Magic has sparked the imagination for at least as long as the bible has existed. There are the biblical stories of rocks that bring forth water, and sticks that turn into snakes. In the very first chapter of the bible, we have the story of Creation, described in Latin as “creatio ex nihilo” or “something from nothing.”
Some magic tricks seem so miraculous that it is only fitting that they are prefaced by the word, “abracadabra,” which comes from the Aramaic, “I create as I speak.” The word “abracadbra” brings to mind the theological concept of “imitatio dei” which goes all the way back to the biblical account of man’s creation. The phrase refers to man’s basic obligation to imitate God in all his deeds.
The earliest record of the use of the word abracadabra was in a third century medical textbook called Liber Medicinalis or De Medicina Praecepta Saluberrima. The textbook was written by Quintus Serenus Sammonicus. Sammonicus was the physician of the Roman Emperor Caracalla. In this book, the reader finds the description of an amulet inscribed with the word abracadabra in triangle form.
Sammonicus’ amulet looked like this:
The emperor’s physician believed that wearing this amulet could chase away life-threatening diseases.
In the days before modern medicine, belief might have been strong enough to have a positive psychological effect on the wearer of such an amulet. That may have given the appearance of an actual cure. Today, of course, we know better. We know that magic is the art of illusion and that magicians are called “illusionists” because they only seem to be pulling rabbits out of hats and sawing people in half. Despite the fact that we know better than to believe our own eyes, magic tricks, performed well, delight us even when we know we’re being fooled.
Most children can show you at least one magic trick they know and they always seem eager to learn new ones. Performing magic tricks give children a sense of their own power in a world where the powerful ones are mostly adults. Maybe that’s why magic is such a healthy hobby for children: performing magic tricks builds kids up and makes them feel good about themselves.
Simple Magic Tricks, Explained
Learning how to do a seamless magic trick can seem a daunting prospect. The good news, however, is that not all magic is as difficult as it looks. Funology is a terrific website offering tons of tricks that aren’t at all difficult to perform. The website is appropriate for children age 6-10.
We liked the way the website is divided into specific categories, such as “Betcha Can’t” and “Object Tricks.” The “Betcha Can’t Crack An Egg” trick was accompanied by a scientific explanation for why it works, which takes a magic trick and turns it into a learning experience.
Videos For Stop And Start Tutorials
The great thing about technology is that tutorials abound for almost every subject. You can stop and start a tutorial clip and replay it as many times as you like. No worries about holding anyone back in class because with a tutorial, you’re the only class member! You can go as fast or as slow as you like.
Here’s a tutorial for a simple card trick appropriate for 10-13 year-old children.
This is beginner magic, but like anything else, requires practice. Share this clip with your child and with a little encouragement, he’ll soon be astonishing his friends with his amazing sleight of hand!
Once upon a time, kids sent away for magic tricks in a box. These box sets of magic tricks were advertised in the back pages of comic books. The magic kits may have been great fun, but a real magician doesn’t need all sorts of fancy, colorful props to astonish his audiences.
Take the banana trick, for instance. It uses two common items most people already have in their homes: a banana (or two or three for practice!) and a sturdy needle. For all that it employs only common, boring household objects, this is a trick that is going to impress the heck out of your child’s friends.
We loved this trick not only because it’s so doable and uses common household items, but because it was completely unfamiliar to us. Try searching the words “trick” and “magic” over at VideoJug. There are loads of magic tutorials on this youtube channel. They’re given over in a fun way, which makes them, well, FUN.
Magic Takes Personal Effort
“Digital natives” is the term used to describe children who grew up surrounded by technology and never knew a world without it. One of the drawbacks of being a digital native is the constant barrage of images that float past our children on their screens. Kids aren’t forced to imagine what isn’t there. They don’t have to fill in what is missing with their minds, because nothing is missing.
As a result, they can become jaded and bored—everything is presented to them on their screens with no personal effort invested. After a while, even the most exciting clips and pictures may fail to elicit a reaction from children. It’s just media on a screen.
That’s where magic comes in. Magic forces children to use their own skills to create images for others in the form of illusions. If they stick to it and keep practicing, they too can make these magic tricks look effortless.
Is your kid bored by the world as a result of an overdose of technology? Magic is the perfect antidote. It engages the body and the mind. The magic community, moreover, is all about hard work and generosity of spirit. That is the message of famed Australian magician, James Galea, whose card tricks leave audiences open-mouthed. Galea became intrigued by the community of magicians practicing “cardistry.” This short inspirational gives a taste of the community and may have your kids running to the cards, not to gamble, but to amaze!
It takes time and lots and lots of practice, but as Galea’s friends illustrate, cardistry is something that can be mastered, and it’s got a friendly spirit, too! We hope we succeeded in bringing a little magic into your child’s life with these cool links. Who knows? With a willing spirit and some persistence, your child may just end up bringing that magic to others, too!
Editor’s note: This post was originally published May 15, 2014, and has been completely revised and updated for accuracy and scope.
About Varda Epstein
Varda Meyers Epstein serves as editor in chief of Kars4Kids Parenting. A native of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Varda is the mother of 12 children and is also a grandmother of 12. Her work has been published in The Washington Post, The Huffington Post, The Learning Site, The eLearning Site, and Internet4Classrooms.