Has your child expressed an interest in card or magic tricks? Card tricks offer both a learning and creativity experience for kids. Plus, they’re way easier than they seem and they can be a fun, stimulating hobby for your child. In this blog post, our team gives you ideas and instructions on some fun card tricks for kids!
Levitation Card Tricks
Perhaps some of the best card tricks to see as a kid are levitation tricks. Although levitation seems like something only the best magicians can do, it’s actually very easy to accomplish! Not to mention, if your child pulls off a levitation trick during their next birthday party or talent show, they’re sure to impress their audience.
How to Make a Card Levitate Between Your Child’s Hands
To help your child make a card levitate, here’s what you will need:
- String or thread that matches your child’s shirt (we recommend black for both)
- One playing card
- A straw
- Regular tape
- Scissors (safety scissors if your child wants to do the craft themselves)
First, you or your child need to cut a piece of the straw that is more narrow than the card. If the straw piece is wider than the card, the audience may be able to see it. Second, tape the piece of the straw to the back of the card with the holes still open. Third, you will want to cut the string to be shorter than your child’s wingspan. This way, the string won’t dangle past their black shirt and give up the illusion.
After you or your child cut the string, it’s time to tie a small loop that your child’s fingers can get in and out of. This usually requires the parent’s help. With the other end of the string, tape it down so it won’t fall out of the straw. After this, you should be able to move the card back and forth on the string by having both hands on one side of the string.
Source: The Spruce Crafts
How to Levitate and Spin a Card
Another popular levitation trick is levitating and spinning a card. This is very similar to levitating a card between your hands. Here’s what your child will need:
- A button-down shirt
- String or thread that’s the same color as the shirt
- Tape
- Scissors
- A playing card
First, you will want to cut the string and tape one end of it to the card. Second, you want to tie the string into a loop and attach it to one of the buttons on your child’s shirt. Lastly, your child will need to put their thumb under the string and slowly pull their arm outwards. This will make it look as though the card is levitating!
To spin the card, your child can manually flick the card so it rotates as they “levitate” it. Or, they can work on moving their fingers around the string and see what the easiest way to spin it is for them. This can take some practice, but they’re sure to find their own unique style for spinning their levitating card.
The Mind Reader Trick
Another fun card trick that both kids and adults are impressed by is the “Mind Reader”. The “Mind Reader” trick is the classic routine where the magician chooses the same card that their assistant chose beforehand. For many people, this trick is the most impressive. After all, how is it possible to choose the correct card out of such a large stack? Well, there’s a method behind it! And, the method is easy enough for your child to do as long as they can count to 25.
How to Teach Your Child to Do the Mind Reader Trick
First, your child will need a deck of cards (remove the joker cards if their deck has them). Next, tell your child to make two stacks of 25 cards each. Then, have your child put the two 25-card stacks together, but having one set turned slightly so they can keep the deck separated discreetly.
When it’s time to perform the trick, your child will want to separate the two stacks of 25 cards again. They should put one stack on a table and keep the other in their hand. Then, they need to choose an assistant to pull a card and show it to the audience (this can be you for practicing). After the assistant shows the card to the audience, your child will need to instruct them to put their card on top of one of the piles. Your child will then combine the piles on top of each other. Lastly, your child will count the cards from either the top or bottom to 26. The 26th card should be the assistant’s card as long as the trick is done correctly! Your child will look like a real minder reader with this fun and easy trick.
Another Mind Reader Technique
Although the first method is the most popular, there is another method your child can use if they’re still learning how to count. This just consists of your child making sure their assistant places their card on the opposite side as the other cards in the stack. Then, your child should shuffle the cards or have another assistant shuffle the stack for them. Lastly, they would just have to find the one card that is on the different side than the rest of the cards and reveal it to the audience!
The Fourth Card Trick
If you’re looking for a trick with no set-up, this is the perfect option for your child! Here are the steps:
- Tell your child to shuffle the deck or shuffle it for them, then they will split the deck in any way they like.
- Your child will fan out each stack and show the audience that they are well shuffled. While they are doing this, they slyly look at the fourth card of their right deck.
- Keeping the fourth card in the right deck in mind, they will neatly place both decks down so it looks as though they aren’t looking at the cards.
- From the left stack, they will choose the fourth card and show the audience. They will say “With this fourth card from my left stack, it tells me that the fourth card in the right stack is [card number and suit)”
- Lastly, they will reveal the fourth card that they saw before and show the audience that they were right!
We hope these tricks are easy and fun for your child to learn! May they lead to talent show wins and lots of entertainment!
