Resource Page
Welcome friends. This page is for sharing resources with my fellow Discover Magic presenters.
I hope that you will find something useful to incorporate into your programs. You can download a description of the items below here.
If you have any questions or need help downloading or modifying these materials, contact me at [email protected] or 716 997-0815.
True magician hand motions
Hand motions to help kids remember the 8 traits.
RESPECTFUL – One hand salute.
PREPARED – Both hands come together with palm to palm then open like a book.
ENTHUSIASTIC – Both hands with fingers spread at head level waving (sign language for applause).
CONFIDENT – Superhero pose (fisted hands on hips).
HUMBLE – Both hands one on top of fist at chest level with slight bow (martial arts bow).
CREATIVE – Both hands touch temples then explode out.
AUTHENTIC – Both hands cover heart.
GIVING – Both hands move from chest out to side at waist level.
Banner Suggestion
Print vinyl banners with changable information
Here’s a thought about adding some flexiblity to your marketing budget. I had several of the X banners made on the left to promote my camps that were held at various locations. Notice the blank area above the wand. This is where I attach two parallel lines of the soft side of adhesive velcro strips. I then cut out the printed details of a camp from a vinyl banner and attach the complimentary velcro strips to the back and place it on the banner to the left. These promotional banners are placed in the venues where my camps or classes are located. I typically pay around $16.00 for the banner on the right which is 2×4 foot with no grommets or frame. I then have the ability to swap out the information that will change from camp to camp or year to year. As an added bonus, I’m also able to print a customized logo for a specific-themed camp which will be attached to my table during the camp or any shows I do to promote the camp. Sometimes I print two copies of the details on a banner so that I can have one banner at the venue and one with me at promotional events.
Rabbit, Hat, Wand, with Hoops
The classic Rock, Paper, Scissors with an active magic twist.
This begins with a variation of Rock, Paper, Scissors and adds movement. Rabbit, Hat, Wand is substituted for Rock, Paper, Scissors. The rabbit sign is two fingers extended (like the peace sign). The hat sign is the hand held with the thumb and forefinger touching, the rest of the fingers curled like the forefinger with the thumb on top. The wand is the forefinger pointing out with the rest of the fingers curled in. The rabbit beats the wand, the wand beats the hat, and the hat beats the rabbit.
I use 24 thirty-inch hula hoops that are spaced out like gameboard steps. They should be touching or close to each other (during the game they may get pushed apart so the referee should try to push them back in position). The players are divided into two teams (they do not need to be equal) lined up at each end of the trail of hoops. When the referee gives the signal, the first person in line for each team, hops from hoop to hoop until they meet somewhere between the teams. They then play Rabbit, Hat, Wand. The loser returns to the back of their team’s line. As soon as the new player starts forward in the hoops, the player who won can continue hopping toward the other team. Wherever they meet, they play Rabbit, Hat, Wand to determine who returns to their team and who continues forward. The game (or a round) is finished when one team member wins Rabbit, Hat, Wand while at the opposing teams first two hoops.
WEB BALL GAME
This is a cooperative icebreaker game that helps students learn names.
Gather a group of 6-10 participants in a circle. If you have more than ten, consider creating additional groups. The leader begins by saying the name of someone located across from them on the circle. They then toss a ball to that student. The ball should be one that’s easy to catch and doesn’t hurt if it hits the student accidently. Encourage the students to toss underhand so that it’s easy to catch. The student then says the name of someone across from them and tosses the ball to them. The object is to create an invisible web pattern such that the ball is tossed to each person on the circle without repeating until it returns to the leader. It can be helpful to have students that have already received the ball, cross their arms to indicate that they already received the ball.
Instruct the students to remember who they received the ball from and who they tossed the ball to. Then toss the ball along the same “web lines” that was just created. The goal is to recreate the pattern without the ball hitting the floor. If the ball drops, the ball must be returned to the leader to begin again. Once they’ve accomplished that goal. Speed up the tosses. Challenge the group to repeat the pattern three times without dropping the ball.
Variations/Adaptations
1. If you have participants that have a difficult time tossing and catching the ball, consider sitting in the circle and rolling it to each other.
2. Increase the difficulty by having the students toss the ball in the reverse pattern (i.e. the leader begins by tossing to the ball to the person who tossed to them previously. Start slow and then pick up speed as they become familiar with the pattern.
3. Add a second ball that doesn’t look like the first. Have one ball follow the original web pattern and the other follow the reverse pattern at the same time. Note: Take time to have the students discuss what problem(s) they might encounter and come up with a strategy to deal with it/them (ie. 2 balls arrive at the same time, they hit each other in mid air).
4. Add one more object (I use a plastic golden egg) that goes around the circle clockwise hand to hand. Explain that this object is the most important thing and must not be dropped no matter what.
5. Debrief – How does this relate to our class/camp/magic? [Practicing looking people in the eyes, speaking their name loudly and clearly, being focused on the task, working together, performing more than one task at the same time, being aware of what’s going on around you etc.]
COW PASTURE CHALLENGE
This is an exercise in working together as a team, memory, and focus.
To download blank grid, click on image.
Then right click and select “Save As.”
An 8×8 grid of one foot squares is marked out with tape. It can be made with painter’s tape on a floor or, as I do, made with electrical tape attached to a plastic drop cloth. The leader has an 8×8 grid on a piece of paper with the path marked by putting X’s where “cow paddies” are located and stands on the side opposite the team (finish). The goal of this exercise is for all the team members to cross from one side (start) of the cow pasture to the other without stepping in the manure. Once the challenge begins, the team members may not speak or make noises. One person at a time steps on a square in the first row. If the square is empty the person can then move forward or to the left or right to another square (they may not move diagonally). If the square contains a “cow patty” they move to the back of the group (to “clean” their shoes) and the next group member steps on the grid. As each member progresses to the other side the rest of the team pays attention to which squares are safe and which ones to avoid. The challenge is complete when all the group members have successfully arrived on the other side. The leader can adjust the difficulty of the challenge by creating easy or harder paths. The example on the left is easy and the one on the right is difficult.
Select a Color-Ful Character
This was used as part of a promotion for an upcoming wand course. I created a coloring contest page on my website and then used social media to direct them to my contest page where they could download their favorite character. The page included contest rules, pictures of prizes they could win, promotion and sign-up form for a WOW workshop, and information about the wand course.
