Fay Presto has been a magician for 16 years. She taught herself the "tricks of the trade" from books, and now -- Voila! -- she's created an ultimate first book, Magic for Kids (Kingfisher). In the right hands this colorful paperback could be a great classroom teaching tool!
Thinking of putting together a class magic show? Want to help build your students' self-confidence? Just looking for a fun way to work public speaking into your curriculum? Magic could be the hook!
"On the way to becoming a magician, I discovered some important things," Presto says in the introduction to Magic for Kids. "Magic is easier than you might think it is. It's not just about tricks, but about people and how you get along with them. And it is about how you present yourself."
In Magic for Kids Presto provides not only magic tricks from an insider, but tips on how to present those tricks -- right down to scripts for possible banter with an audience. Each trick is rated according to its degree of difficulty. An introduction explains what the audience will see. Preparation tips and step-by-step performance tips are all colorfully illustrated, mostly with photos of kids in action!
Before Presto even gets to the magic, she reveals six pages of useful tips. Those tips make a great starting point for kids (or for classroom lessons). Putting together a magic show is not just about slapping together some tricks, says Presto, "You'll need to give your show some shape by planning a beginning, a middle, and an end." Among the other tips she shares:
Presto's bag of tricks includes tricks with ropes and tricks with a deck of cards; tricks with mind reading and tricks with disappearing water; tricks with coins and tricks with magical boxes (including directions for making the magical box!). The same tricks that the pros do! Kids can amaze their friends and classmates -- and teachers -- with tricks such as:
That's just a sampling of the fun in store in Magic for Kids. Putting together a magic show would make a great class activity for those days leading up to Thanksgiving break, the December holidays, or any school vacation. Or how about using a student magic show as a spring PTO fundraiser? Raise money for school projects while raising self-esteem! Presto!
Magic for Kids is written by Kay Presto and published by Larousse Kingfisher Chambers, Inc., 95 Madison Avenue, New York NY 10016.
Article by Gary Hopkins
Education World® Editor-in-Chief
Copyright © 1999 Education World
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