Magic

Books

Ages 4- 8

  • The Magic Fan by Keith Baker
  • The Magic Hummingbird translated by Ekkehart Malotki
  • Ventanas Mágicas/ Magic Windows by Carmen Lomas Garza
  • Ghosts for Breakfast by Stanley Todd Terasaki
  • Los Perros Mágicos de los Volcanes/ Magic Dogs of the Volcanoes by Manlio Argueta

    • Activities

    Magic Tricks

    Materials: cloth handkerchief with knot in one corner.

  • Teach everyone a magic trick they can teach to their friends. How to tie a knot with just one hand.
  • Pull cloth out of pocket with knot hidden in your hand.
  • Pick up the opposite corner of the cloth with your other hand and transfer it to the hand holding the knot while keeping the knot hidden.
  • Snap the cloth and let go of the knotted end.
  • You may want to try a few times without success (let the unknotted end snap free) to make it look like you’re really trying to knot the cloth.

    • Wizard Hats, (http://www.magicbob2000.com/supplies.html)

    Materials: large construction paper, markers, crayons, glue, scissors, glitter, stickers, stapler, tape.

  • Cut out ¾ of a large circle from paper and have kids decorate their soon-to-be wizard’s hat however they wish.
  • Then fit the hat to the child’s head and tape/staple/glue it.

    • Snacks

    Edible Magic Wand (http://familycrafts.about.com/library/projects/blediblewand1.htm)

  • Ingredients: pretzel rods, white chocolate chips, colorful sugar or star-shaped sprinkles, wax paper, bowl, cookie sheet.
  • Put the chocolate in a bowl and melt it in the microwave.
  • Line the cookie sheet with wax paper.
  • Dip both ends of a pretzel in the melted chocolate for 1 in white tips.
  • Lay the pretzels on the wax paper and add sugar and/or sprinkles.
  • Set aside until the chocolate is hard. Don’t refrigerate.
  • ALTERNATIVE to white chocolate: white frosting. Pretzels don’t need to be set aside after frosting, can be eaten right away.

    • Harry Potter Chocolate Toads (http://familycrafts.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?site=http%3A%2F%2Fjas.family.go.com%2FFamily%2Fcookbook.app%3Fpage%3DShowRecipe%26recipeID%3D15281%26printVersion)

  • Ingredients for 24 Toads: ½ c chocolate chips, 2 tsp butter/ shortening, 24 gummy frogs, bowl, clean paintbrush, wax paper, cookie sheet.
  • Melt the chocolate and butter in a bowl in the microwave.
  • Paint the melted chocolate onto the tops of the frogs.
  • Let them dry on the wax paper lined cookie sheet before eating.

    • Magic Cupcakes (http://familycrafts.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?site=http%3A%2F%2Ffamilyfun.go.com%2Frecipes%2Fspecial%2Fcake%2Fcake_wizard%2F)

  • Ingredients: pre-prepared cupcakes, white icing (and/or icing already mixed with cocoa powder and brown food coloring for darker “skin”), mini jawbreakers, colored gel icing for details, red shoestring licorice, scissors, sugar cones, candy stars and/or glitter, mini pretzel sticks.
  • Cover cupcake with icing for “skin.” Add jawbreakers for “eyes”, licorice for a “smile,” and gel icing for “hair.” Make the “face towards the front, or one side of the cupcake.
  • Cut a sugar cone down to 2 in for a wizard hat. Coat it with icing and decorate with glitter and/or candy stars. Place it on top of the head, a bit behind the hair.
  • For a wand, coat a pretzel with icing and decorate with glitter, etc.

    • Green Magic Pudding, (http://www.atozkidsstuff.com/march2.html)

  • Ingredients for 1: 1 tbsp instant pistachio pudding mix, plastic baggie, 2 tbsp cold milk, spoon.
  • Place mix in a baggie and add milk.
  • Seal the baggie and shake it for about a minute. Watch the contents magically turn green!
  • Enjoy right out of the bag with a spoon.