What would you get for a ten year old interested in magic?

[AgeGap]

I have a good pile of books and have shown him a few tricks. He has a "Gross Magic" set and I have given him a few sets of gimmicked cards and a thumb tip. I have caught him reading "The magic world of the Amazing Randi". Unfortunately there is no hologram on the cover.

Thanks
AgeGap

 

[Garrette]

If he has already shown that amount of interest, then I would go with Harry Lorayne's "The Magic Book," though he may need some help with it.

Or you could start with "The Klutz Book of Magic" (it's a fun book; he won't be insulted), or "Easy to Do Magic Tricks for Children" by Karl Fulves.

Actually, all of Karl Fulves' books, regardless if they say "for children" wouldn't hurt. They're short, clearly written, and inexpensive.

 

[Brown]

What Garrette said is good (as usual).

My question is: what kind of magic interests this ten-year-old? Parlor magic? Stage magic? Close-up? These performances differ not only in the size of the audience and how close the audience members are to the performer, but also in the degree of personal interaction between the performer and the audience.

Also, the bigger the trick, sometimes the more expensive it is. Stage illusions cost a lot and they are often good for only one basic trick, but an invisible deck is cheap and can be the basis for dozens of tricks.

So if the little dude is wanting to do some tricks for his buds, then that weighs in favor of cheap close-up stuff. But if he's serious about making the art a hobby, you might be shelling out some bucks for some more expensive props.

 

[AgeGap]

Thanks both. I bought a magic set with gimmicked cards Svengali, Invisible, Tapered and marked that came with a card box and a few other gimmicks for myself. I have these 'tricks' already so I handed the set over. I have cups and balls, linking rings and sponge balls somewhere in the house so I will drip feed these to him. Anything bigger than a cereal box is impractical.

 

[Garrette]

Thanks both. I bought a magic set with gimmicked cards Svengali, Invisible, Tapered and marked that came with a card box and a few other gimmicks for myself. I have these 'tricks' already so I handed the set over. I have cups and balls, linking rings and sponge balls somewhere in the house so I will drip feed these to him. Anything bigger than a cereal box is impractical.

Excellent. You'll know what's best, but I'd recommend starting him with the sponge balls. They allow an easy way to get into sleight of hand and learning about misdirection. And if he practices enough, they can still get some of the biggest "Wow!" reactions from the audience because much of the magic happens in their hands.

ETA: There are several reasons I don't recommend starting with the decks you mention, but perhaps the most important is that, imo, you need to earn the right to use gimmicks. With the exception of some very basic kids' stuff (ball and vase, e.g.), starting out with gimmicks handicaps the performer by having them think that the strength of the effect is in the props. Learn the ungimmicked things first then add the gimmicks sparingly when the lesson is already learned. The ID, especially, is wrong to give a 10 year old beginner, not because he won't be able to do it (he very well may be able) but because he won't understand how to use it properly and won't understand how incredibly powerful an effect it can be. Again, just my opinion.

 

[Senex]

This might disturb some people but I believe in a stock magic set for a ten year old . For instance, I've seen Chris Angel's overpriced set on TV and it contains cups and balls and maybe a thumb tip and basically if you want to be a magician that's how you start. You get a magic set and you are interested or not. You learn the basics and if you care you buy what your allowance allows.

I purchased for my nephew a fairly expensive magic set once. I opened it and performed all the tricks in the set brilliantly. I was able to because my dad bought me a similar magic set when I was young and I continued to perform as an amateur.

It was a waste. He was disinterested.

But don't let this story discourage you.

 

[thaiboxerken]

I think Jim Pace's "The Web" could be a great one, it'll help him get some exercise too if he does it on the wrong person.

 

[Macgyver1968]

The dexterity involved in magic can translate in to skills in the real world. No reason to discourage it.

 

[marplots]

Books are good, and Harry Lorraine's is especially so. I think the best thing you can give him is the opportunity to perform. He can start with just a few tricks routined together and he'll get away with more because of his age.

If you can do this, he might avoid that nastiest of traps -- accumulating secrets like a stamp collector. What usually happens is a kid learns something, shows it to the few people he knows and suddenly finds himself needing another trick because he can't get a new audience. That's deadly.

One of the greatest things I always thought would be to intern at a magic shop -- showing the same effects over and over again until they are really solid.

Would you consider letting him busk under your supervision? Senior citizen homes, hospitals, charity stuff. He'll either love it or hate it.

 

[Senex]

If you can do this, he might avoid that nastiest of traps -- accumulating secrets like a stamp collector. What usually happens is a kid learns something, shows it to the few people he knows and suddenly finds himself needing another trick because he can't get a new audience. That's deadly.

That's especially true with magic and stand-up comedy. You go to parties with the same people and they expect something knew which made me a big customer of Lou Tannen's when I was young.

I read a book by Jay Leno saying when he first started doing stand-up he only had one routine and a sorority booked him three nights. It turned out to be a study hall the week before finals and the first night didn't go well because no one came to see comedy and the second and third nights were complete disasters because he had the same audience and they were mockingly saying all his punch lines with him. When the sorority didn't want to pay him he said the audience is supposed to change every performance not the routine.