Unless otherwise requested, all of my magic is inter-generational, suited for families and all ages. My library shows are aimed at approximately middle elementary ages, and my preschool show is aimed at preschool age. However, many of the same illusions appear in both of those shows, and others that I perform. What changes is the presentation. And the illusions in the preschool age show still baffle parents and librarians and other adults!
I was recently asked about a birthday party for 2 year old children. I admit that for that age, while I think the child would enjoy the magic, the show would mainly be part of the over all celebration. A 2 year old won’t grasp most of the magic.
That said, at about the age of 2 or 3 there is one form of illusion or magical effect that children do begin to grasp. That effect is: GONE! When something vanishes, a child of a fairly young age can begin to grasp that something was there and is now …. GONE! I learned this with my grandsons and also with my niece. Most magic is lost on them, but “GONE!” does register. My niece at that age was enamored with a red silk that appeared from and empty box and disappeared back into the same box. And, of course, a child of that age is adorable as they concentrate and say, “ABADABA” over the box to make the magic work.
As a child gets a little older, they are quite capable of enjoying the effects that happen before their eyes, even if they don’t fully understand why. And as part of an audience that includes older children and adults, they do just fine. I have had many a 4 year old sit with wide open eyes, mesmerized at one effect or another.
The age of 5 is a good age to think about having a first magic party, though hopefully not the last! That age the child is old enough to enjoy being the magician’s assistant, waving the wand, etc. I especially enjoy the reactions of children of that age. At various performances, I have asked, “Is magic real?” While the older children were busy saying no, or telling me it is fake, the younger children sitting on the front row are nodding yes. I love that age!
What that age does not tend to grasp well is how magic works. While they make a wonderful, charming and adorable audience, they are not candidates for Wizard’s School. They are still a little too young for magic lessons. Because while they are old enough to enjoy the display of magic, they are less able to grasp the secrets behind that magic than they will be at a slightly older age.
That said, I have had 5-year old children enjoy learning the coin slide and other simple tricks. Still, even when children start to understand that magic is illusion, “tricks,” they may be a little young to grasp the various secrets, have the physical dexterity to perform the effects, the ability to follow the sequence, or the ability to put it all together into a performance. For that reason, children should probably be around seven or eight years of age before Wizard School, unless they show an special aptitude. From that age on, they are capable of learning simple magical effects, simple sleights, etc.
From that point, the next step is learning more from older magicians and learning to learn on one’s own. One begins to do more involved effects with more involved sequences, learns to make one’s own magic from simple items, and stars collecting some of the classic effects and props of the art. And from there, the world is the wizard’s!
The Magic and Malarky of Wyrd the Wyzard 
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