Kids Entertainer Podcast

Surely a magic drama camp would require a children’s entertainer to be highly skilled in magic technique. Not so. September Cardiff shares her insights and tips from her magic and drama camp in the recent summer holiday break

In this episode we discuss:

Why run a magic drama camp in the first place?

What ages work best for a magic drama camp?

Is there a need to run holiday entertainment for children outside of school hours?

How hard or how easy is it to get parents to send the children to a magic drama camp?

What the parents expect?

What type of schedule works best? How long? Start time? End time?

Do you have to be experienced in magic to be able to teach magic tricks to kids?

Including puppets, juggling, theatre, circus – what works best?

Building social skills like confidence, public speaking, eye contact and learning patience.

What to do with behaviour problems from kids attending the workshop.

What sort of venue works best?

Is advertising necessary?

How many children can attend a magic camp?

Jeremy LePoidevin from Practical Magic talks about easy magic tricks for kids entertainers. He shares free resources he has developed to help kids entertainers who are not familiar with performing magic to choose the right magic tricks to add something extra to their kids entertainer businesses.

In this episode we discuss:

What makes Trix in the Stix a successful kids entertainers convention?

John Kimmons and the live Fireside Chat.

Can you do magic? Is adding magic to your performance attainable?

Practical Magic - a magic shop for professional kids entertainers

The role  that Supreme Magic played in the development of Practical Magic.

Why are kids magicians like kids themselves? Jeremy has his own point of view on this.

Training resources for kids entertainers

Under 5 year olds with Terry Herbet

Teenage Kids with Pat Fallon

How to bridge over from other forms of kids entertaining into performing magic.

Matt Falloon discovered how to be a balloon entertainer from his background in magic. He also discovered that it created a point of difference and let him capture a slice of his market. Lots of great tips ...

In this episode we discuss:

-         Creating a difference for the customer

-         The importance of using a website to show potential clients

-         Tips for making your website high impact

-         The pros of networking with people in the kids entertainer industry

-         Some great ways to prepare for large balloon sculptures

-         Tips and tricks for beginners in the industry

-         What to avoid when it comes to customer requests

-         Matt explains the “Mr Squiggle effect” and how to use it.

-         Tips on how to impress the parents in your act

-         How Matt utilises multiple income streams as a kids entertainer

-         What to be careful of when playing to the audience according to age groups

What is the “axis of awesomeness?” Suedy Daoud, an established face painter shares her recipe for being awesome in the clients eyes.

Facepainting may be what Suedy excels in but her ideas on using creativity to open doors apply to kids entertainers of all types.

In this episode we discuss:

- 30-degree heat, sunscreen and sweat - how Suedy got started

- find out about kids parties, corporate work and more - The ups and downs and improving as a face painter - Suedy’s way of keeping it creative and exciting – taking requests!

- To photo board or not to photo board? - Tips from a teacher on getting started – save money from these tips! - What makes a great face paint design – the “axis of awesomeness” - What drives Suedy crazy in the world of face painting - Quick, quick, slow – how to show your clients your skills - Applealing to a different audience, UV face painting! - Suedy’s favourite designs - Body art with doggy designs and how that lead to some amazing opportunities - Creating your own opportunities – how Suedy got into Illusion Magazine - The AFABA retreat, getting to know fellow face painters, how it went - The theory behind the retreat, everyone has something to share

Creator of the successful Build Your Magic Show course - Julian Mather - explains how balloon twisters, face painters, clowns, ventriloquists and many people with a passion but little experience can create a commercial kids/family magic show and earn more money than magicians with 20 years experience.

Ever wished you could do magic full time? Ever wished you could somehow leave your job and follow your dream? I did. Mid life I gave up a successful career. With no one to guide me I carved out a place in kids and family magic. Within 2 years I was making more income than I had in my 'job' while at the same time waking up without an alarm, saying goodbye to peak hour traffic and loving life.

I can talk with absolute authority on this because I lived it.

Build Your Magic Show is my story with none of the detail left out. Every trick, every show, every reason, every motivation, every failure, every detail ... in short everything I wanted to be shown when I started but I could never find.

Routines, cases, costumes, sound  systems, marketing, psychology, audience management, young kids, older kids, difficult kids, jokes, gags and bits of business.

You will dramatically cut years off your learning curve by following the blueprints that I used to bring me in good income year after year. You will have a spring under your feet to face any audience with the confidence you have always wanted. 

All kids entertainers can benefit from using a PA system. But which one? 

Steve Wickenton is both a kids entertainer as well as a theatre venue tech co-ordinator, ensuring that all technical things are good for production, including lights, audio and special effects. Steve shares his knowledge about sound, sound systems and microphones and how to use them as a children’s entertainer. 

Kids Entertainer Hub loves answering your questions. It was this question from Balloon Storyteller Annie Banannie that prompted this podcast episode: 

“Could you interview someone who could give us a lesson on sound systems?  Not just what works for one person, but a general understanding of any sound system.  Examples of issues that plague me constantly:  How to plug into someone's sound system. Generally, the different kinds of microphonres. How can you tell the power of a microphone or speaker by looking at it? What are the different types of wireless microphones, and how can you use them? Troubleshooting tips for feedback issues.”  

In this podcast Steve explains: 

What is a P.A System 

What things to consider when choosing your P.A System 

Microphones and types of microphones, which ones to avoid, which ones work best 

How to get the most out of your P.A System 

Set up Procedure 

Tips for feedback 

Techniques for working in a “live” echo prone venue 

Feel free to post any questions Steve hasn't covered or if you want more clarification on a subject, and he will try his best to answer them

 Zappo the Magician has done just this. Many weeks of the year Zappo is touring the country performing at kindergartens and pre-schools and when he is back home is in-undated with party bookings! Wouldn't you love that? So, whether you're a magician, balloon twister or face painter you can learn some valuable lessons from Zappo including: the importance of asking questions, making mistakes and doing the occasional free gig!  

In this episode we discuss: 

Zappo's history from then until now, turning a hobby into a profession 

Joining a magic club - a great way to learn 

Asking questions - how honesty helps you improve 

People skills - how this helps you get bookings, what to do and what not to do 

How to entertain at a kinder/pre-school - themed shows with educational message 

Writing new content - keeping the magic alive! 

How mistakes are not always a bad thing, in fact it can be the total opposite! 

Tips for working with young children - do's & don'ts plus language techniques 

Zappo's occasional free shows, why he does them 

Creating your own kinder show - "take the kids on a roller coaster" the main ingredients for a successful show 

Keeping it simple - How Zappo gets a full calendar of bookings 

Adding balloons into the equation - delivery pieces, bday presents etc 

Balloon convention OZJAM, how Zappo took his balloons to the next level