Twice in the last week I have used a trick at a children's party that I was absolutely convinced was too simple to work. It absolutley blew the kids away, and each time produced that satisfying intake of breath and look of complete amazement that evry children's magician must hope for.
The trick isn't even really a trick - just an optical illusion where you take two identical curved bits of decorated cardboard and make one appear to be bigger than the other. There was a lot of patter and some audience participation but essentialy there is nothing to it. I think sometimes we (me) get so caught up in needing the latest gadget, and wanting everything to be mickey mouse that we (me) forget - it REALLY isn't about what is magic to us, but what is magic to them. I went through the rest of my show which was very well recieved as usual, but after the show the kids were asking me how I did the trick with the curves! Maybe it is only me, but I thought I would share this with all of you working with children.

KAZ

Many great lessons can be tought/presented with the simple cardboard curves (I believe the effect actually has a name, but it eludes me for now..)

Even for adults, the same is true. It is the effect, not the gimmick that is significant.

Good Point Kaznzak!

BroDavid

I think Viking carries a nice wooden set of these with a kicker ending of one of the boomerangs actually gets longer than its mate. A nice finish for those in the know.
This is also the very first trick I remember seeing, it was done to me by a clown at what must have been a Shrine circus nearly forty years ago.

Barry Govan, in his lecture notes, has a wonderful routine with a youngster and the boomerangs.
All the kid has to do is answer "yes" to any question the magician asks, while the magician makes one stick longer than the other and vice versa.
It's not original with Barry -- Barry points that out -- but I've used it, with variations, ever since I saw Barry do it.
And with great results.
cheers,
Peter Marucci
showtimecol@aol.com

kaznzak,
Good tip. I have seen the Cardboard curves but never tried them.
Peter, in one of the Linking rings, said the presentation is the key. I too do kids shows and they are, for the most part, simple to do. I find that getting them, the kids, involved in the stories and the effects is the key for me.
Most magically yours,
WR

I saw a Rex and Darrin (New Zealand Evangelists with magic) do a bit with these about lies, there was a Blue and a Pink curve and he called one a little "white" lie and the other one was a mean and hurtful lie.

They went on to show how at different times they each seem bigger than the other, but in the end, they are both just the same; "a Lie!"

And in case anyone thinks I am stealing and giving this away improperly, I should mention that Rex gave me permission to share and use his presentations - most of which were evangelistic in nature, but this one is pretty main stream.

I also think I recently saw these in foam at a local magic shop, but dont know who makes them - and frankly dont see an advantage to foam - except possible that they have more thickness. But cardboard or card stock works the effect well enough for me.

BroDavid

Peter mentions Barry Govans 'Yes Game' with the boomerangs. I learnt it from a book called 'Conjuring for Children' by W W Larsen (Pub 1949) - he credits the original routine to Jack Wilson. It's a great routine.

I prefer to do it with boys about 7 and up.
Getting them to answer 'Yes' to questions like 'Your names Mary, right?' and 'Aren't girls wonderful?' in front of all of their mates is a lot of fun!

I've made sets out of plywood, cardboard (I used to give the birthday boy the trick at the end, and teach him how it's done after the show, providing he doesn't tell anyone the secret. Ha!) and I'm currently making a set from corrugated plastic from estate agents signs, to try to save weight on overseas flights.

Cheers,

Bill

Hey BroDavid another great Evang. that I have seen done with this, was black for sin and white for glory, it was taught at the '97 FCM convention by Bill Baker (yes Bill let me share this he said it wasn't his and has been around as long as Gospel magic has) in his "College Course - Favorites Through the Years," it has also been done by Ron London using similar patter.

Peace all,

X

Yea I've got some of these..the kids love them! The set I have I bought, it was called "A magical stretch". You're right, they do love the simple things, I've had girls screaming and boys wowing from simply pushing a coctail stick (tooth pick) through various things (table, head, hands etc...), but then when I show them something like pencil through a sheet of perspex (you know the one, where you have a sheet of perspex in a frame, put card either side of the perspex, and push a pencil through) they're all looking for the "secret", they're not so ready to believe that its "magic". My 2p's worth
Jester