[Childcare Magic] Easy! A special feature on magic tricks you’ll want to show kids

20 years of experience as a nursery teacher / kindergarten teacherhiyoko sensei
I’m Hiyoko-sensei, a former nursery school teacher from Hyogo Prefecture. Ever since I was five, my dream was to become a childcare worker, and before I knew it, 20 years had passed since I achieved that dream. Through singing and playing with the children, I kept working with the spirit of someone in their twenties, even as I increasingly felt my physical limits year by year (haha). From here on, I’d like to share helpful information carefully and thoughtfully, drawing on my on-site experience.
Nursery Teacher Mom Writertsukada moe
After working for five years at an after-school childcare club and three years at a nursery school, I began working as a freelance writer. I’m a mother of two children. Inspired by playing the flute in the school wind ensemble in elementary school, I joined a jazz club at university. I’ve also incorporated ukulele and piano performance into childcare. Playing, laughing, feeling sad, feeling frustrated—through all kinds of experiences, I want children to grow.

Kids love mysterious things, don’t they?

Their wide-eyed looks and curious head tilts are absolutely adorable.

So why not perform some magic at a birthday party or seasonal event?

You might feel nervous with kids watching, but with simple methods you can pull off tricks that will make them gasp.

Once you practice and learn a trick, you can adapt it to many different situations—highly recommended.

Use this article as a guide to find some jaw-dropping magic tricks!

[Childcare Magic] Easy! A Special Collection of Magic Tricks to Show Kids (41–50)

[Magic Theater] Animals Moving House

[Kindergartens/Daycare Centers] Many ways to play with a single gimmick! Magic Theater

[Magic Theater] Animals Moving House

Let me introduce a magic trick you can do with house-shaped origami.

It’s called the Animal Move, where the positions of three animals attached to a mechanism mysteriously switch places.

First, ask the children which animal they want to be in the middle, then fold the one they chose first.

Next, flip it over and open the lid—amazingly, that animal has moved to the center.

If you don’t flip it over, the animals stay where they are, so sometimes it’s fun to say, “Looks like the move isn’t finished yet,” and open it without flipping as part of the performance.

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Hirakawa Masako (Bōkarisuto: Sakata Mizumako)

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[Childcare Magic] Easy! A Special Feature on Magic Tricks Kids Will Love (51–60)

The character’s face got stretched!

Face-stretching: Three easy magic tricks revealed that kids will love — 3 easy magic tricks tutorials.

The character’s face got stretched!

This is a magic trick where, with a bit of “magic,” only the face of a beloved character stretches out long, which kids absolutely love.

The stretched face is funny too, so children are sure to be thrilled.

First, prepare the gimmick.

Make a slit below the character’s neck.

Then draw a stretched version of the character’s face sized to fit into that slit, and cut it out.

Hide the stretched face behind your right hand, insert it into the slit, show it to everyone, then pull it out.

Practicing in front of a mirror will help you perform the trick more convincingly.

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Hirakawa Masako (Bōkarisuto: Sakata Mizumako)

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Magic Fingers Hand Play

“Magic Finger”: Surprise the kids at your daycare! A perfect hand game for teachers before events and performances, for ages 3–5

Magic Fingers Hand Play

It’s a mysterious magic trick where the number of fingers increases.

Open your hand and count your fingers to the rhythm of a song.

If you skip only the number 8 and keep counting in a steady tempo, something strange happens—suddenly you have 11 fingers! It’s simple, easy to understand, and fun to do.

Kids will get really excited, so be sure to have them join in and enjoy the magic together! The Magic Fingers trick is great for even very young children, so give it a try.

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Ball Sorting Magic

A Hit with Kids! Easy Flashy Ball-Splitting Magic Trick [With Explanation]

Ball Sorting Magic

Magic for kids works best when it’s simple and easy to understand—they won’t get bored, and they’ll often ask, “Do it again!” Here’s a perfect example: the Ball-Switch Magic.

Inside the box are two clear cups, but only one of them is connected to a hole.

If you drop a ball into that hole, it naturally falls into the cup right below it.

But when you close the lid and drop the ball the same way… it ends up in the other cup! The secret is a slope-like mechanism inside the box that can be controlled from the back with just your thumb.

This gimmick is easy to make, too.

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The contents of the cup turn into tea.

The true nature of tea from 1,000 years ago

The contents of the cup turn into tea.

It’s a magic trick where the water in a glass turns into tea with just a spell.

All you need is a clear glass, water, a handkerchief, and transparent cellophane.

That’s right—it’s a simple trick where you just wrap the glass with cellophane.

While the handkerchief is covering it, you insert or remove the cellophane.

If you insert brown cellophane, it becomes tea; if you use green, it looks like melon soda.

Try changing the colors a few times and the kids will be amazed!

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In conclusion

I introduced some magic tricks you can incorporate into childcare. It’s the children’s honest reactions that really make the magic shine. If you have one trick you’re good at, it’ll be a big hit during downtime in class or at gatherings like birthday parties. They’re all simple in mechanism, but be sure to practice and prepare so you can truly amaze the kids when it counts.