Kids 8 and up can indeed put on the world’s greatest magic show by following the easy instructions with photographs, adding a little practice and assembling their audience. My 11 year-old friend loved tricking me with Card games, a Spiked Coin and Pins, Money Cups, Linking Rings, Tapered Cards and a Houdini Coin Box to name a few. I left him alone with the box of 415 tricks and came back to his having mastered several for our show, using my table napkins for his handkerchief! Having been in a magic company that performed in high school, I’ve always had a special interest in magic tricks. It was fun to see him perform some staples as well as ones I didn’t know. Putting on a magic show exercises language skills as kids carry on a conversation related to the trick, trying to distract the viewer as they do a little slight of hand. Describing, comparing and tapping social language skills, kids gain confidence as they perform in front of an audience. “This is a really good one to fool your brain,” my magician said. “This is an optical illusion, the one on the right looks bigger.” This kit provides hours of entertainment and learning as my little friend didn’t want to go home!
Available at Thames and Kosmos. Click here
