Kidsmagic

There's nothing more puzzling than a magic trick performed with everyday objects. Here we see a pencil melt through a borrowed banknote. This same effect was featured by David Copperfield in one of his television specials. A pencil is seen to visibly penetrate a borrowed banknote, in two unbelievable demonstrations. Remarkably, both banknote and pencil can be examined by the audience.

Predictions are a fascination. When a magician makes a prediction, we know there's a trick but it's not always easy to discover. Here's a demonstration of a prediction, with an unexpected ending. A card freely chosen by the audience, matches exactly the magician's prediction. As a bonus, it is disclosed that every other card not chosen, is faceless.

Sometimes a magician will use an element of danger to impress an audience. In this presentation, a large, solid nail is shown. The magician wraps a tissue around his/her index finger, and proceeds to push the nail through the tissue-wrapped finger. The occurrence can be viewed from all angles, before the nail is removed and passed for inspection.

Appearances and disappearances are fairly commonplace in the magic arena. This video depicts a simple example, that has becomes very popular among the younger members of the magic fraternity. A token, covered by a stack of rings and a disc, strangely disappears. The stack is re-assembled and, following the magician’s command, the token re-appears once again. This is an example of a very ancient magical principle made easy for beginners and young devotees.

Don't you just love a magic trick that happens right in front of your eyes, with no logical answer? If so, I think you'll enjoy the video presented here. A pack of playing cards is displayed, and one card drawn from the pack. The magician explains that to take out all the cards is too much like hard work. Bringing both hands together, he/she ‘melts’ the pack away, leaving only the cards to be spread across the table. The card magic may then proceed. This is an ideal method of introducing a deck of cards, ready for more card magic to come.

There are, of course, many card tricks available for our enjoyment. Most involve the traditional playing cards of the four-suit variety. In the video presented here, I've chosen to use picture cards - particularly appealing to the younger followers of magic. Four green rabbits and four red rabbits are displayed in their two groups. The mysteriously mingle together in a magical way, now being found in the order of Red, Green, Red, Green, etc. Just as oddly, they re-form into their original groups of all-Red and all-Green. All of this happens with a minimum of movement from the magician's hands.

Here's an exhibition that will appeal to those intrigued by the world of spirit phenomena. If not, then simply attempt to solve the riddle it poses. A member of the audience is given a free choice in their selection of a playing card. The magician then introduces another card, this time depicting a small writing slate. By simply holding this card against the side of a tea-cup, the value and suit of the chosen card mysteriously appears on the slate. Just as strangely, the message fades from view, leaving the slate empty once again. Was it an illusion?

Card tricks can, I believe, become rather boring. So I like to present videos that get away from the "Choose a card - Lose a card - Find a card" category. I think you'll find this one a little more interesting. Sixteen cards are dealt into four piles of four. Each pile contains one court card and three 'pip' cards. ne by one, the piles are examined, to find that the court card in each of the first three piles have disappeared, and have been replaced by a pip card. On examining the remaining fourth pile, it is seen that it contains all four court cards.

The most famous magician, Houdini, excelled at performing amazing escapes. In the same vein, this vide depicts a playing card being constrained in a seemingly inescapable manner. Ignoring all the principles that should apply, the card does in fact escape from its captivity, to be found free of any restriction.

Don't you just love a magic trick that is instant and seamless? Here is a display involving feather flowers that never leave the gaze of the audience. A stem of flowers is shown, with three red flowers adorning the bottom half and three green on the top half.With a pass of the hand, the flowers change colour to show that they now alternate - every second flower is red, every other is green. Just as smartly, the magician causes the order to revert to the original assortment, leaving the audience to ponder.

We've all witnessed a magic trick where a chosen card disappears from the deck. Here's one with a difference. The magician freely displays a deck of cards encased in its packet. One card is shown and placed in with the rest. The packet is now slid into a plastic case, and on the magician's command the whole DECK of cards disappears! The card displayed earlier is found elsewhere.

How many times do we look at the clock and wish it was a different time? Here is shown a magic trick that reverses the management of time. A painted clock-face will display any chosen time that the spectators nominate. Whether they choose 3:00 o'clock, 7:00 o'clock or any number between 1:00 and 12:00, the magician is able to show that time on the clock-face. Every move is slow and deliberate, with no difficult movements required. The hand of the clock is painted on, and yet with every showing, the time is different.

Wouldn't it be wonderful if we were able to produce something from nothing? In this video, I'm demonstrating an exercise in fantasy, to represent our longing to materalise the things we desire. Two handsome flower boxes are produced from a paper bag, previously shown to be empty. Other items are also attained, as the magician desires. The paper bag can then be inspected by the audience.

The simplicity of using only three playing cards instead of a complete deck is, I believe, quite appealing. I hope you enjoy the accompanying video, designed for viewing pleasure. It is a variation on a very old magic trick used by con-men called the "Three Card Monte", and even older as the "Shells and Pea". Three cards are placed face down on the table. The magician shifts them around, and a spectator is invited to choose the Ace. No matter how closely the spectator watches, he/she is wrong. This is repeated a couple of times, and every time the spectator chooses the wrong card.

A magic trick with a twist at the end is always met with audience acceptance. The video shown opposite is of such classification. The audience freely chooses 3 suits from the 4 available in a deck of cards. From the 4 cards in the magician's hat, the three chosen suits are removed one by one. The one remaining card is then drawn out, and amazingly it appears as completely BLANK! It may be examined closely by any of the audience.

Almost a demonstration in quantum physics, here's a magic video suggesting that two solid objects can occupy the same space. The magician causes a drinking straw to penetrate a solid plastic disc. The straw is then withdrawn, and both items are offered for examination.

This video showcases a magic trick that has been around for a good 20 years, probably longer. Although it has been performed extensively by professional magicians, it has also been made available in a smaller version for children to handle. A colouring book is shown to have all blank pages. Suddenly, there is a black and white drawing on each page. The magician then proceeds to bring colour to the drawings, decorating them in a bright array of many shades.

Magic tricks often consist of an object escaping from captivity. Let's reverse that trend with an illustration of a break-in. A coin is freely shown to the audience, and placed in a small tray. A glass tumbler is then inverted and placed over the coin. At this point, a second coin is now displayed and at the appropriate time, the magician causes this second coin to pass through the bottom of the glass tumbler. The tumbler is removed, and sure enough, the second coin has joined the first, both on the tray.

Money from nowhere - if only. While you watch this video, join me in the fantasy of having a never-ending supply of loose change. A plastic paddle is shown both sides. At the magician's command, a coin appears sitting on the paddle. This can be repeated as often as required, resulting in a veritable windfall. Coins can also be made to disappear, re-appear or even change in value.

Poker chips are synonymous with gambling, casinos and cheating. The video exhibits a good dose of cheating, using poker chips as a focus. There are three poker chips - two red and one black. Time and again, the magician causes the black chip to vanish. Each time it re-appears between the two red chips. Finally, the two red chips are taken, leaving the black one alone. It promptly disappears.

Remember "Pass the Parcel" at your 6th. birthday party? I've provided a video of a magic trick based on the same theme. I've recently observed the same effect presented on television, so it still has legs it seems. A packet comprising a nest of papers is shown to be empty, before being folded into a bundle. However on unfolding the papers, just like at your 6th. birthday party, a lovely surprise is discovered.

Reminding one of the Russian Babushka Nesting Dolls, here is a video of what you could call a Chinese equivalent. A coin is marked for future recognition, and placed under a cover. The magician reaches under a hankerchief and withdraws a red Chinese pill-box. Inside this pill-box is another, and another, and another. When the last pill-box is opened, the marked coin is found inside. The coin is, of course, missing from under the cover where it was originally placed. All items can be minutely examined by the audience.

This is a favourite, not only of mine, but of many young magicians I've come to know. A great number of magicians want to learn of a card trick with a difference. I believe this one ticks all the boxes. A card box is opened out to show that it's completely empty. It is now folded back into the shape of a pack of cards. The magician makes a magic motion, and immediately pours a full deck of cards from the empty box. The deck, being completely normal, can now be used for traditional applications.

Ever had a favoured item destroyed and wished it could be restored? Normally, the only remedy is to purchase a similar one. This trick would be handy in such a situation. A giant card poster is seen to be in pieces. The magician causes the pieces to magically restore into a full, undamaged poster with no visible damage whatsoever.

Escape tricks are always a fascination for many people. The video is of a card trick that utilizes 'Escape' as a pertinent method to entertain an audience. A group of cards, each with a hole punched in them, are threaded onto a genuine padlock. One of the middle cards is raised above the others before the padlock is closed. An audience member can retain the key. The free card is now pushed down to become flush with the others, and when inspected, is seen to be also threaded on the locked padlock. All cards now require the key before they can be released.