Magic set for kids...

[Robert Meisch]

Can any body recommend a good beginner magic set for an 8 year old?
I have been looking at reviews online and none of them stand out.
Most of them seem kind of junky. I'm looking for quality over quantity of tricks.

Thanks.

Robert

[P.T.Widdle]

I've always liked Mac King's offerings (Trunk-O-Tricks, Suitcase-O-Magic)

http://www.magicinaminute.com/magic.htm

[Q. Kumber]

Bear in mind that magic set instructions are written so no one can understand them.

[I.M. Magician]

Doug and Melissa make about three different sets and they are nice. The props are mostly made of wood and painted. They can be found in toy stores and online I believe.

Tenyo's Magic World set is wonderful! You can get this from Hitomi at Magico Japan or from me. I have an extra one brand new and sealed.

[Robert Meisch]

I'll check those out.

The Melissa and Doug Magic sets are pretty highly rated too. Anybody have any experiences with those ... good, bad or otherwise?

Thanks.

-Robert

[I.M. Magician]

The Tenyo Magic World set does not include English instructions. It has a DVD but that is in Japanese as well.

[Brad Henderson]

I have three of their older ones. Wooden. Substantial. Targeted to the younger age groups. The props are sometimes fun and interesting but a little clunky. for example, a magnetic finger ring made of wood. HUGE. one set comes with a change bag which is fun. Also there is a flower from wand that has a lot of play value.

[Richard Kaufman]

The Mac King sets haven't been available for years.

I dislike the Melissa and Doug sets--they wooden props are all too big, the wood too thick. They are awkward and clunky.

The Tenyo Magic World set is absolutely the best magic set available today. But, as noted, the instruction booklet is in Japanese, even though it comes with a DVD that shows performances of all the tricks.

[Bill Mullins]

The Mac King sets haven't been available for years.

I think I've seen a Mac King set at a Barnes and Noble in the last year. It may have been a close-out item

I dislike the Melissa and Doug sets--they wooden props are all too big, the wood too thick. They are awkward and clunky.

But that's what Melissa and Doug sell -- big thick clunky wooden toys. When my son was a pre-schooler, I'm sure we helped M&D make a car payment or two. They make good toys.

And it surprises me how many kids magic sets include the cups and balls. That's a difficult trick to do well at a kid's age.

[Richard Kaufman]

You're right, Bill. But not all magic sets are aimed at the youngest age of 8 or so.

In the Blackstone sets I worked on in the 1980s, we put the cups and balls (with real good sized heavy plastic cups) only in the largest $60 set, which means it would have been bought for an older child. It also has an "Attaboy" in it!

[ecw]

That's probably a good idea but these days it seems like every magic set comes with ciups and balls. My kids have numerous Fantasma, Marvin's Magic, Chris Angel, Houdini, etc. magic sets and almost all of them came with cups and balls. They've probably got about 40 plastic cups of different shapes and colors stuffed in their room someplace.
But the truth is that it is the one thing they did NOT really play with in the magic sets. Since they are not gimmicked, just plain cups, they did find find it interesting nor the simple routine that comes with most magic sets.
It was only when my son got a little older and saw a video tutorial of some real cups and ball routines that he really appreciated the trick. Of course then he didn't use them either because he wanted a metal set.

[Richard Kaufman]

They come with plastic cups now because they're cheap to make: a single piece of injection molded plastic. No gimmicks.

[Joe Pecore]

My 10 year daughter really liked the schoolastic magic sets a few years ago: http://magic.about.com/od/magicconventi ... agic-Sets/
Not sure if they are sold anymore, but I thought they were nice too.

[erdnasephile]

I think it's hard to do the cups and balls well at any age. However, I'm glad that my magic sets included a set. I may not been able to do them as well at the time, but all of those principles inherent in the trick were somehow not lost on me and led to a lifetime of joy.

My favorite kids magic sets at the moment are the Fantasma sets--there are some really good tricks included that will actually fool real people. (Plus they avoided padding their stats via those hideous "500 tricks you can do" books.)

PS: It's not a magic set per se, but I would have been over the moon if I had gotten this book as a kid: http://www.amazon.com/The-Magic-Show-An ... 0761115951 A used copy can be had for a song now (and a new one can be had for around $50). I'll bet a lot of it will fool many.

[I.M. Magician]

When I was a kid, I bought the SS Adams Cups and Balls set. I was able to learn the basic routine. It's when you go past that routine that the difficulty begins. Besides, the instructions doesn't offer anything further if I recall correctly.

The Magic Show book has somewhat of a cult following by some Tenyo collectors for some reason. Perhaps, at least in part, it is because of Mark's relationship with Lubor Fiedler. It has a very good reputation.

[Bill Mullins]

I had one of these about 40 years ago, and enjoyed it greatly.

[Richard Kaufman]

I had that set, too, Bill. Managed to find another one in mint condition a few years ago. Loved it. Punch outs and tissue paper!

[I.M. Magician]

The really good thing about the Magic Book is that the book itself performs 12 magic tricks and they are foolers!

[Joe Hanosek]

I like this set from Fun Inc.

http://www.funinc.com/magic-set-roy-sec ... ans-fm540/

[MManchester]

We have four magic kits in the store at the moment, although the one in the center is actually intended for adults to perform magic tricks at their desk. I doubt any of these are very good. Generic retail product. Considering our selection of Melissa and Doug items I'm surprised we don't have their magic kit. We used to sell a Ryan Oakes magic set and it was the first time I had heard of him. I don't recall us ever selling the Criss Angel kit that was mentioned. Could have been before my time.

[Richard Kaufman]

The Criss Angel magic sets are very good, particularly the large one. The plastic pieces are a good size, and made of nice thick plastic by Eddy in Hong Kong. The selection of tricks is good, and it comes with a DVD. Unfortunately, in the large set, they took virtually the entire trick section I wrote for his book Mindfreak and reprinted it without credit, a violation of my contract.

This is the Ultimate Set (the large one):
http://www.amazon.com/Criss-Angel-Ultim ... timate+kit

This is the Platinum set (the small one):
http://www.amazon.com/Criss-Angel-Plati ... atinum+kit

[Robert Meisch]

Does anyone have any experience with the Spectacular magic kit by Ideal: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000PWNGV8/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_dp_ss_2?pf_rd_p=1944687622&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B00BT957OU&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=1HJKTMXR89PCJZ8820A3

I would go with the Tenyo kit of they had English instructions. I'm also gonna check for the Mac King kit in the Bargain section at the local BNs. I think those would be good too.

The reviews of the Melissa & Doug kits are really positive but I don't really like the look of the props either.

As to the Cups and Balls, I got Daryl's Essentials in Magic: cups and Balls dvd last year and my daughter (7 at the time) enjoyed watching it and practicing along with me.

Thanks

-robert

[Richard Kaufman]

The tricks in the Ideal set would probably satisfy, but I'm sure the instructions are crap (they are in most magic sets) and the quality of the plastic products will be really poor. Sometimes with cheap Chinese plastic injection molding the tricks don't even work.

[Jonathan Townsend]

http://marksetteducati.com/?p=237

you can find copies of this around

[keeper]

The Ryan Oakes sets are put out by Marshall Brodien. I thought the lunch box set was very creative. The lunch thermos was a Lota Vase and the lunchbox was some kind of production box.