10 Tips for Children's Magic (A Decalogue)

A few years ago, I read a decalogue about children's magic.

Worth framing.

Here's a summary.

What do you think?

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Treat them like kids, not fools.

Kids catch on to everything; treat them like people with different tastes and reactions than adults.

They're very demanding because of their spontaneity and critical thinking. If they don't like something, they'll let you know.

If they love it, they'll let you know that too.

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Offer each age group what they want.

Knowing a bit about child development stages is fundamental for truly connecting with them.

I'm not telling you anything new by saying a four-year-old is nothing like a twelve-year-old.

For example, eleven and twelve-year-olds love scary and mystery stories (which attracts six-year-olds very differently). You'll also find that eight and nine-year-olds love adventure, fantasy, and action.

It's highly probable you'll have different ages at a party, so design your show in a way that doesn't ignore anyone (because if they get bored, they'll let you know).

Give everyone something so they can enjoy the magic in their own way.

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Practice a ton and pay attention to every detail.

If a trick goes wrong and they catch you, they'll tell you without hesitation.

Don't take it personally; turn the situation around to gracefully recover however you can.

If you want to avoid that, you know, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

Practice, practice, and keep practicing.

Practice, and then some.

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Try to be original.

Doing the same tricks as other magicians isn't the problem.

The problem is doing them *exactly* the same way.

Invent your own patter, change the ending, add new elements, choose your own music, etc.

Prepare for the annoying phrase, 'I already know that trick' (which doesn't mean they know how it's done, but rather that they've seen it before and know what's going to happen).

If the 'element of surprise' vanishes, you'll get unenthusiastic reactions.

Put your spin on it, add your personality, don't just copy.

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If you cause a commotion, plan how to control it.

Sometimes excitement gets out of hand, and a tremendous uproar breaks out in the room.

That's not necessarily bad if you know how to redirect the show back to your planned course.

Learn about group dynamics; if you know any teachers, ask them—they know a lot about redirecting students' attention.

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Put away your props as you go.

When the magic is over, it's very common for them to approach you to say hello and share their excitement about what they've just experienced.

Make sure to collect all the gimmicks you've used so you don't compromise the secret and can focus on chatting with people.

This, which seems very simple, will probably require a certain amount of practice to figure out where and, most importantly, how you store each object. You don't want it to look like you're just putting things away for the sake of it. The cleanup should also become part of the show.

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Invest in props and training.

Investing in your continuous improvement as a magician will increase your chances of having more satisfying, better-executed performances with greater projection (it's likely they'll call you back).

The children's excitement and desire to have a good time are worth the effort of studying and expanding your knowledge.

Check out our Pack Magia para Niños (only until Sunday the 25th).

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Mind your image.

I don't think you need to dress like a stereotypical magician to put on a good show, just as you don't need to wear a costume to do magic. But we do need to be consistent with our work.

If we maintain a character, we'll need to pay attention to details regarding wardrobe, voice, movements...

If we want to be ourselves, we should strive to appear natural. However, that naturalness shouldn't lead to sloppiness.

Your image is the first thing people will notice. Even before you start speaking, your image will be introducing what's to come.

What do you want to convey?

Does your image align with that?

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Respect the rules of performing arts.

Address the entire room; look at everyone, not just a few.

Pay attention to your speech, diction, and manner of speaking.

If you need a microphone, learn how to use it first. A microphone is an incredibly useful tool, but it can be torture in the hands of an inexperienced person.

Economize your efforts on stage. Unnecessary movements add nothing; they tire you out and tire the audience.

If you're going to use lighting, get advice first: too much light or dimness forces the audience to strain, which will tire them out. And with kids, they'll let you know.

Design your show with an ascending level of wonder: kids should always feel that what's coming next is better than what they just saw. That's one of the fundamental keys to success.

Be respectful of your audience. You're there for them, and your work only makes sense with them.

Even if you're not getting paid to perform, act like a true professional. Remember that you also like to see worthy performances, not shoddy acts on stage.

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Only perform children's magic when you're truly ready for it.

I know that sometimes impatience, the satisfaction of someone trusting us, or the eagerness to prove we can do magic leads us to accept gigs we're not ready for. That's a mistake.

Don't commit to a performance without being certain you can do it well, without the guarantee that you're prepared and will achieve all your goals and the goals of those who trust you.