Children are always fascinated by magic tricks. The proof lies in the rapt attention magicians get from children (for performances that may last 30 minutes) - something that adults find hard to do. Children's joy is obvious whenever the word 'magic show' is mentioned.
Wai Ling was no exception. When she was barely 3 years old we happened to walk pass a video shop (selling VCDs) that had on show on their shop TV a program called 'The Magicians Secrets'. It explains and shows how magic tricks are done. Firstly it shows the magic as seen by audiences. It then show how the trick is achieved - sleight of hand, visual illusions, 'behind the scene' view and special compartments and preparations of the props used etc. Finally, it shows the trick again in slow motion. Wai Ling was captivated by the show and she seemed to understand that they are all just tricks - there's always an explanation to the 'magic' and no real disappearing act or things appearing out of nowhere.
The VCDs were pretty expensive then - it was a set of 3 but a piece cost $12 or $15 - so we did not buy them. But we had numerous opportunities to watch the show on our subsequent shopping outings as it was quite commonly shown on shop TVs then. We would just stand at the shops with me carrying her and repeating the explanations for the tricks as they unfolded. I'm quite sure it must have been a pretty popular show - kids and adults alike must have loved it! We did. When it got cheaper ($10 for set of 3), we bought the set and it was magic show everyday for a while until Wai Ling got tired of them.
It was also time to attempt some tricks ourselves. So I went to look at some magic books to try and learn some simple tricks. Also bought a magician toy set from Toys'R'Us. It had magician hat, magic wand, a guide book and plastic props (coins etc.) to be used in the tricks. Gave us some fun for a while but did not last long. The wand and hat broke quickly, and the plastic items did not look real.
But I picked up a neat little trick from a book that gave us a tremendous time of fun. It was a trick on 'shredding tissue to bits and making it whole again'. Simple but it gave the 2 of us some great fun for a long while. Showed Wai Ling how it worked and she tried doing it but her hand was too small to hide the thing. We 'did the show' for her cousins in Batu Gajah during one of our trips last year (1999) and had a field day.
Was having dinner in a seafood shop and there were 10 kids there (a couple of them around 10yrs old). I took some tissues from the shop and did the trick. The kids were clearly enthralled by it and asked that it be repeated again and again. At one stage Wai Ling began to explain how it worked and I had to stop her very quickly (otherwise no fun for me!). We did it so many times that the shop floor around our table was filled with pink pieces of servettes! The shop staff did not seem bothered. In fact, they and the other adults were all watching the trick too!
Of course, the adults and one or two of the older kids soon saw through the trick (especially those watching from behind!) but the other younger kids were still 'impressed' after we were done and wanted more. But I gave the excuse that I cannot do too many times a year, otherwise my magic will not have effect. So they will have to wait till the next year.
Of course they weren't entirely satisfied with my excuse and continued asking why. That's children's natural inquisitiveness. But I had enough encores for one night. They are probably still wondering what happened - must go back and try on them again.
Since then I've tried this simple trick on kids that I run into (on buses, in restaurants, shopping complexes etc.) and I can always see the wonder in their eyes. But I always made it a point in the end to show the torn tissue hidden in my palm. Then I'd see the sheepish smiles and the 'Oh, that's how it worked!' looks in their eyes.
Soon, I've gathered a few other simple tricks from books in bookshops. Too expensive to buy them. Some cost $30 a copy.
Tricks
Shredding tissue to bits and making it whole again
Roll one tissue into small ball and hide in ball of left palm
With back of palm facing audience, tear another piece of tissue into bits
Forming left palm into 'round tube' push torn tissue into palm (at same time, torn bits must form a ball to be hidden in palm like that of the good piece)
Take the good tissue ball out of palm and open up to show
Disappearing coin
With left palm facing upwards, hold a coin between thumb and 1st finger
With palm of right hand in front of left palm and back of right palm facing audience, pretend to grab hold of coin using right hand
As audience's view is covered, drop the coin into bowl of left palm and move left palm away from view
Move right palm (closed in bluff 'coin in hold' position) and pretend to push the coin onto head of audience etc.
Open right palm to show that coin had disappeared
Using left hand (with coin still in palm) pretend to pull coin out of ear of audience.
