Magic tricks make a memorable part of childhood. With a few inexpensive materials and a plan, you can guide children in creating their own magic crafts. Making magic accessories of their own gives them a chance to learn new skills while having fun. Commonplace items available at home and a few craft supplies combine to make some of the classic magician's tools. These craft projects can be spread over several sessions and result in a complete magic kit for each child.
Magician's Hat
This project requires lightweight cardboard, tape, black satin and black vinyl self-adhesive shelf paper or construction paper. Make patterns for the hat and brim. Provide blunt scissors for younger children, or cut the parts out ahead of time. The children can assemble the hats and tape them together on the inside so the tape will not show. Add a false bottom to the magician's hat for use in magic tricks.
Black felt makes an attractive magician's top hat. Use lightweight cardboard to stiffen it. Buy fabric glue from a fabric store for a no-sew craft project. A pointed wizard's hat is another alternative.
Magic Wand
A traditional magic wand craft project involves providing dowels or sticks from fruit trees. Self-adhesive black shelf paper works for the wand, with white tips in the same material. Construction paper also works for this purpose.
The Disney Family Fun website recommends using a length of plastic aquarium tubing for a magic wand, filling it with metallic pipe cleaners and sequins and adding clay at the ends for stoppers.
For children who enjoy reading about wizards, feathers and hollow bamboo make fun wizard wands. Choices include pheasant feathers, peacock feathers or found feathers.
Magic Box
Cardboard boxes large enough for a magic carrying case for each child magician create the opportunity for a simple painting project. The children can create a magician's logo and name on the box with non-toxic water-soluble paints in black, red, yellow and blue. This project gives the chance to show the children how to mix secondary colors from primary colors. For example, mix yellow and red to make orange and then yellow and blue to make green as part of the magic lesson. Non-absorbent egg cartons work for paint palettes.
Lengths of cord or rope make good handles for the carrying case. Make two holes in the top of the box and tie a knot on each end of the rope on the inside of the box.
Glitter glue, holographic wrapping paper and metallic paper make eye-catching additions to the basic magician's carrying case. Stencils of stars, moons and other simple decorative shapes add to the project. Art supply stores carry stencils.
A paper tablecloth and some colored handkerchiefs for each child add to the magician's box. The kids can use glitter glue and stickers to decorate their tablecloths.
Demonstrating how to knot the handkerchiefs together, and then pulling the connected handkerchiefs out of the hat or a sleeve leads into a lesson on magic tricks. The PBS Kids website and Disney Family Fun website offer magic tricks that will work with these magic crafts.
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