Thanksgiving and black Friday are behind us, now it is full steam ahead into the Holiday party season.
Here is a fun routine that combines two things kids love, magic and free candy.
There is some assembly required but I promise it will be easier than putting together the toys kids get for Christmas.
Supplies:
Mini candy canes.
White and red granulated sugar.
Two small plastic containers with lids. (holds sugar)
Small paper bag or holiday gift bag.
Scissors, clear tape, pencil, straight edge.
Sturdy paper or poster board that matches inside of bag. Heavy stock printer paper also is a good choice, that is what we will use in our sample photos.
Preparation:
We will be making a secret compartment inside of our bag with the sheet of paper. The paper makes a trap door, this is why sturdy paper or poster board is best.
Step 1. Lay the bag over the sheet of paper, use the bag as a guide and make a couple of marks at the edge of the bag with pencil.
Step 2. With the straight edge, subtract about a 1/2 inch of the width from your mark and draw the line. This will allow the sheet of paper to move inside the bag smoothly. Trim the paper.
Step 2. Open the bag fully and slide sheet of paper to bottom, make a pencil mark about 2 inches below the opening of the bag.
Step 3. Use straight edge to strike a line across the sheet of paper width wise, trim off the paper so it is now slightly shorter than the bag.
Step 4. Insert the sheet of paper once again into the bag and see if it will flop over easily from side to side like opening a door. Make any needed trimming adjustments.
Step 5. Once the sheet of paper is fit to the bag, make sure it is flush to one side of the bag and touches the bottom. We will now secure the bottom edge with clear tape making a hinge.
Step 6. This is not necessary but I did think it would be convenient. Take a piece of the scrap paper and tape it to the door sheet so it is just above the edge of your door, you now have a tab that can help flip the sheet when ready.
The paper door should now move freely back and forth with your aide.
The load:
Step 1. With our trap door flush to the side of the bag, poor in mini candy canes to the bottom of the bag. Flip paper door to the other side of the bag to hide candy.
Step 2. Poor sugar into containers; red in one, white in the other and seal with lids. This keeps sugar from spilling during travel.
You are now ready to perform.
The routine:
The bag can carefully be shown empty to the crowd by pinching the paper door closed against the side of the bag. Be brief in your motion as to not accidentally show the door or the candy load. The bag can be set on the table upright and ready to use.
Step 1. Ask the audience for some helpers to make a special surprise for everyone. Two helpers are perfect as we have two sugars. (I like to keep the sugar hiding away as to not tip off that we might make a treat.)
Step 2. Let your helpers peek in the bag to see that it is empty. Bring up sugar and place it on your work area.
Step 3. Hand each helper a container of sugar and have them pour them into the bag.
The sugar is held in our first compartment of the trap door.
NOW THE FUN!
Step 4. Since the surprise is candy canes, I have all of the kids get up and twist back and forth to make the magic happen. Like the twits of color on the candy cane.
Step 5. As the kids are twisting you simply move the door to the opposite position to expose the candy canes.
Step 6. After a moment of the twisting, ask the helpers to wave their hands over the bag giving them some magic words to recite.
Step 7. Have the helpers peek in the bag to see what they have made, the bag can be tipped forward to show the audience as well.
Step 8. Removing the candy canes by hand is best. If we tried to pour them out, the sugar would come out as well spoiling the secret.
Step 9. Have your helpers pass the candy out to the rest of the audience, one for each helper of course. Hide the bag away in your case or magic table.
Notes:
This can be a great ending to your show, sending kids off with a treat is a good plug to get more gigs.
I also make sure I have extra candy hidden away in case the magic bag did not produce enough for everyone.
When you get home, dump the sugar into the trash, the bag can be reused many times.