Magic Theme

Magic Theme Ideas

Pack meeting and blue and gold banquet ideas including skits, songs, advancement ceremonies, opening/closing ceremonies and more can be found in our theme ideas:

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Advancement Ceremony: Abracadabra Arrow of Light Ceremony

Materials: White Poster Board or large white paper, lemon juice, Iodine, paintbrush, magician’s box, 4-6 display items about the Cub Scout(s) obtained ahead of time to surprise them.

Directions:

Using a paintbrush and lemon juice, brush the words, “Arrow of Light” (or draw emblem), date, Cub Scout’s name on the paper and allow it to dry. Put some drops of iodine in enough water to saturate the whole paper.  The iodine water will be brushed on as the ceremony progresses. The iodine will make the paper purple and leave the lemon juice spots white.  Iodine will stain the floor.  Put the paper over a tarp. 

Talk about the magic paper that will reveal a message to the Pack.  The magician will paint the iodine water across the paper to reveal the words “Arrow of Light” or the emblem. 

Wow, the Arrow of Light magically appeared.  The magician wonders what that means.  The Cubmaster explains the meaning of the Arrow of Light.

Magicians know that it takes certain steps to do a magic trick.  Are there steps for this magic Arrow of Light?  The Cubmaster can then explain the requirement steps. 

The magician then decides to take a break from painting and does some magic out of a box which magically produces display items for the recipient. 

The magician then decides to have help painting the paper.  They call up the Webelos leader and asks the leader to paint (over the section with the date) while they relate a magical service/activity about Cub Scout (revealing the date.)

The magician then asks the parents to help paint (over the section with the name) while they relate a magical service/activity about Cub Scout (revealing their name.)

The Cub Scout then comes up and talks about their favorite magical service/activity to earn the award and quotes either the Scout Oath or Law. 

The magician or Cubmaster presents the Arrow of Light Award.  The Cub Scout then gives the pin to their mom with the “Mother’s Salute,” after which, the Father can present the award with the Cub Scout or Scout handshake. The Cub Scout leads everyone in their favorite cheer!

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Advancement Ceremony: Abracadabra Theme Ceremony Ideas

The Cubmaster, wearing a magician cape makes the awards appear out of a top hat as they wave their wand and say magical sayings.

If you learn some extra tricks, OR if you have a resident “magician” (Cub Scout or adult) in your pack, they could make the awards appear out of various props, like coins, cards, scarves or flowers.

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Advancement Ceremony: Advancement Ideas

Set Up:

• To present the awards to the Cub Scouts the Cubmaster should dress as a magician, with a black cape and a black top hat.
• Ahead of time, a table should be prepared with a 5 or 6 inch hole cut in the top of it. The table should have a tablecloth or something draped over it so someone can sit underneath it without being seen.
• The top hat should also have a hole in the top of it. 

The Cubmaster calls up the first Cub Scout to receive an award and lays their hat (top side down) on the table over the hole. They ask the Cub Scout what achievement they have been working on and then proceeds to pull the award out of the hat. The person under the table hands them a stuffed rabbit, then an old boot, and any number of items except the Cub Scout’s award, until the Cubmaster remembers to say the magic words “Do Your Best.” Then the Cubmaster pulls out the award and presents it to the Cub Scout. This can be done with each Cub Scout receiving an award, just change the magic words each time, such as “We’ll Be Loyal Scouts,” “The Cub Scout Follows Akela,” etc. Practice this a few times and it will go smoother at the pack meeting.

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Advancement Ceremony: Scout Life Magic Awards Ceremony

Personnel:     Cubmaster (CM) dressed up as a magician

Materials:      A Scout Life Magazine, awards to be presented

Directions:

Ahead of time, take the magazine and put some glue around the bottom and side edges of the first page. Do not put glue on the top edge (you are making a pocket). Stick the first page, by the edges, to the cover of the magazine. Be sure to do this smoothly and neatly. Let the glue dry. You have just made a secret pocket behind the cover. Put the awards inside the pocket and flatten it. When the magazine is rolled into a tube, you can reach inside the pocket and grasp the awards.

Ceremony:

Cubmaster enters dressed up as a magician with the magazine under their arm. They ask the audience:

“Who believes that you can get your awards from a magazine? I have here an ordinary Scout Life magazine. It is full of good stuff but I don’t see any awards in here, do you?”

They flip through the magazine so that people can see through the different pages. They shake it to prove there is nothing inside. Then they roll the magazine into a tube and says the magic words (any words they want). They then reach their hand into the tube and pull out the awards one by one and present them. CM then says:

“This is only a demonstration. Please do not try this trick at home. It is very dangerous for Cub Scouts to think that their awards come from a magazine. Only the most experienced magician can get them this way. All Cub Scouts need to earn their awards, just as the Cub Scouts here tonight have. Let’s give them a great big applause.”

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Advancement Ceremony: Bubble Advancement Ceremony

Equipment: Bubble solution, and bubble wand, awards to be given.

Personnel: Den Leader or Cubmaster, Cub Scout receiving award (and parents, if appropriate)

Set up:    Den Leader spends a few seconds blowing bubbles with the Cub Scouts and then calls them around him/her.

DL:	Did you know that soap bubbles can only join at one of two angles (places or ways)?  There are no other possibilities.  So, the number two would be important if you were a bubble.
DA:	The number two is important to Cub Scouts also.  Whenever you give the Scout Oath and Law you hold your right arm high with two fingers held out straight in the Cub Scout sign.  The two fingers stand for the Scout Oath and Scout Law; to help other people and to obey.  They also stand for the two alert ears of a wolf.  A wolf that is always listening to Akela.
DL:	(Name) has been listening closely and working with their parents and in our den.  They are now ready to receive their Advancements.
DA:	We’ll now form a living circle and give the grand howl in (name’s) honor.

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Advancement Ceremony: Magic Advancement Ceremony

There's no magic in what we are about to do next. It's time for recognizing the Cub Scouts whose hard work and skills have earned them the right to advance along the Scouting Trail. No hidden cards, no disappearing balls or coins, no magically appearing scarves are involved in advancement. It's strictly a matter of knowing what you have to do and doing it - with the help of adult leaders, den chiefs, and families, it's true. But the bottom line is that a Cub Scout has to do the work by themself. Well, perhaps there is a bit of magic in that after all - because by fulfilling the Bobcat, Wolf and Bear tracks and marching along the Arrow trail, a Cub Scout transforms themself before our very eyes. And during their years in the Webelos program, a Cub Scout enters a period of accelerated growth and development - often earning an activity pin a month as their hunger for knowledge blossoms. So maybe Magic is what we're recognizing tonight - the best kind of magic. Recognizing young men who have discovered the magic of transforming themselves one step at a time toward their ideals of knowledge, strength, and good citizenship.

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Advancement Ceremony: Magic Advancement

Personnel: Cubmaster and Asst CM (or willing adult.)

Props: Cardboard top hat to hold awards.

Cubmaster: We are here tonight to see some amazing feats of magic.  These Cub Scouts have accomplished great things.  And now, I - the Amazing Cubmaster, will create Bobcats, Tigers, Wolves, Bears and other strange creatures.

Will the following Cub Scouts and their parents please come forward? (Bring all new Bobcats a their parents up). You have learned the ways of Cub Scouting.  Are you ready to be transformed into Bobcats? (Cub Scouts and parents answer yes). Then as I say the magic words, Dobum Yobum Bestum, you will become Bobcats. (Cubmaster reaches into a top hat for awards.  Present awards to parents who present to sons. Lead Cheer. Cub Scouts and parents return to seats.)

Will the following Cub Scouts and their parents please come forward? (Bring all new Tigers and their parents up). You have learned the ways of Cub Scouting.  Are you ready to be transformed into Tigers? (Cub Scouts and parents answer yes). Then as I say the magic words, Dobum Yobum Bestum, you will become Tigers. (Cubmaster reaches into a top hat for awards.  Present awards to parents who present to sons. Lead Cheer. Cub Scouts and parents return to seats.)

Another amazing transformation awaits you. Will the following Cub Scouts and their parents please come forward? (Bring all new Wolves and their parents up.) You have all been Bobcats and have demonstrated your skills and know of the ways of the pack.  Are you ready to become Wolves? (Cub Scouts and parents answer yes.) As I call upon the spirit of the great magician, you will be Wolves.  (Cubmaster reaches for awards to present to the Cub Scouts.  Present awards to parents who present to sons. Lead Cheer. Cub Scouts and parents return to seats.)

Whew!  Was that not incredible?  But there is more work to do. Will the Bears and their parents please come forward? (Bring all new Bears and up). You all have followed the trail of Baloo the Bear.  Are you ready to join your brother the Bear? (Cub Scouts and yes.) Now as my assistant, the great Helper Cub, waves the magic hat, please repeat the magic words after me. Helpet opleet!!  Shazaam!!  You are now Bears! (Cubmaster reaches into top hat for awards.  Present awards to parents who present to sons. Lead Cheer. Cub Scouts and parents return to seats.)

Amazing, simply amazing?  Helper Cub, are there more scouts to be transformed?  Yes. This is simply amazing.  Please come forward!  (Bring all Webelos up to me.) You are moving along the trail to the goal of the Webelos and are about to be transformed.  However, I have seen signs of you working towards the goal of Webelos rank.  You are working hard on your activity pins and I, the amazing Cubmaster know you are Beum Prepareum. (Cubmaster reaches awards.  Present awards to parents who present to sons.  Lead Cheer.  Cub Scouts return to seats.)

Now I have my strength back.  It is time to try the most difficult magic trick of all, following of a Cub Scout into that mythical creature, the Webelos.  Will the all their parents please come forward? (Bring all new Webelos and their parents up). You all have climbed the mountain and done the requirements.  Are you ready to become Webelos? (Cub Scouts and parents answer yes.) Th ‘ We-ek Be-ek Lo-ek Yal-ek, Sc-ek Out-ek, abra cadabra, you are now Webelos!! (Cubmaster reaches into top hat for awards.  Present awards to parents who present to sons. Lead Cheer.  Cub Scouts and parents return to seats.)

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Advancement Ceremony: Magic Awards

Equipment: Master of Ceremonies Top Hat, Wolf Award Cards secretly hidden in hat, Magic Wand, Bear Award Cards rolled inside, Several covered hankies-Webelos cards attached to each one

Note: This ceremony may take some practice on the part of the master of ceremonies. They may want to develop some kind of style to act like a magician. (Prepare the top hat by laying the awards inside the hat so they can easily be removed.) Roll the awards in the magic wand (paper towel roll) so they can be removed by a shake of the wand. Tie the colored hankies to each end of the diagonal. Fold them and place them inside a pocket so they will come out one by one.

Master Of Ceremonies: Ladies & Gentlemen, Tonight the magic has already been performed, but I'll see if I can do one more magic act.  The Cub Scouts of Pack            have been working magic on the awards they have earned this past month. They have produced their various awards as if by magic, but in reality have been working very hard to  get these awards.  If our magic spirit is here tonight, we will produce those awards to present to our Cubs. Wave hand over hat, then put wand on table.

Wait a few seconds and look surprised. Reach in hat and pull out an award card. Read the name and ask the Cub Scout and their parents to come up. After all of the Wolf awards been given out, go to the table and pick up wand. Study it and with a surprise, shake out the Bear awards. Pick them up and call out the names of the Cub Scouts have them bring their parents forward. After they have all been awarded, put your hand in your pocket and bring out a hankie.

Wipe your brow, but to your surprise there is something attached to it. Read the award and give it out. Repeat, until all of the awards have been given out.

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Advancement Ceremony: The Magic Colors

Props: clear container with a little dry ice in it, top hat. glass of blue water, glass of yellow water.

Personnel: Cubmaster (CM) and assistant CM (CA)

CM:	Tonight, I would like to show you the colors of the Cub Scouts.
CA:	First there is blue, which stands for loyalty, truth, and Honesty.
CM:	Then there is gold which stands for cheerfulness, Happiness, and Fun.
CA:	If we combine these two colors (pour the colors at the same time into the clear container and see what happens) we get green which stands for the earth and for the Scouts BSA program.
CM:	Tonight we have some Cub Scouts who will receive awards. There is really nothing magical about their advancement.  It requires a Cub Scout to team up with their parents to achieve. (CM pulls awards from magician’s top hat.)

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Advancement Ceremony: Magic Neckerchief Graduation Ceremony Script

This ceremony is written for Webelos Scouts graduation to Scouts BSA. With slight modification, it can be used for any level rank advancement. It is written assuming several Cub Scouts will be receiving their awards, but with minor changes could be used for a single Cub Scout.

Materials:

• Neckerchief (if using Webelos neckerchief, the Webelos patch must be removed because it holds too much acetone and will result in burning the part of the neckerchief above the patch),
• 2 coat hangers,
• 2 safety pins,
• 1 empty wide-mouthed peanut butter jar with lid,
• Acetone,
• Water,
• A lighted candle or advancement log with lighted candles, fire extinguisher

Directions:

Stretch out the hangers and attach one safety pin to each.

Mix the "Magic Water" in the jar. This should be done outside with good ventilation. Keep the lid tightly closed except when dipping the neckerchief. Magic water consists of EXACTLY 40% Acetone and 60% Water (2 parts Acetone to 3 parts Water).

You will need an assistant for lights, one for handling the dipping of the neckerchief, and one off-stage with the fire extinguisher (just in case).

When it is time to dip and burn the neckerchief, use the following procedure:

1. Attach the corners of the neckerchief to the hangers with the safety pins.
2. Lightly shake the jar of Magic Water to remix the components. Tightly wad the neckerchief and dip it completely into the jar containing the Magic Water. The whole neckerchief must be wet or the dry part will burn.
3. Squeeze out the neckerchief and quickly extend it, holding the hangers.  While this is being done, the lid must be replaced for fire safety.
4. Pass the neckerchief over the flame. Make certain the neckerchief is spread between the wire holders. It cannot be rolled or folded in any part.  Make certain that the neckerchief is well in front, or off to the side, of you. We used an old broom stick, with the hangers attached to it so that no one had to be really close. If you work quickly enough, the whole neckerchief will appear to be engulfed in flames and the flames will extend several inches above the top of the neckerchief.
5. Shake gently when just the edges remain burning. This will extinguish the flames along the hems, which hold more acetone than the body, due to the additional fabric there.  You must move very quickly through steps 2, 3 and 4, or the acetone will evaporate before it can be ignited. The jar of acetone must be kept away from the flame and be covered at all times, except when actually dipping the neckerchief. Acetone is highly flammable. You might want an additional assistant or two to help with this.

Practice the steps above outside before the meeting to make sure that you can get it right when the time comes. It will be embarrassing if the wet neckerchief doesn't burn due to evaporation of the acetone. This trick works because the acetone burns while the water keeps the neckerchief from burning. Remember that the acetone will evaporate pretty quickly, or you will miss the effect.

Script:

(Leave only the lights in front on while telling the story.)

Tonight, Webelos Scouts are graduating to Scouts BSA.  Webelos Scout, please come forward with your parents.

These youth have completed their Cub Scouting activities. There remains but one test before they may cross the bridge into Scouts BSA.

Have they done everything they can to BE PREPARED?

Deep in the heart of the mountains and deserts of New Mexico, there is an Indian village alongside a small stream. The village and the area around it are very green and lush. This is very unusual, for the village is in the middle of a very harsh desert land.

While hiking in the area several years ago, I came across this village and stopped by the stream for a rest. There was an old Chief sitting in the sun by the stream, and I asked him:

"Why is this area so green and your people so healthy?"

The old Chief replied: "The waters of this stream are magical. They assist all who come, by telling the people if they have done everything they need to be prepared. By hard work with the assistance of these magical waters, my people have done the things needed to be prepared and prosper in life."

I thought for a while and said: "I, too, could use these magical waters, for I know of many young men who are working hard to be prepared for life. Could I take some of these magical waters with me?"

The old Chief smiled and nodded. "It is for the youth that these waters are most special. Take something special from one of the young men who is to be tested and dip it in the water. Pass the special item over the flame, and if the special item burns, but is not consumed, then they have done everything needed to be prepared."

From one of the Cub Scouts before us, we take the Webelos Neckerchief.

(Fold the fabric. It must be smooth. Dip it in the Magic Water. Quickly take the neckerchief from the jar and spread it tightly between the wire holders. Your assistant covers the jar before you put the neckerchief over the candle, but you cannot wait too long. This part must be done quickly. Then pass it over the flame of the Spirit of Scouting.)

Scouts, you have passed the test and are prepared to cross over into Scouts BSA. May the Great Spirit of Akela go with you throughout your Scouting days.

Don't try this at home!  Only trained Cubmasters are allowed to perform this ceremony!

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Advancement Ceremony: The Magic of Cub Scouting

Personnel - Cubmaster (CM) and assistant CM (CA)

CA:	(approaches CM, waiving two tickets)Hey _________________ , look what I just got!
CM:	Wow ________________ , you sure are excited. Did you just strike it rich on the lottery or did you win season tickets?
CA:	No. It's even better than that, I was just given these two tickets to a magic show - and it's tonight! Take a look. (Hands tickets to CM)
CM:	These sure are for tonight. In fact the location of the show is right here and the time is right now!
CA:	I'm really confused. I don't see a magic show here, just you and all these kids with their parents. I suppose that you're the magician and that you are going to pull a rabbit out of your hat.
CM:	Let me clear it up for you. There is no magician here and the magic is not any ‘up-my-sleeve’ tricks. The magic in this room is the magic of Cub Scouting. You see these people are Cub Scout families, and they are here to have fun and recognize the Cub Scouts in our pack for their accomplishments since our last meeting.
CA:	Tell me more. What's so magical about Cub Scouting?
CM:	Well, first of all, Cub Scouting helps the Cub Scouts in three areas; character development, citizenship and physical and mental fitness. And the really magical part about all of this is that the Cub Scouts have fun while this is happening.
CA:	Gee,  ___________, I don't see how having my character developed can be much fun, what do you mean?
CM:	Why don't I call up the Cub Scouts who have earned special recognition tonight and tell you about what they have done. Would the following Cub Scouts and their parent please come forward? (call names).  (Call names) you have completed the (5 or12) achievements needed to complete the (Tiger, Wolf or Bear) badge. Did you do your best?  Did you have fun?
CA:	I see what you mean. These guys really seem happy right now.
CM:	You bet they are. We are all proud of their accomplishments too.
CA:	I'll just reach inside this hat and pull out the badges that you have earned. I will give it to your parent and ask them to proudly present it to you.  (Read names, pull awards from top hat, present awards)
CM:	The magic of Cub Scouting is all around us tonight. Congratulations to all of you on your accomplishments!  Let's have a cheer!

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Advancement Ceremony: The Magic of Cub Scouting

Personnel:   Cubmaster in top hat; Tiger Cub and Wolf, Bear, and Webelos Scouts

Equipment: Magic box or curtain, magic wand, top hat

Cubmaster:  If it worked like magic, Cub Scout advancement would happen this way: A Tiger Cub would go into the magic box (Tiger Cub enters the box), I would wave my magic wand, and Abracadabra!—out comes a Wolf Cub Scout! (Wolf Cub Scouts emerges from the box.)

Then, in would go the Wolf Cub Scout (Enters the box) and, Abracadabra!—out comes a Bear Cub Scout! (Bear Cub Scout emerges.)

What would happen if we put the Bear Cub Scout in? (Bear Cub Scout enters the box.) Now, let’s all say it together, Abracadabra!—and out comes a Webelos Scout. (Webelos Scout emerges.)

But is that the way Cub Scout advancement works?

(Cub Scouts say “NO!”)  It isn’t so easy! Each Cub Scout works hard to achieve their rank, and the following Cub Scouts have done so tonight.  Will the following Cub Scouts and their parents come forward to receive the Bobcat badge? (Continues through the ranks.)

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Advancement Ceremony: Magic Wishing Powder

A container filled with white granulated sugar makes a nice wishing powder. Have everyone stand around the campfire, and pass the container around the campfire circle. Everyone takes a small handful and holds it until everyone is ready. Everyone makes a wish, and on the count of 3, tosses the powder into the fire. The sugar makes some nice sparks that lasts a few seconds.

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Advancement Ceremony: Magic Words

Materials: Large signs with “thank you,” “please,” “pardon me,” “how nice you are,” and “you’re welcome” written on them.

Cubmaster (CM) leads the ceremony.  If desired Cubmaster part may be split among several leaders.

CM: We have many values in Cub Scouting. Respect is one of them. To be respectful to others, you need to be courteous, appreciative, kind, and thoughtful. There are important words that tell someone that you are respectful. I call them magic words. I’m sure the Cub Scouts in this room know these words already. I would like to ask the Cub Scouts who have earned special awards to come up and help me review some of these magic words.

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Advancement Ceremony: Merlin

Personnel: Merlin, Cubmaster

Equipment: Merlin (wizard) costume, table (small) mixing bowl, cereal bowl, dry ice, stirring rod (Merlin staff), quart of water, towel, caps, baby powder, Cub Scout magic stuff.

CM: Down through the ages many smiles have been written about the great scholars and during the middle ages the scholars were the magicians. Probably the most famous of these magicians was named Merlin. If we can be absolutely silent and all close our eyes, maybe we will be able to conjure up the Old Master himself.

(Turm lights out. Fire caps. Throw a handful of baby powder into the air for "smoke" effect. Lights on and Merlin is there amongst the "smoke" -- coughing.) Merlin: (Crackle cough) This smoke and fine business is definitely not the way to travel! Magic? You want magic? You called the right guy. No one in history has ever been able to match the power of my spells. Let me show you some of my magic.

(Goes through several Cub Scout magic tracks See Cub Scout Magic Book - or does several silly magic tricks-) Merlin: And now for the most important trick of all! (Merlin pours water into mixing bowl with dry ice already inside. Awards are inside small bowl now floating in large bowl. Merlin stirs with staff: C02 cloud should spill over and cover bowl Cubmaster calls names of Cub Scouts receiving advancement and one by one each Cub Scout stirs the brew.

After each stir, Merlin reaches into the bowl and pulls out the Cub Scout’s award. They read the award and congratulate the mix and try again.

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Advancement Ceremony: Magic Cauldron Advancement

Props: Sorcerer’s cauldron or facsimile. Badges with names attached are placed in the cauldron before the meeting opens.  Either keep the cauldron out of sight or place a lid on it until it is time to be used.

Scene: At awards time, announce that you will brew up something in the cauldron, but you will need the help of the new Bobcats in the Pack. Depending on the number to receive that award (five or seven is perfect) you call one at a time forward. They tell you the ingredients that go in to make a Bobcat, (motto. Salute, handshake, sign, promise law, meaning, of Webelos) and demonstrate each one by doing or saying. Pretend to “put” each thing into the cauldron then stir and draw out the Bobcat Badges.  Call each Cub Scout’s parents forward to pin the badge on their son.  Lead a magical cheer.

For Tiger Badge, add each ingredient to kettle telling what it is based on the five Tiger achievements, i.e. a scrapbook for Making My Family Special, a flag or map of the community for Where I Live, a food pyramid for Keeping Myself Healthy and Safe, a picture of an ear or TV set or Boom Box or a newspaper or How I Tell It, leaf or hiking stick for outdoors.  If you cannot find an object print achievement on cardboard and put it in the cauldron.  Then stir and draw out the Tiger Badges.  Call the Cub Scouts and their parents forward and present badges to the parents to present to their sons.  Lead a magical cheer.

For Wolf Badge, add each ingredient to kettle telling what it is based on the twelve Wolf achievements, i.e., band-aid for keeping healthy, string for tying things, stamp for collection, small screwdriver for tools, etc.  If difficult to use object print achievement on cardboard and put in.  Then stir and draw out the Wolf Badges.  Call the Cub Scouts and their parents forward and present badges to the parents to present to their son.  Lead a magical cheer.

Do the Bear Badge in the same manner.  Since there are now 24 Bear achievements, you will have to find out which twelve each Bear choose.  If more than one Bear is receiving the badge, use all they choose, but don’t repeat any, i.e.; piece of rope for knots. Baseball for sports, small flag for American heritage, coins for saving and spending well, testament for religious activities, etc.

This ceremony can also be adopted for use with the Webelos Adventures, using the same method with the requirements.

This ceremony. Should be done in semi-darkness maybe with candles so the cauldron will not be too obviously unreal.  But use enough light so that each item going in can be clearly defined.  Can be done “theatrically” ala Harry Potter or a sorcerer putting in “eye of toad. Wing of bat. Etc”

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Advancement Ceremonies: 

	Houston:	Okay, commander. Don’t get nervous. We’ll work out this problem. What kinds of cargo do you have? Over.

 

Audience Participation: Jared and His Magic Show

Instructions: Divide the group into three smaller groups and assign each group one of the words listed below. Practice as you make assignments. Read the story. After each of the words is read pause for the group to make the appropriate response.

Directions: Divide the group in two parts. Then tell them, every time you hear the word Magic, I want the Left side to say Abracadabra and then the Right side to say Alacazam! 

Jared was a Cub Scout. He liked MAGIC shows. He decided that he would put on his own MAGIC show. 
He practiced and practiced all his MAGIC tricks. Finally the big day came. He was going to put on his MAGIC show for is family and friends. 
His brother liked MAGIC tricks too! He thought it would be fun to pull a trick on Jared. He talked to his sister Shari who was going to help Jared with his MAGIC tricks, and asked her to help him with his plan. 
The time came and Jared started his show. He showed some MAGIC tricks with cards. Then he showed a MAGIC trick using a handkerchief and some flowers. 
The next MAGIC trick he did was to pull a rabbit out of a hat. Then Jared showed the MAGIC number trick. 
Now it was time for his last MAGIC trick. He was going to make Shari disappear. 
Jared had Shari get in a MAGIC box. Jared shut the door and said the MAGIC words. He opened the door and she was gone. He closed the door and told everyone he would make her come back. Again, Jared said the MAGIC words and opened the door and guess what? She was still gone. Jared was very surprised. His brother was laughing. Jared’s brother came out to help him. They both said the MAGIC words and opened the door and there she was with a big smile on her face. 
Jared’s brother said, “The MAGIC trick was on you. You thought she was really gone and she wasn’t.” 

Audience Participation: Magic Water

Instructions: Divide the group into three smaller groups and assign each group one of the words listed below. Practice as you make assignments. Read the story. After each of the words is read pause for the group to make the appropriate response.

	ZIMBINI:	“Let The Show Begin”
	MAGIC:	“Abracadabra”
	CUBS:	“How’d He Do That?”

The Great ZIMBINI was coming to town to put on a MAGIC show for the Pack. All of the CUBS were busily practicing their MAGIC tricks since they knew the Great ZIMBINI always chose an assistant from the audience to help with the show.
As the day of the Great ZIMBINI’S MAGIC show approached, Gary was still having trouble with his MAGIC trick. He was trying to pull a rabbit out of his dad’s top hat, but just couldn’t get the rabbit to cooperate. He went to his CUB Scout Den Leader for advice. She suggested a very special trick and whispered it to Gary. His eyes lit up with excitement as he went home to practice his MAGIC trick.
The CUBS all arrived early to show the Great ZIMBINI their MAGIC tricks. One by one they auditioned for ZIMBINI and watched as he jotted down some notes. Finally it was Gary’s turn to perform. He walked on stage and announced his MAGIC trick would astound the CUBS - he was going to walk on water.
The curtain opened to a small pool full of water. Gary walked to the pool to perform his MAGIC trick for the CUBS and ZIMBINI. Gary reached into the pool and picked up a small glass of water, which he poured onto the stage. He then walked on the spilled water and took his bow. The CUBS and the Great ZIMBINI laughed and laughed at Gary’s MAGIC trick. Gary was very proud to be picked from the CUBS to perform with the GREAT ZIMBINI and wowed the audience with his MAGIC trick at the show.

Audience Participation: The Mystifying

Instructions: Divide the group into three smaller groups and assign each group one of the words listed below. Practice as you make assignments. Read the story. After each of the words is read pause for the group to make the appropriate response.

Equipment: Pencil and paper for each Cub Scout
Formation: Circle

• Give all the Cub Scouts a slip of paper – each the same size and shape as the others. 
• Then ask everyone to write a short sentence of four or five words. The words should be written plainly and should not be shown to any other person. 
• Then instruct them to fold their papers and bring them to someone previously selected to act as the ‘guardian’. 
• No one, not even the guardian, should attempt to read the papers, still folded. 
• As you gravely close your eyes, place the folded paper against your forehead and remain a moment in deep thought. Then call out any sentence that has occurred to you and as who wrote it.  
• One of the Cub Scouts, who is the accomplice, and who did not write a sentence nor submit a slip of paper, admits authorship of the sentence. 
• Then unfold the paper, apparently to verify their announcement (and read the sentence to yourself). 
• Next, place the paper in your left hand and ask the guardian for another. 
• Repeat the same preliminaries and then call out the words written on the previous paper, which you have had the opportunity to read. This will be a bona fide answer and one of the Cub Scouts will have to admit to writing the sentence.  
• Keep the performance up in this manner until all the player’s slips of paper have been read.
• In order for the trick to be successful, the accomplice must be careful to conceal from the audience the fact that they did not include a sentence in the collection given to the guardian.

Audience Participation: The Reluctant Rabbit

Instructions: Divide the group into three smaller groups and assign each group one of the words listed below. Practice as you make assignments. Read the story. After each of the words is read pause for the group to make the appropriate response.

	Joe:	Abracadabra
	Rabbit:	Flop hands like ears and wiggle nose
	Hat:	Tip imaginary hat
	Dog:	Wooof

Joe was very busy. It was only a few days until the Pack Meeting and he was still trying to perfect his disappearing Rabbit trick. All the other Cub Scouts already had their tricks ready. But Joe was having a little trouble. He had his black top Hat and a very nice little Rabbit and Joe even knew exactly how to do the Rabbit in the Hat trick, but the Rabbit would not cooperate.
Just then, Joe’s Dog came bounding into the room.  “Woof,” said the Dog. He was a very large Dog and the minute the Rabbit saw him, he bolted under the bed, toppling the Hat and just about knocking JOE off the bed. “Dog,” shouted Joe, “Get down! You keep scaring my Rabbit. And I already have enough trouble with him.” The Dog hung his head in shame. He was really a very good Dog and did not mean to scare the Rabbit. Joe reached under the bed and pulled out the Rabbit. Joe petted the Rabbit ad soon he was calm. “Now, let’s practice,” Joe said.  He took the Hat and after waving the magic wand a few times he put the Rabbit into the Hat. But the Rabbit would not stay in the Hat. Joe’s Dog sat quietly and watched.  Nothing Joe did seemed to help.
Joe was getting very frustrated. He put the Hat on his own head and sat down on the bed. The Hat fell down around Joe’s eyes so he could not see. “Boy it’s dark in here,” he said. That was when it hit him.  The Rabbit had claustrophobia and was afraid of the dark! Every time Joe put him in the Hat, the Rabbit got very nervous and tried to escape. Joe patted his Dog on the head and thought and thought.  He didn’t have time to train another Rabbit. What could he do?
Then Joe had a bright idea. He opened the top drawer of his bureau and began searching through all his stuff.  His Dog came over to help.  Soon Joe found what he was looking for—his penlight. He put it in the bottom of the Hat and turned on the light.
Then he took the Rabbit waved the magic wand and stuffed the Rabbit into the Hat.  This time, with the light to keep him calm, the Rabbit stayed.
“Hurray!” shouted Joe. “Now I can do my trick!” And sure enough, the Rabbit had disappeared; the Hat was empty!  Even the Dog was surprised.

 

Magic Cheers 

 

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Closing Ceremony: Disappearing Act

Personnel: Five Cub Scouts, Cubmaster, person to cut off house lights.
Props:  Cape and magic wands, flashlights

#1:	We've shown you the magic of Cub Scouting and how we can make many things.
#2:	We’ve abra’d and cadabra’d till our wands are weak.
#3:	But we’ve got just a bit of magic left.
#4:	So everyone wish real hard for the thing that they want most. (House lights are shut off, Cubmaster runs  off stage, Cub Scouts swing flashlights around wildly and then house lights come back on.)
#5:	It seems that we all wish the same thing - that the Cubmaster would disappear till next month. So Good Night and Good Scouting!!

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Closing Ceremony: Magic of The World

As parents, we want to show our sons the wonders of the world. In the eyes of a child, there are not just eight wonders of the world but eight million. We want them to be able to look at the stars, sunrise, sunset, and feel their beauty.

• We want them to see a world of love, laughter, and compassion.
• We want them to build strength within themselves of strong character and a sensitivity to the needs of others.
• We want them to be the best they can be. Unfortunately, no one can wave a magic wand so that they will receive these things. We as leaders and parents must set the example to show the guidance so they may see the way to accomplish all of these things. This is the magic; Our example and guidance.

So as we leave, let's be aware of our actions and how loudly they speak to our youth.

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Closing Ceremony: Magic Words Closing

Cubmaster: There is a very special kind of magic. This magic will open the coldest heart and win wonderful friends for us.

Cub Scouts come on stage, each one carrying a different sign. Examples are: Please, Thank you, Pardon me, Excuse me, You’re welcome, How nice you look, I admit I made a mistake.

Simple words, but important words that tell someone else that you are appreciative, courteous and thoughtful. Add kind deeds to the magic of words, and the possibilities are unlimited. A smile happens quickly, but the memory of it lasts a long time.

 

 

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Closing Ceremony: It’s Magic

You know, we are all magicians.

It doesn’t take a magic hat; it doesn’t take a magic wand. Magic is always present in our lives.

The magic of a sunset, of a friend’s kind word or deed, or how we are loved and needed. These things can leave a magical feeling within us. The greatest way we can use the magic around us is by using it to quietly help others and not be so concerned about getting the credit.

Maybe we can provide magic for others by doing small deeds that will make another person wonder who did the deed for them. Cub Scouts, can you create a little magic for someone else this month?

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Closing Ceremony: Magic Words

There is a very special kind of magic. This magic will open the coldest heart and win wonderful friends for us. (Cub Scouts come on stage, each one carrying a different sign. Examples are: Please, Thank you, Pardon me, Excuse me, You’re welcome, How nice you look, I admit I made a mistake)

Simple words, but important words that tell someone else that you are appreciative, courteous and thoughtful. Add kind deeds to the magic of words, and the possibilities are unlimited. A smile happens quickly, but the memory of it lasts a long time

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Closing Ceremony: A Smile is Magic

You know, we are all magicians. It doesn’t take a magic hat; it doesn’t take a magic wand. Magic is always present in our lives—in the magic of a sunset, a friend’s kind word or deed, or how we are loved and needed. These things can leave a magical feeling within us. The greatest way we can use the magic around us is by using it to quietly help others and not be so concerned about getting the credit.

Maybe we can provide magic for others by doing small deeds that will make another person wonder who did the deed for them. Cub Scouts, can you create a little magic for someone else this month?

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Closing Ceremony: Magic of The World

As parents, we want to show our sons the wonders of the world. In the eyes of a child, there are not just eight wonders of the world but eight million. We want them to be able to look at the stars, sunrise, sunset, and feel their beauty. We want them to see a world of love, laughter, and compassion.

We want them to build strength within themselves of strong character and a sensitivity to the needs of others. We want them to be the best they can be. Unfortunately, no one can wave a magic wand so that they will receive these things. We, as leaders and parents, must set the example so they may see the way to accomplish all of these things. This is the magic—our example and guidance.

So, as we leave, let’s be aware of our actions and how loudly they speak to our youth.

 

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Den & Pack Activities: Black Magic (circle / passive)

The leader needs a helper who understands how the trick works.   The helper leaves the circle.  While they are gone, the group decides on an object. The helper then comes back to the group. Their task is to guess what the object is.  The leader asks questions like, "Is it the swings?" or "Is it the bench".  The helper replies no. The trick is that the object will be the first one after a black object.

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Den & Pack Activities: Broom Sweep Relay 

Equipment: broom, balloon (inflated), and plastic cone for each team 

Divide your den or pack into equal teams. Line up each team behind a starting line. Place a plastic cone about 40 feet from the starting line for each team. Give the first person in each team a broom and an inflated balloon. On the start signal, the first person in each team puts the balloon on the floor and proceeds to sweep the balloon to the cone. He circles the cone and continues sweeping the balloon back to their teammates. He hands the broom to the next teammate and walks to the end of the line. The next player sweeps the balloon to the cone, circles it and sweeps back to their team. The balloon is to remain on the ground at all times. If the balloon pops, the player must restart from the starting line. The first team to have all players complete the clean sweep with the balloon is declared the winner. Have extra inflated balloons on hand in case one should break. This game can also be played outdoors – fill the balloons with water for some wild fun. 

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Den & Pack Activities: Catching the Dragon's Tail

A dragon is formed by grouping the players into a long line each with their hands on the shoulders of the one in front of them.  The first in the row is the dragon's head. The last in the row is the dragon's tail, eager to lash to the right and left in order to escape the head. Until the signal GO is given, the dragon must be a straight line. Someone in the group counts "One, two, three, go!"  On the signal GO the head runs around toward the tail and tries to catch it. The whole body must move with the head and remain unbroken. If the head succeeds in touching the tail, they may continue to be the head.
If the body breaks before they catch the tail the head becomes the tail and the next in line is the head and so on until each has a chance to be the head and the tail.

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Den & Pack Activities: Fumble Fingers Relay

How To Book, pg.2-42
Ask the Cub Scouts what a good magician needs.  Accept all answers, but eventually get down to nimble fingers – no matter what other equipment a magician have, they must have nimble fingers.
Each team has a pair of large canvas gloves or mittens.  At the goal line is a canning jar, (or jar with a lid that has to be unscrewed), containing five toothpicks – one for each team.  
On signal, the first Cub Scout on each team races to the goal line, puts on the gloves, removes the lid, empties the jar, picks up the toothpicks, then puts them back in the jar and screws on the lid.  
Then the Cub Scout takes off the gloves and races back to hand them to the next player, who repeats the action.

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Den & Pack Activities: Crazy Quarter

Equipment: 2 quarters, 1 nickel (a penny will work as well as a nickel) 
Tell your audience that you have the ability to make falling quarters land the way you’d like them to. Stack the nickel in between the two quarters. Hold the stack between your fingertips, about 10 inches above your other hand. 
Explain to your audience that when you release the bottom two coins (quarter and nickel), that they will change position in mid-air before falling into your other hand with the quarter falling last. You can say some magic words and count to three. Keep hold of the top quarter and drop the other two coins. The two coins should fall into your palm with the nickel under the quarter. Let the Cub Scouts try this and see if they have crazy quarters, too... Then they can go home and share this with their families. 

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Den & Pack Activities: Hare Hop Game

Equipment: Per team: pair of rabbit ears (made from cardboard, cotton and wire attached to a hat); small balloon and 1 large balloon for each member; lots of string; chair

Divide the group into teams of six. Line up each team in straight lines at one end of the playing area. Place the chairs, one for each team, at the opposite end of the playing area. On 'Go', the first player of each team dons the rabbit ears, while their teammates blow up one small and one large balloon. One long piece of string is tied to the small balloon. The first player then ties the string around their waist, with the balloon hanging from behind, to represent their tail. He hugs the large balloon to their tummy, to represent the fluffy underside of a bunny. Then, with their ears and their two balloons, they hop down to the chair, hugs the large balloon until it breaks, and sits on their 'tail' until the small balloon breaks. When both balloons have burst, they hop back to the team where they give the ears to the second player. The fun is helping each rabbit get 'dressed' and in cheering each bunny on.  The relay ends when all bunnies have lost their tummies and tails.

Hunt the Magic Key
Object: To conceal the Magic Key from the Magician. The clever part of this game is the teamwork! 
All of the players except for one, who is the Magician, sit in a tight circle. The magician sits in the middle of the circle. 
The Magician closes their eyes and counts to ten out loud while the other players pass the key around the circle, keeping it hidden in their hands. 
When the Magician reaches ten they open their eyes and, while the key continues to be passed, tries to figure out which player has it. However, the key needs to continue being passed. While one player is actually passing the key, the other players in the circle pretend to pass the key. 
The Magician watches carefully until they are ready to guess who has the key. When the Magician calls the suspect’s name the passing of the key stops and the suspect opens their hands for everyone to see. When the key is discovered, the Magician changes places with the holder of the key and a new game starts. 
 

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Den & Pack Activities: I Spy

I Spy is a version of Hide and Seek.

As in the standard game “it” hides their eyes at base and counts while the other players find hiding places. Then “it” goes to look for the hiders. Upon seeing a hider, “it” runs back to home base and yells out the hider’s name and location “I spy (the person’s name) behind the tree,” for example. If “it” is correct, about both the name and the hiding place, the hider is captured. To avoid being captured, a hider can run for home if they think they are spotted. If they get there before “it” can say “I spy…” he’s home free.nThis game is especially fun at dusk. 

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Den & Pack Activities: Magician Match-Up

Use the information under Famous Magicians and Fun Facts About Magic to create a matching game or Magic Concentration Game. Match the magician to their description. For example:

	1. Harry Houdini	a. Comic Book Hero
	2. Blackstone	b. Flew over Australia
	3. Horace Goldin	c. Used eclipse for magic
	4. David Copperfield	d. Did 45 tricks in 17 minutes
	5. Columbus	e. Built statue to honor magicians
	6. Ancient Greeks	f. Has a Magic Museum

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Den & Pack Activities: Magic Sticks (circle / passive)

The leader starts with 2 sticks.  They hold the sticks crossed or uncrossed and says "These sticks are crossed" or "these sticks are uncrossed".  The leader then passes the sticks around and each camper tries to figure it out.   The trick is that the sticks are crossed if the passer's legs are crossed and if the passer's legs aren't crossed neither are the sticks.

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Den & Pack Activities: Magician Tag

This is a version of freeze tag. The players run freely about trying to avoid being tagged by “It” who is the “magician.” When tagged, a player must stop instantly and may not move unless freed from the “spell” by being touched by a free player, after which they may rejoin the game and try to free other players. The aim of the magician is to render all the players inactive. 

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Den & Pack Activities: Magic Trivia

Use the information in Fun Facts About Magic to create a Trivia Game. For example: What unusual hiding place did a famous 18th Century Dutch magician use to hide their props? 
Answer: their hollowed-out wooden leg.

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Den & Pack Activities: Magic Toothpick Trick

Effect: 
    The magician shows a pan full of water with five toothpicks in the shape of a pentagon. 
    The magician takes their magic toothpick and dips it in the center of the pentagon.  
    The five toothpicks fly apart, breaking the pentagon!
    Someone from the audience says, “Oh, that's just what happens when you do that, it's not magic.”
    The magician arranges the five toothpicks back into a pentagon and hands the person in the audience the magic toothpick.  
    The person dips it in the center.  Nothing happens.  
It really was magic!

Supplies: 

• Tinfoil pan (pie plate or Chinese food plate work well)
• Water
• 6 flat wooden toothpicks
• The magic ingredient:  liquid dishwashing soap  

Away from the Audience - Preparation:  

• Dip one of your toothpicks in liquid dishwashing soap.  Set it aside for now.
• Make sure your pan is clean.  Rinse it well with water.  
• Fill it quite full of water (but not so full that you're going to spill it). 

In Front of the Audience - Preparation:  

• Arrange the five SOAPLESS toothpicks in the shape of a pentagon.
• Make sure the tips of the toothpicks overlap so your pentagon stays together.  This can be a bit of a challenge the first time you do it, so practice arranging the toothpicks at home a few times first and consider arranging them while the audience is seating itself.
• Now, when the audience is settled, let them look at the pentagon.  They may have to stand to do this or you may want to do the trick on the floor with the audience around you in a U-shape.
• Tell the audience that you've arranged the toothpicks into a special five-sided shape called a pentagon and that you're going to cast a spell on the sixth toothpick to imbue it with some of your magical force so it will be able to break apart the pentagon.
• Take out the sixth toothpick (the one that was dipped in dish soap) and wave your hand over it while chanting some magical words.  Close your eyes and frown a bit so it looks like you're working on putting your magic into the toothpick.  
• Now, dip the magical toothpick into the center of the pentagon (Make sure you dip the soapy end in the water and try to get it as close to the center of the shape as possible -- the soap shouldn't be visible anymore).  The five toothpicks will fly apart.
• If you have a non-believer in the audience, offer to let them try the trick.  Arrange the pentagon in the water again and hand them the magic toothpick.  Let them dip it in the center.  It won't work!
• If the audience asks you to do the trick a second time, just tell them that it takes a while to recharge your magical force.  You have to rest before you can put more of it into a toothpick; otherwise, you could lose your magic forever!

Secret: Throughout history, a lot of 'magic' has really been science disguised with a few silly words.  This is one of those tricks.
All things (including water) are made up of tiny things called molecules).  Water molecules like each other and stick together (that's why when a bit of water falls on a table or window, it blobs together in a little droplet). The surface of the water has a layer of clingy molecules on it -- this layer is called the water's surface tension.  The toothpicks were nice and flat so they were floating on this layer.
Remember that we dipped the sixth toothpick in dish soap?  That's the real trick to this trick.  The soap molecules break the surface tension of the water.  This effect spreads out in an ever-widening ring (like ripples in the water when you throw a rock in a lake).  The molecules originally holding the toothpicks break apart.  The molecules farther away from where you dipped the toothpick still have their surface tension (for a little longer) so they pull the toothpick toward them.  Of course, eventually, the "ripples" of soap hit those molecules too.
Once the soap is in the water, the surface tension won't come back.  That's why the audience member couldn't recreate the trick.  It will only work once and then you have to clean everything up and use new toothpicks to do the trick a second time.  That's also why you have to be careful that your pan is well rinsed before you do the trick.

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Den & Pack Activities: Magic Water 

Equipment:  Empty 2 liter bottle, water, pushpin 
With the pushpin, poke 3 holes about 3 inches from the bottom of the bottle – in a line about ⅛ inch apart. Over the sink (or outside), fill the bottle with water. You’ll have three separate streams of water start to come out of your three holes. Now the magic – Using your fingers, pinch the three streams of water together. When you let go with your fingers, the three streams of water will stay together. You’ve completed the magic and tied the water in a knot! Why does that work? The atoms that make up a water molecule – hydrogen and oxygen – like to stick together. This is called surface tension or hydrogen bonding. That’s why the streams of water stick together. 

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Den & Pack Activities: Number Magic

There are lots of ideas similar to this floating around for fun with numbers where the Cub Scouts will think you are a genius.  I like the ones where you wind up with your birth year.  Here is an easy one to learn and teach – 

Think of a number. Double the number thought of. Add 10 and divide by 2. Then subtract the first number. The answer will always be 5. 

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Den & Pack Activities: Rope Trick 

Effect: Holding a piece of rope, the magician places the ends of the rope into their hands and closes their fingers around the ends. The magician shakes the rope slightly, says a magic word, blows on their hands and drops one end of the rope. Magic! The end has a knot in it! 
Supplies: One long piece of rope 
Secret: The rope already has a knot in one end... Tie a knot in one end of the rope. Hide this end with the knot in your hand and bring the other end of the rope up next to it. Shake your hand as if you're trying to knot it. Drop the end with the knot and it looks like you have tied a knot in the rope using one hand. 

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Den & Pack Activities: Smaug's Jewels (passive/circle)

One person is chosen as Smaug stands guard over their jewel's (a beanbag, handkerchief, etc.).   Everyone else forms a circle around them and tries to steal the treasure without being tagged.  If you are touched by the Smaug, you are instantly frozen in place until the end of the game.  The snatcher becomes the Smaug. 
 

 

 

Games: 

Gathering Activities

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Gathering Activity: Card Tower

Build the highest possible tower using all the cards. Materials: a full pack of playing cards.

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Gathering Activity: Tricks of the Trade Word Search

Find the words in this word search that all have to do with magic – the words can be vertical, horizontal or diagonal
 
Abracadabra    Rabbit    Apparatus
Rope    Cards    Secret
Coin    Spell    Disappear
Top Hat    Illusion    Trick
Levitation    Wand    Magician

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Gathering Activity: Abracadabra – A Magical Word

Give each family or den a paper with Abracadabra spelled out vertically along the left side.  They must come up with a word that has to do with magic for each letter.  Winning team is the one that finishes first or has the most answers.

Betcha can’t…or can you?—
The best magic is watching the Cub Scouts, parents, siblings and friends participate together.  Have activities that will involve everyone.  Set up several stations around the room each with a quick activity that everyone can try.  Here are some activities can be done separately, with each taking just a few minutes, or you can enlist the help of parents to have five or six activities going at once so that the Cub Scouts can try one and then move on to the next. The question is, can it be done…why or why not?
Bet you can’t pick up a chair — Have the subject back away from a wall to the distance of four foot-length. Place a chair or stool between the person and the wall. Instruct the person to lean over and rest their or her forehead against the wall. Now the subject must pick up the chair and then straighten up without touching the chair to the wall or the floor. (Most women, many Cub Scouts and very few men will be able to do this successfully; the secret lies in the size of the feet. When a man (with larger feet backs four foot lengths from the wall and leans forward, his center of gravity is farther from his base than a woman’s. Cub Scouts get excited that this is something their mothers can do but fathers can’t…it’s even better when they can do it but their fathers can’t)
Bet you can’t tear a piece of paper into three pieces — Fold a piece of paper into thirds. Open it out again and cut or tear the paper equally along the folds so that only about an inch of paper keeps the strips together. Hold the tops of the two end strips. Now try to tear the paper so that the middle strip drops out and there are three separate pieces of paper. (Paper like all other material, succumbs to force at its weakest point. The two tears you started in the paper are weak points, and they are not equal, even if they appear to be. When you pull, the weaker tear gives way first.  Then you are left without the opposing force needed to separate the other two strips of paper.)
Bet you can’t catch a quarter worth of pennies — Fold your hand up to the shoulder on the same side of your body and place 25 pennies on your elbow. The goal is to catch all the pennies at once in that hand. (With practice this is possible…it helps to start with 2-3 pennies and work your way up.)
Bet you can’t step through an index card — Give each Cub Scout an index card and a pair of scissors.  The goal is to be able to step entirely through a hole cut in the index card. (If cut as shown in the diagram, the index card will expand enough that even a fairly large man or woman will be able to step through the resulting hole.)
 
Bet you can’t cut a paper loop into two pieces — Cut a strip of newspaper about two inches wide. Turn over one end of the strip and then tape the two ends together to form loop. Now try to divide the loop into two pieces by cutting lengthwise down the center of the strip. (When you have finished cutting you will still have a single loop but it will be twice as long as the original. That’s because the twisted loop is a topological oddity called a Mobius strip.)  
If you cut it again, you get two interconnected loops!!  CD
Science and magic are full of the oddities shown above a little research will find even more that will stump and astound the Cub Scouts. Let them experiment to find what they can do---and what they can’t do

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Gathering Activity: By any other name

Have each family or den think of as many words as they can that mean magic. (see some ideas under Fun Facts About Magic)

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Gathering Activity: How Many Words Can You Find

How many words can you find in the word
“Abracadabra”? Hand out half-sheets of paper with the word “Abracadabra” written at the top. See how many words people can list using just the letters in the word. After the opening, ceremony, check on who has the most words listed and award appropriately—maybe with a special “Word Magician” pin?

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Gathering Activity: Pull a Rabbit out of the Hat

Put directions for some simple magic tricks in a Magician’s hat, along with the necessary props, all in a sealed plastic bag.  Have some parents pull out a trick, without looking.  During the pack meeting, call them up to perform their trick.  Be sure to give everyone a great applause – and check out the “When it all goes Wrong” section.
Give “Magician in Training” awards and remind the Cub Scouts that Practice makes Perfect!
See various magic tricks in Cub Scout Magic Book, various Cub Handbooks (Tiger has a few great tricks and so do some others) and the Klutz Book of Magic.
 

 

Right-click on the graphic, click Open Image in New Tab, then right-click to save the graphic to the desktop.

 

Invocation: 

 

Consider submitting pack leaders for adult awards for district awards or BSA adult awards and recognition (e.g., Den Leader Training Award Award, Scouter’s Training Award for Cub Scouting, Cubmaster’s Key, Veteran Applications) and presenting them at the blue and gold banquet.​

Leader Recognition and Induction Ceremonies
 

 

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Opening Ceremony: Cub Magic

Personnel: 8 Cub Scouts
Equipment: Eight Cards spelling C-U-B-M-A-G-I-C. Setting: Cub Scout stand in line holding cards to turn over before reading their part.

#1:	C - is for comradeship, we learn to get along.
#2:	U - is for unity, together we are strong.
#3:	B - is for boys and girls, wild and funny but always polite.
#4:	M - is for merits, which we always have in sight.
#5:	A - is for adventure, what we're always looking for.
#6:	G - is for growth, to open every door.
#7:	I - is for integrity, for all the world to see.
#8:	C - is for Cub Scout, which we are all glad to be.

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Opening Ceremony: Magic American Flag Opening 

Prep: Conceal an American flag inside a “magic” box.
Narrator: Today, we’re going to start our pack meeting with a bit of magic! We’ll add some special things to this magic box and see what we get when we say the magic word “Abracadabra!” (Audience practices the word.)  OK. Now, everyone on the count of three, say “‘Abracadabra” 1, 2, 3 ... Abracadabra! (Reaches In and pulls out the American flag,) Wow! What a great piece of magic! Let’s say the Pledge of Allegiance to our flag. (Two Cub Scouts hold the flag.)

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Opening Ceremony: Magic of America Opening 

The assigned den carries in the U.S. flag and posts it. Cub Scouts take turns reading the following parts:

#1:	It’s great to be an American, this fact is greatly known, And the beauty of this land has a magic of its own.
#2:	The magic of America does not come from a spell- It comes from you and me who love her very well.
#3:	The wave of a magic wand did not buy us liberty: Great men and women died so we might all live free
#4:	So, let us now pledge to always do our part, For the magic of America lies deep within our hearts.
#5:	Please join us in the Pledge of Allegiance.

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Opening Ceremony: Magic Opening

Hogwarts is where you learn about magic.
Scouts is where we learn to do our best.
While we play with tricks and make-believe potions, our lives are instilled with unbelievable good notions
We don’t need a wand or a spell...to remember our duty to God and Country, to tell
So please, levitate yourself upright, and join us at this magical sight (color guard enters with colors}
Please join us in the Pledge of Allegiance.
 

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Opening Ceremony: Magic Opening Ceremony

Props: Top Hat, wand and (if Scouts want to dress up) capes etc.  Have fun with it!
Set Up: Cubmaster lights candle representing Scout Spirit. Talks about Cub Scout spirit. Audience stands, repeats Scout Law and Oath. (Leaves candle burning during meeting and den performing opening enters.). 

 

#1:	Tonight we are going to fix for you  A treat that is really grand. We'll make for you a recipe. The greatest in the land!
#2:	In first we'll put a heaping cup of red for courage true. (Scout pours container full of red paper into magic top hat)
#3:	And then we'll add for loyalty A dash of pure blue. (Scout pours into hat a container full of blue paper)
#4:	For purity, we'll now sift in a layer of snowy white. (Scout adds a cup of white paper into the hat)
#5:	We'll sprinkle in a pinch of stars to make it come out right. (Scout sprinkles silver glitter into hat)
#5:	(Have #7 help so flag stays off the floor and is help properly) We'll wave our wand over the hat… and then you'll see Abracadabra!!! That what we' ve made... OLD GLORY! !! (Scout pulls American flag from hat suddenly)
#6:	Our flag is the most beautiful in the world. Let's always be loyal to it!
CM:	Our flag is not magic, but it has given many men who fought for it the courage to continue, it has brought a feeling of patriotism to many who see it wave. It is the most beautiful flag in the world. Let us always be loyal to it. Please stand and salute, and join us in the Pledge of Allegiance.

Note:  The trick to this is to have the den practice (outside would be a good idea as this may get messy) and have the flag on the side away from the rest of the contents.  Of course, if it’s at the bottom and all the items flying out is okay as well. It’s up to you to decide.

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Opening Ceremony: Magical Symbols

Props: top hat, magic wand, rope, deck of cards, coin, magic scarf
Personnel: Six Cub Scouts, Cubmaster or den leader

#1:	(wearing a top hat)  This top hat reminds many people of a magician, especially when a rabbit comes out!
#2:	(showing off a magic wand)  The Magic Wand is a very important tool for a magician.
#3:	(holding a rope)  Many Magicians also use a rope in their tricks.
#4:	(showing off a deck of cards)  Lots of magical tricks are done with a deck of cards.
#5:	(showing off a coin in their palm)  And even though it’s even smaller, lots of tricks can be done with just a coin!
#6:	(holding up a scarf like that used in magic acts)  Sometimes this scarf can be used in a magic act!
CM:	The Cub Scouts have shown you some magical symbols, including a Magician’s scarf.  There is another symbol that has a special meaning for all of us – our Flag.

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Opening Ceremony

M – M is for Mess, which happens by Magic I guess
A – is for Anxiety, The Den Leader’s heard of our notoriety
G – is for Gem, that’s really what is our den
I – is for Illusion, a good meeting’s conclusion
C – is for Cub Scouts, do our best, no Doubts

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Opening Ceremony

Cubmaster lights electric bulb-candle representing spirit. Talks about Cub Scout spirit.  Audience stands, repeats Cub Scout ???. Keep light burning during meeting).

#1:	Tonight we are going to do for you A magic trick that is really grand. We’ll make for you an item proud, The greatest in the land.
#2:	In first we’ll put a heaping cup of red for courage true. He pours in a container of red paper
#3:	And then we’ll add for loyalty A dash of pure blue He pours in a container of blue paper
#4:	For purity, we’ll now sift in a layer of snowy white. He sifts in white paper
#5:	We’ll sprinkle in a pinch of stars To make it come out fight. Sprinkle silver glitter
#6:	We’ll stir and stir, And then you’ll see That what we’ve made...Is OLD GLORY! He pulls flag from kettle suddenly
#7:	Our flag is the most beautiful in the world. Let’s always be loyal to it.
CM:	Everyone, please stand and recite the Pledge of Allegiance.

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Opening Ceremony: The Magic of America

A Cub Scout or Webelos den carries in the flag and posts it. Each Cub Scout takes a turn reading the following:

#1:	It’s great to be an American, this is greatly known and the beauty of this land has a magic all its own.
#2:	The magic of America does not come from a magic spell. It comes from you and me who love it so well.
#3:	The wave of a magic wand did not buy us liberty.  Great men and women died, so we might all live free.
#4:	So, let us all now pledge to always do our part, for the magic of America lies deep within our heart.
CM:	Everyone, please stand and recite the Pledge of Allegiance.

 

 

Skits       Run-ons      Jokes

Skit: A Balloon That Won’t Burst

Blow up several balloons and have someone hand out all but one to people in the audience.  With each balloon, hand out a pin. Take the remaining balloon and explain that some magic can make it indestructible. The magician passes their hand over the balloon as they say some magic words.  Tell one person in the audience to burst their balloon with the pin. The balloon pops. The magic takes the pin from the person and sticks it into their balloon and nothing happens.  The magician repeats this with several of the balloons that were handed out and their balloon still doesn’t pop. The audience will be convinced of the magic powers of the magician.
The Secret: While the magic trick is being set up (in the confusion of handing out the balloons), tape small patches of cellophane tape to different spots around the magician’s balloon. The magician sticks the pins through the taped spots.  A pin can be stuck through the tape without bursting the balloon. But be sure to hit the tape or the balloon will burst!

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Skit: The Best You Can Do

Setting: Two Cub Scouts are on stage. Two more come on the stage.

#1:	(Looking downcast) I can’t do it.
#2:	I’m worried, too.
#3 and 4:	(Coming up to the two Cub Scouts) Hi, guys.
#3:	What’s wrong?
#1:	We’re supposed to be part of the skit for the pack meeting next week.
#2:	And we’re worried we’ll make mistakes.
#1:	Or forget our lines.
#2:	It’s kind of scary.
#1:	Yeah.
#3:	Oh, come on, guys. You can do it.
#4:	Remember the best.
#1:	The best?
#3:	Yeah, nothing more and nothing less.
#4:	The best you can do is to do your best.
#1 and 2:	Huh?
#3:	Like this. Stand in front of people. (They all face the audience.)
#4:	And look at them and say . . .
ALL:	The best you can do is to do your best!

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Skit: Climb That

Two Scouts meet, and the first Scout begins to brag they can climb anything.

#1:	"Can you climb that tree?"
#2:	"Sure I've done it lots of times."
#1:	"Can you climb the steep hill over there?"
#2:	"No sweat, no problem for me."
#1:	"How about the Empire State Building?"
#2:	"Done it, Did it."
#1:	"How about Mount Everest?"
#2:	"Boy that was I cold day, I've done that too. I told you I am the world's greatest climber, I can climb anything!"
#1:	"I'll bet you ten bucks I can show you something that you can't climb."
#2:	"Your on!"
#1:	(pulls out a flashlight and shine the beam up into the sky) "All right, climb that!"
#2:	"Are you crazy? No Way!"
#1:	"I knew you would back out, now pay up!"
#2:	"I won't pay because its not fair. I know you, I'd start climbing and I'd get half way and you'd turn the flashlight off!"

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Skit: The Growing Machine

The cardboard box needs to be large enough to hold one of the players and various props. "Load" it and push it on stage, where a narrator explains that this marvelous machine has been invented by tonight's guest, Professor _____, who will demonstrate its tremendous powers. They introduce the professor, who enters carrying a bag of their props. The professor explains they have invented a wonderful machine that makes things grow. They proceed to demonstrate. They pull a small piece of paper from their sack, pushes buttons, etc., and throws in the piece of paper (sound effects, flashing lights). The player inside throws out a paperback book. The demonstration continues with small ball in, large ball out; piece of string in, hunk of rope out; etc. Finally, the professor throws in a baby doll. The player inside jumps out in baby clothes, cries "Daddy!", and chases them off stage. 

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Skit: Robots or Rabbits

Characters: 6 Scientists in lab jackets (white shirts, collars turned inside out, put on backwards). 7th scientist is dressed in the same manner and wears a top hat. Cub Scout dressed in cardboard robot costume.
Setting: Table, covered with old sheet reaching to the floor at front.  Fishbowl or other round glass bowl, test tubes, flasks, etc. are on the table.  One of the six is reading a book plainly marked “How to Build a Robot” while another looks over their shoulder.  Another is stirring in a large bowl with a large wooden or cardboard spoon.  Scientist #7 is offstage. Cardboard robot is hidden behind table.

Scientist 1:	It doesn’t seem to be working.
Scientist 2:	I can’t understand it.
Scientist 3:	We’ll have to change the formula. (Scientist #7 enters from stage left, carrying top hat)
Scientist 7:	I’ve got it! I’ve got it! A friend of mine just told me how to do it. (He places hat on the table.) You just say “Abra-ca-dabra 1-2-3!” reach in, and...
Scientist 4:	Wait a minute.  What did you say your friend’s name was?
Scientist 7:	Magisto the Magician.  They say he’s pulled a robot out of a hat lots of times.
Scientist 5:	That’s “rabbit”... not “robot”... you dunce! (They chase Scientist 7 offstage, waving book, spoon, etc. Scientist 6 starts to join them, but stops and looks at hat on table.)
Scientist 6:	(Shrugging shoulders) It just might work!  Abra-ca-dabra 1-2-3! (He takes hold of hat with the left hand, tips it towards themself at edge of table, pretends to reach in hat, but really reaches behind table and pulls up the robot who has been hidden.) Hey, you guys, it worked! Now I’ll just push this button... (he pretends to push button on front of robot. Robot drops to all fours and hopped off stage reveal a big fluffy bunny tail.)

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Skit: The Magic Potion

Cast:  4 Cub Scouts
Props:  A big pot, spoon and magic ingredients

# 2:	Hey, what are you doing?
# 1:	I’m making up this magic disappearing potion.
# 3:	Disappearing potion?  How did you come up with that?
# 1:	I was cleaning out my grandpa’s attic and I found this really old magic book.  It says right here” recipe for magic potion, that will make your friend disappear.
# 4:	You don’t really believe all that mumbo jumbo do you?
# 1:	I don’t know this is a pretty old book it may just work.
# 2:	Well, let’s try it and see.  What’s in it.
# 1:	First, you add a gallon of turnip juice, then a quart of sauerkraut.
# 4:	Nothing’s happening yet. What’s next?
# 1:	Three tablespoons of hot sauce and an old sneaker.
# 3:	Still nothing.  Is that all there is?
# 1:	No, there are a few more ingredients to go – let's see one moldy onion five cloves of garlic and one pair of socks left over from day camp.  That’s it.
# 2:	Well, I don’t see any magic happening, but that stuff is starting to smell pretty gross.
# 3:	It sure is, it’s starting to smell like something my sister made for dinner the other night.
# 4:	I don’t know about you guys but I’ve had enough. Let's get out here. (Cub Scouts 2,3,4, run off stage)
# 1:	Well, what do you know?  It really works.

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Skit: Magic Kite

Personnel: 6 Cub Scouts
Equipment: Ball of string with a kite tail

# 1:	What’s that?
# 2:	Don’t you know what a kite looks like?
# 1:	Sure I do, but if that’s a kite then it sure won’t fly.
# 2:	It’ll fly, it’s magic!
# 3:	Kites can’t be magic!
# 2:	This one is. All I have to do is say, “Dad, look at the kite I’ve made.”
# 4:	Then what?
# 2:	He shows me how to make one.
# 5:	That kite still won’t be magic!
# 2:	Un huh! Then he shows me how to fly it.
# 6:	Wow! It’s magic if it can do all that. Come on, let’s make one.
All:	(exiting) Yeah, Wow! It’s Magic!  Let’s go make one.

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Skit: Magic Show Skit

Personnel: Magician (Cubmaster(CM)), 7 Cub Scouts
Materials: Table, Tablecloth, Copy Paper, Peanut Butter Sandwiches, Glass of Water, Napkin, Penny, Neckerchief, Boiled Egg, Cardboard Box, Playing Cards 
Directions:  Hide sandwiches under cloth on table on the stage

Part One
Magician:	Ladies and gentlemen. Welcome to our magic show. Tonight, I shall attempt to amaze and astound you with clever tricks! May I have my first assistant, please?
#1	(enters the stage carrying a glass of water and places it on the table.)
Magician:	(holds up napkin, shows both sides, then places it over the glass.) I will now make this water disappear without touching the napkin. ALLA PEANUT BUTTER SANDWICHES!  (waves hand over napkin.)
#1:	(takes off the napkin and the water is still there) It didn’t work!  The water is still there.
Magician:	(picks up the glass and drinks the water.) There, the water is gone and I didn’t touch the napkin. (picks up the glass and napkin and leaves the stage shaking head.)
Part Two
Magician:	May I have my next assistant, please?
#2	(enters, handing the magician a penny.)
Magician:	(rubs penny between their palms) This is a magic penny. If I put this penny down, you will not be able to jump over it! (puts penny on the top of the Cub Scout’s head) ALLA PEANUT BUTTER SANDWICHES!
#2	(not being able to jump over the penny on their head, leaves the stage shaking head in confusion.)
Part Three
Magician:	May I have my next assistant, please?
#3:	(enters carrying a rolled up Cub Scout Neckerchief)
Magician:	I will tie a knot in this neckerchief without letting go of either end. Would you like to try first? (offers the Cub Scout the neckerchief.)
#3	(tries and fails.)
Magician:	(lays neckerchief on the table, folds their arms and grasps ends with their arms still folded. As they unfold their arms, the knot is tied.) ALLA PEANUT BUTTER SANDWICHES!
Part Four
Magician:	May I have my fourth assistant, please?
#4	(enters, bringing an egg, and places it on the table.)
Magician:	(instructs #4 to the clasp their hands together with their fingers in an interlocking position, and let their arms hang in front of them with their hands still in that position. Magician then puts the egg in the Cub Scout’s hands) Please hold this for me. (Magician goes on to their next trick leaving the Cub Scout standing there with the egg. The Cub Scout pretends to be nervous, afraid of dropping the egg.)
Part Five
#5	(enters, carrying box and playing cards. They place the box on the floor.)
Magician:	You cannot drop all the cards into the box from a standing position.
#5:	(drops the cards, one at a time, from a standing position. Most cards should miss box and fall on the floor.)
Magician:	(gathers cards and holds them over the box in a stack between their thumb and middle finger. Holding them flat over the box, they drop them all at once. All cards should fall into the box.) ALLA PEANUT BUTTER SANDWICHES!
Part Six
Magician:	(goes over to #4 holding the egg.) You cannot break that egg. Go ahead and squeeze as hard as you can.
#4	(squeezes their palms together. Egg should not break. Cub Scout looks amazed. They are left holding the egg. If their hands are still in the correct position when they squeeze, the egg should not break.)
Part Seven
#6:	(enters, bringing several pieces of copy paper.)
Magician:	(Magician makes two tears in a piece of paper) Tear both ends from the middle with one tear.
#6:	(grasps each side and tears. They will fail each time, trying several pieces of paper.)
Magician:	(makes the tears in one last sheet of paper)  ALLA PEANUT BUTTER SANDWICHES! (puts the middle section in their mouth and tears from both sides at once.)
#6:	(shakes their head and leaves.)
Part Eight
#7:	(enters) There’s something I would like to ask you. Most magicians say ABRACADABRA, or wave a magic wand, but you only say ALLA PEANUT BUTTER SANDWICHES. Why is that?
Magician:	I have a good reason for that! (Magician lifts table cover, exposing sandwiches) ALLA PEANUT BUTTER SANDWICHES! (ALL CUB SCOUTS, EXCEPT #4—the one holding the egg—run in and grab a sandwich and start eating. The Cub Scout is left holding the egg and the curtain closes.)

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Skit: Unspelling the Spell

Personnel:  Three Cub Scouts – or just add in to match the number of Cub Scouts in the den and reassign some of the parts.
Prop:  A set of rabbit ears for Cub #3

#1:    (walking along) I wonder where (fill in the names of other Cub Scouts) are today. They weren’t at the den meeting today. Oh, there’s (name of #1) Hey, he/she’s got a rabbit with him/her!
#2:    Hi! I sure am glad to see you! You’ve got to help us! (names #3) and I really need your help! (#3 acts like a rabbit throughout the skit, and hops alongside #2)
#1:    Sure, I can help! What’s the problem? And where is (names ##3)? By the way, that’s a nice friendly rabbit!    (pats the bunny on the head)
#2:    That’s just it – that’s not really a rabbit. It’s (names ##3)
#1:    A Rabbit?? How did they get to be a rabbit?
#2:    Well, we were watching a magician, and we accidentally made him/her mad!
#1:    What did you do to make the magician mad?
#2:    Well, we saw the magician throwing a soda can on the ground, so we told him/her he/she shouldn’t litter. The next thing you know, they spell a whole bunch of weird words and Poof! – (name of ##3) turned into a rabbit!
#1:    Hmmm, maybe that’s the key! Can you remember the words they spelled?
#2:    Let me think…(wrinkles their forehead, scratches their hair) One was MADAGASCAR….one was EQUATION.. and one was DIMPLE. (pauses)And then they spell RABBIT!
#1:    (pacing back and forth and thinking hard)     Ok, let’s see. They spelled the words, and then….(turns excitedly) That’s it! They spelled the words which made the spell. So now all we have to do is UNspell it!!
#2:    Huh?
#1:    We spell the words backwards!    Come on, try it! (Everyone looks very busy, perhaps with a paper and pencil to work out the words)
All except #3: RAGSAGADAM; NOITAUQE; ELPMID; TIBBAR (They look around at ##3)
#3:    (slowly stands, takes off the ears, and looks around)
All:     Hooray!
#3:    Thanks guys! I was getting really tired of carrots!

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Skit: X-Ray Eyes

Say, “And now for the greatest trick of all. I’ll show you that I have X-ray eyes. I can see what’s on a paper even if the paper is covered.
Who wants to write something?” Have the volunteer write something on the paper and fold it in half.  Tell them to put it on the floor and stand on it.  Tell the audience you can see what’s on the paper if you concentrate.  Concentrate  by putting hand to brow and making a few faces. Then suddenly you know! Say, “I can see what is on the paper! It’s their big feet.

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Run-on: 

#1: Which toilet bowl cleaner do most magicians use?
#2: Vanish!

#1: How do you make a magician faint?
#2: Use a dizzy spell!

# 1: I know a person who thinks he’s an owl
# 2: Who?
# 1: Now I know two.

# 1: How many birds can carry a big basket?
# 2: I don’t know. How many.
# 1: Toucan!

# 1: Why was the little bird punished at school?
# 2: Why was he?
# 1: He was caught peeping during a test.

# 1: What do you get when you cross a cuckoo clock bird with an octopus?
# 2: Beats me. What?
# 1: A cuckoo clocktopus!

Jokes & Riddles

I did a trick on the phone just yesterday, but no one was watching. 
I did this trick over the radio last week and a hundred people wrote in saying they didn't see how I did it! 
My best trick is called "The Vanishing Money"... I perform it at the candy store. 
Did you hear about the magician who was walking down the street, and he suddenly "turned into a pet store!" 
My wand is made from the wood of the silent dogwood tree. Answer: That's the tree with no bark! 
What do hockey players and magicians have in common? Answer: They both do hat tricks. 
Why don't ghosts make good magicians? Answer: Because you can see right through their tricks. 
What kind of magician does it take to light a match? Answer: A Fire-Poof one!
What do you get when you cross a snake with a magician? Answer: Abra da cobra
What do you get when you cross a bird with a magician? Answer: A flying sorcerer
What do you get when you cross a rabbit with a lawn sprinkler? Answer: Hare Spray
Why did the magician cancel his show?     Answer: He just washed his hare and couldn’t do a thing with it.

1089 Audience Game

Materials: Piece of paper, pencil 
Directions: 
    Write 1089 on the paper without showing anyone, fold it, and place it on the table in plain view.
    Give someone a piece of paper and pencil.
    Tell them to write down any 3-digit number that uses 3 different numerals in the middle of the paper. Not 111 or 202 or 330 where the same numeral is used more than once. 
    Tell them to reverse the number. If the number is larger, write it above the first one. If smaller, write it below.
    Subtract the smaller from the larger. 
    If the resulting number has 2 digits, fill in ahead of it with a zero.
    Reverse the number and write it below the bottom number.
    Add the bottom two numbers.
    Unfold your paper and ask if it matches their result - 1089! 

The Amazing Rubber Pencil

#1:    (holding up a pencil)
Can you change this wooden pencil into rubber?
#2:    (takes the pencil, looks perplexed)
That’s impossible!

#1:    Using my magical powers, I can change this wooden pencil to rubber.  Just watch!
Lightly hold a pencil at the eraser end between your thumb and index finger. As you quickly bounce the pencil up and down, it will appearto others as if it has been made of rubber

Audience Tricks

1.    Ask someone  to spell the word "joke".   Then ask them to spell "folk".  Next ask them to spell "poke".  Finally ask them to spell the white of a egg.  They will probably spell "y o l k".  But the yolk is the yellow part of an egg.  The white part is called albumin.
2.    Shade your eyes and look around.  Aha!  You spot your friend in the audience.  Go to them and shake their hand, slap them on the back and hug them.  Then stare at their shirt and shake your head.  You find a loose thread. Take hold of it and put...and pull...and pull.  The thread comes...and comes...and comes.  You can wind it around your hand, you can dance with it, you can pass it around the audience and let them pull.
THE TRICK: You and your friend get ready together.   Thread a needle with the end of a spool of thread.   Put the spool inside your friend's shirt and run the threaded needle out through their shirt.   Take off the needle and let the thread hang loose.

 
Corners

#1:    Can you take away four and leave eight?   
#2:    No, it can’t be done!  
#1:     Can anyone else solve this puzzle?
(Let people try to guess how this could be done)
#1:    Let me show you how.  
    (He picks up a square of paper)  
#1:    Here you have four corners.
    (He cuts off each of the four corners)
#1:    Now you have eight corners!  I took away four and left eight!

Color by Touch

Materials:  A box of wax crayons.
Directions:  
Cub Scout #1:  (taking crayons out of the box to show that each one is a different color)
I have tuned myself to read minds and “see” with my fingertips.  Let me demonstrate.  I need a volunteer.
(Give the box of crayons to the volunteer)
While my back is turned, I want you to choose a crayon – any one you want – and put it in my hand.  Don’t tell me which one.  Then hide the  box with the other crayons in a place out of sight.  Tell me when you are ready.
(Volunteer chooses a crayon, puts it in Cub Magician’s hand, 
then hides the others as they say.
Volunteer:  OK, I’m ready.
Cub Scout #1: (Turning to face volunteer, with hands still behind the back – magician scrapes a tiny bit off the top of the crayon with the right index fingernail) 
Now I want you to think of the color you chose – don’t say it, just think it.
(Cub Magician, still holding the crayon behind their back, brings their right hand forward and slowly up to his forehead, as if to concentrate – this shows your hand is empty and lets you sneak a look at the tiny bit of crayon in your index fingernail)
Cub Scout #1: (With a lot of drama)
My fingers are not seeing as well today.  Your mind seems to be blank. Please concentrate and think only of the color of your crayon. 
(Making it look difficult, but magician finally announces the correct color of the crayon.)

 
Drop Out Pins

This trick is really an optical illusion.  Before you start, get two identical and large safety pins.  Now you want to close each pin – But here’s the trick:  Put the pointed end of each pin into the other safety pin – you will have two safety pins making a “V” shape, and they will actually be attached to each other.  
Now pick up the pins, covering the bottom of the pins (the loops where the pointed end comes out).  By holding the pins between your thumb and index finger, and covering the bottom of both, it will look like you have two ordinary safety pins, closed up as usual.  Display the pins as above, and point out that they are securely fastened. (Still hiding the bottom)  
Hold the pins about 12 inches above the table and tell everyone you will cause the pins to open magically.  Now drop the pins.  They will come to rest, separated and in the open position, without you really having to do anything. Now, close each safety pin, give them to a volunteer and ask them to duplicate the magic!

Even or Odd

Magician:      I need a volunteer to turn around, take some coins from their pocket and hold them inside your closed fist. (Volunteer does so)
Magician:      OK, now I am taking some coins from my pocket, and I will hold them in my fist.  Now we both have coins concealed in our hands.  Although I have absolutely no idea how many coins you have in your hand, I can positively predict that when my coins are added to yours, if your amount is odd….it will become even.  If your amount is even, it will change to odd.Please count your coins.
(The audience member counts their change and 
finds that they have an odd number of coins.
Magician:      (The magician adds their coins to the spectator's) Now, please count the coins. (As predicted, the amount will change to the opposite)
Magician:      (Making a great show of it)  Proof positive – my magic has changed your coins to an _(say even or odd)  total!
Secret:     It may look like this trick depends on the magician magically knowing the exact amount of coins in the volunteer’s hand, but nothing could be further from the truth.  The trick works regardless of the amount. The secret is that the magician's hand always contains an odd amount of coins. The odd amount of coins, when added to the audience member's will make an even amount total odd, and an odd total even. 

Favorite Trick

#1:    I understand you like to do magic tricks. What’s your favorite? 
#2:    Sawing people in half. 
#1:    Interesting, and are there any other people in your family? 
#2:    Yes, I have two half-brothers and two half-sisters. 
Finger Power
#1:    I have developed my magical powers so that I can mentally force your fingers to move, without even touching you.
#2:    I don’t believe it!
#1:    I’ll prove it to you.  Clasp your hands together with your fingers intertwined.  Now raise both your index fingers straight up in the air.
#2:    OK – but you can’t touch my fingers!
#1:    (Making a great show of waving your hands over the other person’s fingers – but never touching them –take a little time )
    I command your fingers to move.
(and they will – not because of your command, but because they can’t stay up in the air very long in that position)

Knock, Knock 

#1:     Knock, Knock 
#2:     Who’s There? 
#1:     My Magic Hat Goes 
#2:     My Magic Hat Goes Who? 
#1:     I didn’t know you could pull an OWL out of a magic hat!

Knot Likely

With great fanfare, ask for a neckerchief and then spread it out on a table.  Ask if anyone can tie a knot in it while holding one corner in one hand and the opposite corner in the other hand – WITHOUT letting go of either corner!  Let several people try.  When everyone has failed, show them the secret:
 
Cross your arms in front of you as shown BEFORE you grab the opposite corners of the neckerchief.   Now, WITHOUT LETTING GO of the corners, uncross your arms – the neckerchief will be knotted!

The Magical Moving Coin Reversal

Hold up a nickel and two quarters.  Sandwich the nickel between the two quarters and tell everyone you can magically make the coins change places in mid-air, without touching them as they fall.
Here’s how you do it – but I don’t know why it works:  Hold the coins between the thumb and first finger of one hand, with your finger and thumb holding the SIDES of the coins.  Hold your other hand about 10 inches below the other hand, palm up, for the coins to land in.  Now, let the two bottom coins fall while you continue to hold onto the top quarter.  Amazingly, the nickel and bottom quarter will change places as they fall – the nickel will always land UNDER the quarter!

The Magic Circles 

Preparation: Cut out 3 paper circles the size of a quarter - use red, yellow and blue paper. 
Magician: (Places the three paper circles on the back of their hand) 
Watch very carefully. I'm going to blow these 3 circles off my hand” 
(He blows on the circles, and they float to the ground.)
Magician:    I am putting the circles back on my hand. 
Spectator:     Big deal. Anyone can do that. 
Magician:     When I blow on my hand this time, only TWO circles will fly away. The other circle will not move. 
Spectator:     Really? 
Magician:    That's right. You pick the circle. 
Spectator:     I choose the red one.
Magician:    Abarcadabra, Alakazoo. I can do this trick for you!" 
(Magician takes a deep breath. Then they put their index finger on the red circle, and blow as hard as they can. The yellow and blue circles fly off their hand. The red circle does not move.) 
Spectator:     You tricked me! 
Magician:    That's why they call it a magic trick!

Magician Favorites

#1:	I understand you like to do magic tricks. What's your favorite?
#2:	Sawing people in half.
#1:	Interesting, and are there any other people in your family?
#2:	Yes, I have two half-brothers and two half-sisters.

The Magic Paper

Magician:	(Holds up a large sheet of paper, and shows it to the spectator.) How would you like to earn some money? Here is a sheet of magic paper. If you can tear it into four equal pieces, I will give you a quarter.
Spectator:	That's easy. (He takes the sheet of paper and folds it in half. They fold it in half again, then they tear the paper along the folds.) Here are your four equal pieces.
Magician:	And here is your quarter  (Magician hands spectator one of the squares.)
Spectator:	You tricked me!"
Magician:	Magicians know lots of tricks.

The Magic Rubber Band

1.    Loop one rubber band over the first two fingers of your right hand. 
2.    Place a second rubber band over the tips of all four fingers, twisting it between each finger. 
3.    Now grasp the loop of the first rubber band with your left hand bend the fingers of the right hand, and pull it over all four fingertips. 
4.    When you straighten the fingers quickly, the first rubber band will jump mysteriously to the third and fourth fingers as shown. 
5.    Make it jump back by repeating the process.

The Mobius Strip

Paper Clip Connection
(You will have to practice this beforehand to remember just how to place the paper clips.)
#1: (holding up dollar bill with paper clips attached as shown below)

I can make these two paper clips connect without even touching them!  Want to see how it’s done?
#2:  Sure!  It looks impossible to me!
#1: Here goes!
(He grabs the two ends of the bill and yanks it taut – the paper clips will link together)

Pick It Up and It’s Yours

#1:	Can you pick up this dollar bill?
#2:	Of course!
#1:	OK – Stand here, with your back and heels against the wall.  If you can pick up this dollar bill without moving your heels or your back away from the wall, it’s yours! Place the dollar bill less than a foot in front of Cub Scout #2. they will not be able to bend over without moving their back and/or heels away from the wall

The Secret Message 

Magician: ​	Write a secret message on this piece of paper, but do not show me the message.
Spectator:	(Takes the paper, and writes a message on the paper. Magician turns their back to spectator.)
Magician: ​	Now put the paper on the floor, and stand on it.
Spectator:	(Stands on the paper, with only one corner sticking out.)
Magician: ​	I cannot see that message, but I know what is on the paper.
Spectator:	You do not.
Magician: ​	Magicians know everything.
Spectator:	All right, If you’re so smart, tell me what is on the paper.
Magician: ​	Your foot!

Seeing Spots

You hold a cardboard with dots in front of your friend and ask how many dots are on the card.  He’ll say One.  “Fine” you say, flipping the card over.  “Now, how many on this side?”  He’ll look and say they see six dots.  “Exactly,” you say.  “But let’s check that other side again, shall we?”  You flip it over and now they see….THREE dots!  And the other side?  Again, you flip the cardboard over and NOW they see FOUR Dots! By this time, your friend is seeing spots. You will need to prepare a big piece of cardboard first.  On one side, use a marker to make two dots like this:
                          
On the reverse side, put five dots in this pattern. Here’s how to confound your friend:  

• First, show them side A, but with your hand and fingers hide the TOP dot.  All they will see is that center dot, so they’ll say that side A has One Dot. 
• Now flip the card over, holding your fingers over the middle bottom space where there is NO dot.  Your friend will say there are 6 dots, because he’ll assume there’s a dot where your finger is.
• Now, flip your card over to side A, but hold it right below the center dot, where a THIRD dot might me – but isn’t!  You friend will “see” Three Dots on the card.  Again, in their mind, they complete the pattern.
• Flip over to Side B, and hold the card so the top center dot is masked … and they will see ONLY Four Dots!
• It will seem to be quite a magical card you have there!

Twelve Thousand Baffler

Hand around some pencils and paper to a few people.  Tell them to work quickly – the first one done correctly wins!  Now tell them to write a very simple number – Twelve thousand, twelve hundred and twelve.  But the faster they try to write this number, the more perplexed they will be.  Most will end up with something like 12, 1212.  
The answer is that there IS no such number as 12 thousand, 12 hundred and twelve.  You have to ADD together the component numbers 12,000 – 1200 – and 12 – which will actually give you 13,212 – the correct answer!

Walk Through a Card

An old but effective trick. It’s shown in the How to Book.
You challenge someone to walk through an ordinary postcard – and it’s actually easy!

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Theme Related: The Magician’s Oath

1)    Never ever repeat a trick.
2)    Never, never, never give it away.

When you’ve fooled a group of friends with a trick and they’re trying to get the secret from you, just remember they’re trying to turn you from a baffling Magician into somebody with a cheesy little trick. Don’t tell them the secret. Just smile. Remember the magic words: “Let me show you something a little different...”

Rules of Magic:

• Practice, Practice, Practice!
• Better one good trick than 10 not-quite ready ones!
• Don’t reveal the secret!  (although some simple tricks between friends might be ok to share)
• Don’t repeat the same trick, unless repetition is part of the trick.
• Don’t try to make your audience look foolish.
• Know when to start (when people are waiting for something to happen) and know when to Stop – (before people get bored – Leave them wanting more!)
• Act the part – and Smile!  (Your audience wants to have fun) 
• Know what to do if the trick fails ~ see below:

And if the trick goes wrong:

Good magicians know that sometimes a trick doesn’t work – the earth is rotating too slowly, your hands are sweaty, it’s Friday the 13th – for whatever reason, a good magician just goes on.  They either move on to another trick or use humor to keep the audience happy. Here are some Great Things to Say when your trick doesn’t work:

• Well, it worked in the Magic Store!
• It looked great from my side!
• The real magician will be here shortly!
• When I get this trick right, it won’t be a trick – it will be a miracle!
• That was actually a trick we magicians call misdirection – while I kept your attention by pretending to mess up the trick, my assistant sneaked by with an elephant for a trick I’m doing later.  If you don’t believe me, go check in the other room!
• OK!  On to the next trick!
• Hey, what do you expect?  I got this trick out of Magic for Dummies!

Tips and hints to help you become a successful magician:

1. Practice in front of a mirror so you can see the trick as your audience will. Practice lots!
2. Practice the “patter” as well as the trick.  Figure out beforehand what you want to say during the show.  Good patter will help distract the audience just enough to keep them from guessing how you’ve pulled off your magical feats! Here’s a start for you:
3. I have a magic trick for you.
4. It should be lots of fun.
5. Pay very close attention,
6. And guess how it is done!
7. Resist the temptation to tell how the trick worked... keep them guessing and they’ll be even more impressed with your show.
8. Never do the same trick more than once for the same audience.  It makes it too easy for the audience to guess how it was done.
9. Control the seating arrangements... some of the tricks require that the people be looking straight at you.  Have the audience remain seated throughout the show.
10. Wherever you can, borrow the objects from the audience... coins, pencils, napkins, etc.  Borrowing from the audience makes it seem like the magician hasn’t had time to do anything sneaky to the item.  This makes everything seem more magical!
11. Lovely Assistant: a lot of the card tricks (or any other mind reading type tricks) work well using a magical puppet or stuffed animal as your assistant.  Try putting on an entire show where you aren’t a magician at all... instead claim that you bought a puppet from an old gypsy woman and it turned out to be magic (you can make up a cool story to use as your patter).  Have the puppet or stuffed animal “whisper” the answers into your ear.  Having a puppet do all the work, may keep you from getting stage fright!  Now...  on with the show!

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Theme Related: Tricks with Common Objects

The Counting Test 

Six pennies and a book are sitting on a table. Tell the audience this is a "counting test." Open the book and count out the pennies onto the book. "One, two, three, four, five, six." Tip the book and spill the pennies into your hand. Close your fist and say, "How many pennies are in my hand?" The audience says, "Six." You open your hand, and count out ten pennies. 
Secret: Use a hardcover book, such as a Harry Potter book. Open up the book and look at the binding at the top. There is a space between the binding and the book spine. Slip four extra pennies into that space. Leave the book open on the table. When you do the trick, count six pennies onto the open book. Then tip it up when you close it so that the pennies will slide into your hand. The extra hidden pennies will slide out with the others. Don't let anyone else see the extra pennies. (Practice this move until it is smooth) When you open your hand, and count out the pennies, the audience will be amazed!

Levitating Arm 

Tell a friend that you can create a powerful force that will invisibly raise their arm. Ask your friend to stand up straight with one shoulder leaning against a wall. Tell them to push hard against the wall with the back of their wrist and to keep pushing while you slowly count to twenty-five. Then ask them to step away from the wall and relax. Within a short time, they will be astonished to find that their arm is floating up and away from their body as if something were pulling it up. 
Secret: The secret lies in the muscles. During the time that your friend is pushing against the wall, the shoulder muscles that would normally raise their arm out to the side are tensing. Later, after the arm is free, the muscles automatically respond again in a delayed reaction. But to the person doing the trick, their arm feels as if it is moving magically on its own.

The Balancing Golf Balls 

You take three golf balls and balance them perfectly on top of one another. Even expert jugglers would find this feat to be almost impossible. You do it with ease. 
Secret: If you plan to do some real juggling to start the trick, use six golf balls. (Otherwise you can use just three balls.) Coat three balls with rubber cement. The rubber cement, when dry will allow you to handle each ball separately as though unprepared. It also allows you to stack the balls on top of each other so that they remain in place. Juggle the three unprepared balls in the air. Then place them aside. Stack two of the prepared balls on each other. Pretend to balance them. Move around to keep the apparent balance, and move more when you place the third ball on top of the second. Finally, separate the balls one by one and toss them aside. When performed with flair, the stunt will be convincing.

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Theme Related: Ghost Writing 

Surprise your friends by telling them that your magical powers can make ghost writing appear. The message will probably be the name of someone in the audience. Mysteriously move over to the window and breathe heavily through your mouth on the invisible name. Fog will form around the printing and the name will appear because of your magic breath. It is a spooky effect.
Secret: Prepare a magic mix consisting of a drop of liquid detergent in a glass with a little water. Think of a name of a person who will be at your show. A short name works best. Dip your finger into the magic mix and print that name on a window or mirror. Let this dry so that you cannot see it. If the name shows too much, add a little more water to the magic 

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Theme Related: A Parent’s Magic Bag of Tricks

This is not, strictly speaking a magic trick – but parents will certainly appreciate this Magic Bag of Tricks when faced with a journey with children in a car, train or plane, or a long wait at a restaurant or doctor’s office!
There are some important rules:

• Use the bag only in these situations – otherwise, it will lose its appeal!
• Only one thing at a time for each child can come out of the bag!
• Everyone must share the “magical” things in the bag!

Any bag will do – but a colorful cloth one is extra special.  It needs to have a secure closure, either a drawstring or a zipper.  Use only unbreakable items, and put individual things in sealable plastic bags to keep them handy. Here are some suggestions of what to put in your bag: Pads of paper, pencils, colored pencils, crayons, re-useable stickers and sticker books, stopwatch or small hourglass, matchbox type cars, finger puppets, trivia books, playing cards, dice, magnifying glasses, Rubik’s cube or other 3D puzzles, magnetic travel games, small plastic army men, animals, dinosaurs or action figures, Etch a Sketch, pipe cleaners, shoelaces, origami paper & directions, small blunt scissors, scotch tape, sidewalk chalk, balloons, jump rope, jacks or marbles, a small book of game ideas.

• For a car trip, add: inflatable ball, Frisbee, hacky sacks, clipboard or lapboard for each child, glow sticks, small flashlight (set a rule that no one can aim at the driver or rear-view mirror)
• For a restaurant bag:  Add games that need a table to play, such as Pick Up Sticks, Slamwich card game

Try it – you will definitely like it!  
And the results of having a “Bag of Tricks” 
will certainly seem magical! 

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Theme Related: Fun Facts About Magic

• The word magic comes from the Persian word "magus," a priestly class.
• Magic has many names: conjuring, hocus pocus, prestidigitation, legerdemain, necromancy, sorcery, thaumaturgy and wizardry are a few of them.
• The phrase Hocus Pocus may have come from a wizard of the Middle Ages known as Ochus Bachus, but some people think it comes from hoc est corpus, a Latin phrase from the Catholic Mass.
• Ancient priests and shamans often used their knowledge of eclipses to perform “magic.”  Even Christopher Columbus used his knowledge of an upcoming eclipse to show his “magic” to Jamaican islanders. He called in the chiefs, warned them that God was about to blot out the moon for letting his men starve, and then took credit for the “restoration” of the moon from an eclipse when they brought food to his ship. 
• Levitations of people were performed in Greek dramas as early as 431 B.C.
• The ancient Greeks erected statues of their favorite magicians, and Homer mentions “conjurors” in the Illiad.
• More than 2,000 years ago, Hero of Alexandria described temple doors that opened mysteriously when a nearby fire was lit by priests.
• Algonquian-speaking tribes from the Northeast to the Great Plains used ventriloquism to create the illusion of spirit voices.
• Early religious dramas, or passion plays, held in Medieval churches, often featured individual and mass levitations.
• An early painting by Hieronymus Bosch, called The Juggler, shows a pickpocket working the crowd while a magician performs a cups and ball routine.
• Although the Indian Rope Trick is one of the oldest and most famous tricks, it has never been performed outdoors, in full view of the audience.
• Robert Houdin, from whom Houdini took his name, introduced the wearing of a tie and tails instead of a wizard robe for magicians.
• Herrmann the Great extracted a cigar from the beard of  President Ulysses S. Grant.
• The Bullet Catch is the most dangerous trick in magic, and has killed over a dozen magicians. A marked bullet is fired at the magician, who catches it on a plate or even in his teeth!  
• During World War II, magician Jasper Maskelyne hid the Suez Canal and Alexandria Harbor from the Germans and helped the Allied Forces win the war in Africa.   Check out his book Top Secret!
• Harry Blackstone once saved a crowd of children from disaster.  In September 1942, a fire broke out at the Lincoln Theatre in Decatur, Illinois.  Rather than cause panic when a fireman told him the situation, Blackstone told the audience to follow him outside, where his next trick would be performed.
• Magician Harry Houdini was the first man to fly an airplane in Australia.
• You can become a professional magician as early as 12, by joining the worldwide International Brotherhood of Magicians, the world's largest magic organization.
• In the late 1800s, magicians frequently used robots or automatons in their shows - they played cards, chess and even sketched profiles of their spectators.
• The oldest magic store in the United States is Flosso-Hornmann Magic Shop in New York City, established n 1869, once owned by Houdini, and still in operation.
• Television talk show hosts Johnny Carson, Dick Cavett and Arsenio Hall all started out as magicians.
• Other famous people who were magicians: Don Johnson, Woody Allen, Dick Van Dyke, Milton Berle, Cary Grant, Bill Bixby, Jimmy Stewart, Steve Martin, Muhammad Ali, Bob Barker, George Bush, Jerry Lewis, Boris Karloff, Dom DeLuise.  Charles Dickens was also an enthusiastic amateur magician. 
• Magicians have also been inventors: Jasper Maskelyne invented the typewriter keyboard, another the telephone relay system, still another invented the Microwriter, a pocket-sized typewriter with five keys and a computerized personal organizer.
• The Magic Castle, a private club for magicians, has many Hollywood stars as associate members. 

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Theme Related: Some Famous Magicians

• An 18^th-century Dutch magician used the hollowed-out wooden leg as a secret hiding place for props.  Eliaser Bamberg had lost his leg in an explosion.
• Another famous 18th Century magician was Matthew Buchinger. He was born without arms or legs and was 29 inches tall. But he was a master of “Cups & Balls” and a musician who had four wives and 11 children!
• An African- American named Richard Potter, or "Black Potter," was a great ventriloquist and magician. It was said that he could swallow molten lead, enter a heated oven with a leg of lamb and stay there until the lamb was cooked, and dance on eggs without breaking them!
• Adelaide Herrmann, the wife of Alexander Herrmann, America's foremost magician of the late 19th-century, toured the world for almost 30 years with her own spectacular magic act after her husband died. She was one of the first women to be fired from a cannon, and the first woman to perform with an old-fashioned high-wheeled bicycle. 
• Orson Welles, the actor and film director, had his own magic show for U.S. soldiers during World War II.
• John Gardner, author of the 14 most recent James Bond thrillers is a magician. One of his novels, The Confessor, is a thriller about a master spy who is also a secret master magician. 
• Harry Houdini died on Halloween in 1926 and is still the world's best-known magician. He took his name from French magician Robert-Houdin, and was famous for showmanship and as an escape artist. He made several silent films and creator many special effects and received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame after his death.
• Magician John Henry Anderson had a trick called the “Inexhaustible Bottle” in the 19th Century – he would pour various drinks, ordered by the audience, from a single bottle
• Magician Okito (Theo Bamberg), was totally deaf and called himself “The Silent Oriental.”
• Doc Nixon wore an Oriental costume, and really vanished in 1939. There were rumors he became a Tibetan monk.
• Chung Ling Soo, the most famous Chinese magician of all time, was really an American named William E. Robinson. His true identity was discovered when he died in 1918 doing the Bullet Catch trick on a London stage.
• Blackstone The Magician (as Harry Boughton was known) was also as a popular comic book hero of the 1940s.  He appeared each month in Super Magician Comics solving mysteries as a magician detective. 
• David Copperfield, a famous illusionist, has the greatest collection of magic books, tricks and memorabilia in the world.  He also has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and is the world’s richest magician – he’s on the Fortune 500 list!
• Howard Thurston switched from a ministry student to a magician after seeing Herrmann the Great. While thinking about the show, he was mistakenly given a train ticket to Syracuse, where Herrmann was headed, instead of Philadelphia.  Although he was too shy to speak to the magician, he later bought his show.  He was known for making a man magically turn upside-down in a box far too small, making a singer and her piano disappear and reappear in mid-air over the audience, and making a girl reappear in a trunk suspended over the audience.
• Horace Goldin, “The Whirlwind Wizard,” had a thick Polish accent and a stammer.  So instead of the usual spiel of talking, he did 45 tricks in a 17-minute show, including sawing a woman in half!
• Cardini was another silent magician – he acted the part of a bewitched and drunken British gentleman, complete with monocle and tuxedo, and while “trying to remove his white gloves” performed all kinds of tricks with cards, billiard balls that changed color, cigars and cigarettes.
• Ed Marlo wrote over 60 books about magic with cards, contributing over 2,000 separate tricks.  One night, two magicians and their wives took Marlo and his wife to dinner for his birthday.  During the drive, one of them mentioned a new card trick – after the group got to the restaurant, they realized Marlo was missing – he was still in the back seat of the car, working on various methods to do the new trick! 
• In 1985, Harry Blackstone’s original “Floating Lightbulb,” built by Thomas Edison, was the first Magic donation made to the Smithsonian.
• Eldon D. Wigton (Dr. Eldoonie) is the world’s fastest magician. He performed 255 tricks in 2 minutes on April 21, 1991
• The world’s strongest magician is Ken Simmons, who can bench press over 500 pounds.  (Linking Ring 11-97)

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Theme Related: Abracadabra!

Top hat?  Cape?  Wand?  Are we ready for some sleight of hand tricks? As Cubmaster one of your choices this month is the theme:  Abracadabra!  If you know any magic tricks or really neat chemical changes, that seem like magic, this would be a great opener to your Pack Meetings. As always, keep it exciting and fun.. and with a POSITIVE Attitude!  ( Yes there are ways of joining the 2 themes together! ) Recognize the dens or Scouts who personify positive attitudes.  Being positive IS contagious and like the ripples of a pond they do flow out and affect everyone. Discourage the negatives and encourage the positives.  You cannot say enough: “Good Job” to Scouts.  They are seeking and craving encouragement. Even if they get it half right focus on the positives.  A magic trick even if it is halfway right can also be encouraged.  Standing in front of people is the first step. Encourage all your den leaders to exemplify this all year long. At least once a den meeting each Scout should hear this and at pack meetings, it may be difficult to say this to every Scout so maybe like the minister or religious leader who stands at the door as each person leaves you and your Assistant Cubmaster can shake each Scouts hand and tell them: “Good job”, “I’m glad you were here!”, and “I can’t wait to see you again next month to see what new things you learned in Scouting!”