tellin me that kyle.

I actually bought a mirror box a while ago, but then I started to get into more close up magic and it went up on the shelf for a while. I guess it's time to start dusting it off and coming up with routines.

Now Kyle, you know as well as I do that if turned into a comedy routine where the ball is playing tricks on you and suck, the kids will stay seated and laugh. But yes, kids are curious, but I think they have some control.