15 Easy Magic Tricks for Kids (With Videos!)

Alexandra F.:  Materials: Small box of crayons; scissors; tape.

Preparation: If the box does not already have one, carefully cut a window into it so you can see the crayons in it. Cut the bottom half of the crayons, then tape the tops together so they look as they would normally when placed in the box. Put the taped crayon tops back in the box.

For the trick, slide the crayons to the top of the box so it looks like they are whole, and hold them up by pressing the sides of the box gently with your fingers. Wave your hands in front of the box, say the magic words, release the crayons, and they are gone!

Alexandra F.:  Materials: Disposable cup; paper or card stock matching the bottom of the cup; 1-2 marbles; scissors; tape.

Preparation: Cut a hole about the size of a quarter at the bottom of the cup. Cut a small piece of paper to cover the hole & tape it down on one end like a hinge.

Hold the cup by the bottom with one hand and quickly show your audience that it is empty. With your other hand, show them the marble and clearly place it into the cup. The marble will fall through the hole and into your hand where you should hide it from view. Wave your other hand over the cup, say your magic words, snap your fingers for effect, then flip the cup upside down, carefully holding the marbles in your hands. The marbles have disappeared!

Alexandra F.:  Materials: A pen or pencil, preferably close to full length (not too short).

You can't go through elementary school and not encounter this cool visual illusion! There's no real "trick" to learn - it just takes practice to get the motion right, but once you do, it looks like your perfectly normal pencil or pen has suddenly turned to rubber. The key is to hold the pencil loosely between your thumb and index or middle finger and then to move your whole arm up and down from the shoulder, keeping your fingers and wrist loose and making the pencil look like it is bending along with your hand.

Alexandra F.:  Materials: Pencil; a handkerchief or cloth napkin.

Preparation: Wear a long-sleeved shirt with loose cuffs.

This magic trick is easy for kids to learn since it does not require any tricky sleight of hand. Simply hold the pencil up to your audience, then cover it with a handkerchief. Wave your hand over it and say magic words to distract your audience's attention while you allow the pencil to drop into your sleeve. Keep your index finger up under the handkerchief as though it were the pencil. Throw off the handkerchief with flair and show your audience that the pencil has disappeared!

Alexandra F.:  Materials: Pencil.

For this super easy magic trick, simply hold a pencil in your fist, with the front of your hand facing the audience. Wrap your other hand around the wrist of the hand holding the pencil, with the thumb on top. Open the pencil hand, using the index finger of the hand wrapped around the wrist to hold it in place. To your audience, it will look as though the pencil is magnetically stuck to your open hand!

Alexandra F.:  Materials: Paper plate; 6 coins; tape; small envelope or piece of paper.

Preparation: Tape a small envelope (or make one using paper) underneath a paper plate, leaving an open end close to the edge and hidden from view when the plate is face up. Place 3 coins inside.

Put 3 more coins on top of the plate and tell your audience you will magically multiply these coins. Hold the plate so your palm is by the opening of the hidden envelope. Wave your other hand over the plate, say your magic words, then tilt the plate so the coins on top of the plate fall into your hand, along with the coins from the hidden envelope. Count your coins as you place them back on the plate one at a time. Now there are 6!

Alexandra F.:  Materials: Toothpick; tape (clear is best).

Preparation: Place a toothpick along the back of your thumb and tape it to your thumbnail using a small piece of tape.

Bend your thumb so the toothpick is sticking up, and cover the tape on your thumbnail with your other fingers. It should look like you are holding the toothpick up between your thumbnail and forefinger. Say your magic words, then open your hand quickly so that your palm is facing the audience (as if you were telling them to "stop"). The toothpick is behind your thumb and will look like it has disappeared!

Alexandra F.:  Materials: Rubber band.

Place a rubber band around your middle and index fingers. Show the audience the back of your hand, with the rubber band around your first two fingers. Curl your fingers in toward your palm and secretly place the tips of all four fingers through the rubber band. Straighten your fingers quickly and the rubber band will magically jump to your pinky and ring fingers!

Alexandra F.:  Materials: 2 paper clips; a dollar bill.

Preparation: Take a dollar bill and fold it so it looks like an "s". Use a paperclip to clip one of the outer folds of the bill to the middle fold, and the other outer fold to the middle with another paperclip.

Pull both ends of the dollar bill at the same time and the paperclips will jump off, magically joined together!

Alexandra F.:  Materials: 1 dime; 1 nickel; 5 pennies.

This magic trick is perfect for kids because it is truly a foolproof "trick," but can only be done once for the same audience as the trick is revealed by the end! Simply put the above coins into your pocket or hand and ask your audience to guess whether you have an odd or even amount of money - and tell them you are sure they will guess incorrectly. If they guess "odd" you say, "Nope, I have 20 cents!" If they guess "even" you say, "Nope! I have 7 coins!"

Alexandra F.:  Materials: 2 lightweight, flat-bottomed disposable bowls or plates; 6 coins; tape.

Preparation: Tape 3 coins to the bottom of one of the plates without letting the tape show. Place 3 more coins on the plate.

Show your audience the plate and point out that there are 6 coins. Tip! Do not get close enough for the audience to touch them. Cover the coins with the second plate and make a big show of holding the 2 plates together and flipping them around 3 times. End with the plate that has the taped coins on top. Remove the top plate and carefully put it to one side without showing the coins taped underneath. Show your audience the remaining plate - only 3 coins are left!

Alexandra F.:  Materials: Spoon; coin.

This trick is all about how you hold the spoon and just takes practice to make it look convincing! Hold the handle between your two hands with the bowl of the spoon sticking out of the bottom. Move your hands to pretend you are bending the spoon, while you actually just drop it between your hands, hiding the stem inside your cupped hands. To make the illusion more convincing, hold a coin between your thumbs and index fingers as you drop the spoon to make it seem like it is the top of the spoon.

Alexandra F.:  Materials: Table; plastic cup; ball, coin or any small object to fit under the cup; paper or napkin that can fit over the cup.

Place the ball on top of the table and tell your audience you will make it disappear. Place the cup over the ball and drape the paper over the cup to hide it. Lift the paper with the cup under it to show the audience the ball. While doing so, secretly drop the cup into your lap, making sure the paper still holds the shape of the cup so it looks like it is there. Place the paper back over the ball and quickly smash it down with your other hand. Lift the paper up and act surprised to see the ball, but no cup. Reach under the table and "find" that you pushed the cup through the table!

Alexandra F.:  Materials: Deck of cards; scissors; glue.

Preparation: Prepare a "trick" card by cutting a small tab on the back of a card then gluing another card to it so that the hole created by the tab is no longer visible.

Show the audience 4-5 cards from a deck, including your trick card. Have the audience focus on the face of the cards so they do not notice the tab on the back of the trick card. Place that tab discreetly in between two of your fingers with the card facing down. Place the remaining cards between this card and your hand. Move your hand around, palm down, to show that the cards have magically stuck to your hand.

Alexandra F.:  Materials: Deck of cards.

This is a great card trick for kids because it uses a regular deck, doesn't require any sleight of hand, and is pretty easy to learn while still being quite impressive. You have the audience pick a card without telling you what it is, but which you will magically reveal to them by the end of the trick. Though the trick is really simple, the need to lay out cards a particular way - and remember where you put certain cards - may make it better suited for older kids (and adults!).