How young is too young for a children's show.

I have a client interested in hiring me for a group of 4 year olds. Keep in mind I do Magic only. I'm not a clown, and don't do games etc. I'm thinking that the children are going to have an attention span of about 10 mins at that age, and would therefore not appreciate someone who has been hired to entertain them for any significant period of time.

Your thoughts?

That will be a tough sell. At 4 years old the kids may only relate to a very visible vanish or production and attention span would be minimal. I am not sure I would attempt a show for 4 year olds. Maybe Paddy has some insight on this??

I'm entertaining at a 3 year olds party early Febuary. I'm just goes around showing little groupe sof 3 year olds some very visual magic, and then making them balloon animals.

Have you ever heard of David Kaye ("Silly Billy")? (http://www.sillymagic.com/) I saw him at a convention a while back, and he taught on the "three ages of children" (Lecture notes, "Kids Show Kliff Notes", are available on his site for relatively cheap ...) He says it's OK to do shows for younger children (not really any younger than 3, though ...) For ages 3-6, he recommends being very silly, making them laugh (and laughing with them.) Slapstick/physical comedy is great. (On yourself, that is. Not on them ...) And if they like something, do it again. And again. And again. Familiarity is very important to them.

Keep the individual tricks relatively short, and keep the show to less than half an hour. Very visual and colorful things are also good ideas. And if you can make referenes to what they like (whether it's Sponge Bob or whatever), it adds a nice touch.

I've done parties for children as young as 3 (well, there was a mix of 3- and 4-year-olds, maybe one or two 5-year-olds there, too) and it went well.

Balloon animals are nice, but be careful that they don't put them in their mouths and/or choke on pieces of popped balloons.

Hope this helps some!

My day care, pre-K or kindergarden shows always include (among other things), a funny production from a Square Circle (rubber chicken, rubber fish, rubber shoe, sponge sausages, sponge bananas, etc.), a routine using a kid helper and Nesting Wands, Wiggly Wand (aka: Wascally Wand), Popper Wand, Break-Away Wand, Break-Away Fan and Rabbit Wand. I usually try to incorporate a colorful mylar spring flower prodction from a Silk Cone and of course the Magic Coloring Book (with Vanishing Crayons). Mouth Coils (from a kids ear) work well too.

I do parties for this age a lot. Don't just go into your show, first show them that you are fun and the show will be fun. Start out with some warm ups. I.E. have them shout out their names.
Tell them that you want to make sure that everybody is there so you are going to shout out "Who's all here!" and if you are here throw up your hands and shout me!
Then do it. Then tell them you want to make real sure so you are going to shout out "Who's not here yet!" and if you are NOT here throw up your hands and shout out me. Never fails..somebody is always not there. It gets them warmed up to you and shows that you are going to be fun.
Best thing have fun yourself, they can tell.. laugh and giggle with them and over exaggerate your movements..flapping your arms etc.
They can be fun.. good luck.

To young? Unborn is way to young. BUt seriously 3 is proablly the youngest b/c before then they dont have a memory that memorizes things.

I used the TT for a 3 year old at my mother in laws church a while back here eyes about popped out of her head so i walked away.Till this day she avoids me like the plague

2/3 year olds are OK in the right enviroment. Usually a day care or nursery, there they are used to sitting down in a kind of ordered fashion and the day care assistants will help with the control.
At house parties 3/4 is the minimum age I'd do.

With young kids they may be a bit wary at the start, I crouch down or take a couple of steps back myself, acting shy. As soon as you get them giggling you're off.

George