With so many different magical books and movies circulating
in the world of children today, it is almost guaranteed that your little ones
will want to become little wizards and witches of their own. But while they may
never be able to cast spells or ride dragons, you can still keep this dream
alive by teaching them a bit of sleight of hand. If your children love magic, try
teaching them these ten easy magic tricks to dazzle their family and friends.
1. The Rubber Pencil
This easy magic trick is truly just an optical illusion, but
will endless entertainment for the little ones. Have your child hold a pencil
at the very end, and loosely shake it up and down, using their wrist for
motion. The pencil will look as if it is starting to wiggle!
2. Quarter in the Ear
This tried-and-true easy magic trick is a timeless favorite.
Grab a quarter, hide it in your hand, and claim that you see something shiny
behind your child’s ear. Quickly reach back and act as if you grabbed the coin
– if you do it fast enough they will believe their hiding money behind their
head!
3. Touch of Magic
Grab a pie tin, fill it partially with water, and place four
toothpicks inside in a square. Then, take a separate toothpick, dip it slightly
in detergent, and insert it into the water. The soap will make the other four
separate using an “invisible force.”
4. Two Fingers – Four
Fingers
For this fun and easy magic trick, hold up two fingers in
both hands. Hit them together, while simultaneously holding up four in one hand
and zero in the other. It will look like the fingers jumped hands.
5. Rabbit in the Hat
Take a top hat, sew on a removable black felt flap in the
bottom, and put a stuffed rabbit beneath it. Cover the rabbit with the flap, have
your child show the empty hat to the audience, and let them wow everyone by pulling
out their furry friend.
6. Mind Reader
Even if your child isn’t a psychic, they can cast the
illusion of reading a mind by preparing an assistant beforehand, and having
them cooperate throughout the whole show.
7. Move Metal with
Magic
This is a fairly simple magic trick that only requires a
small magnet, a Styrofoam plate, and a paper clip. Place the paper clip on top
of the plate and have your child put the magnet in their hand beneath the
plate. As they move their hand around, the paper clip will mysteriously move as
well.
8. Roll the Bills
Take a one dollar bill and five dollar bill, place them
perpendicular to one another (with the one dollar bill overlapping the corner
of the other), and begin rolling from the corner of the “V” shape. Once you
roll them completely, the bill that was originally on top will have traded
places, and as you unroll them it will seem as if the bills “magically”
switched spots.
9. Disappearing Coin
Try this fun magic trick: wrap the fingers of one hand with
a rubber band, grab a handkerchief and a quarter, and convince the audience
you’ll make the quarter disappear. Place the quarter on top of the hand with
the rubber band, and set the handkerchief on top. As you pull the handkerchief
away, let the band slide off your fingers, trapping the quarter with it in a
piece of fabric. When done correctly, the coin will have disappeared into the
handkerchief.
10. Make the Coin
Disappear Again
To make a quarter disappear in a different fashion, place
the coin in the fingertips of one hand, and go to grab for it with the other
hand. Instead of grabbing it though, let the coin slip into the base of your
hand with no one seeing it, all the while pretending that your second hand took
hold of it. With your second hand closed, blow on the outside of your fingers,
and open up your palm to show that the coin has completely disappeared!
Have Fun with Magic
Tricks
This year, add a bit of magic fun into the lives of your
children. And to create a bit of illusion with your kids, try these ten easy
magic tricks to wow the world.