First Year Birthdays and Mundan Parties
Thanks to several very kind and generous community referrals, I’ve found myself performing at quite a few Mundan and First Birthday parties. In truth, the way I approach these isn’t terribly different from a birthday party, as the target audience is generally the same, i.e., kids between and around the ages of 5 and 12. Below I have made some minor changes to the birthday party description I have posted here. It more appropriately speaks to the experience you are planning.
Having been the featured magician at numerous large group events, by far the most successful are the ones where the kids get to meet me as they arrive; then enjoy a hilarious magic show, followed by balloon twisting.
The following tends to be a very well received schedule:
Party Start Time - This is the time that vendors are done decorating and your first two guests arrive. Then you and they commiserate awkwardly as you wait for everyone else to come over the next 30-60 minutes.
Guest Arrival - No matter what time you tell people to arrive, you can assume that not everyone will be there until about half hour later. It’s usually best to schedule my arrival time after, but not too much after, the official party start time. This allows me to set up my equipment , and then I can do “crowd work,” as the kids arrive. That mostly involves approaching small groups and performing close up magic tricks. It warms them up for an especially fun show.
Show Starts - I can start early, if everyone arrives earlier than expected, but plan for the show to begin about 45 minutes after the party start time. By then most everyone should be there. As the adults sit back and relax, I’ll gather the kids, introduce myself, and wrap them all around my little finger for the next 30-45 minutes. The length of the show can depend on many factors. If you opt for balloon twisting, and I notice that the show’s crowd is larger than usual, sometimes I will do a slightly shorter show so that there is enough time for everyone to get at least one balloon. But under no circumstances will the show be substantially shortened. You’ll get a full show.
Audience “Control” - Rarely do I have an audience or audience member that I can’t handle. With that said, if there’s an unruly kiddo that needs some extra redirection, I have NO PROBLEM with an adult helping out unasked. With that said, birthday parties are fun and exciting, so I don’t expect the kids to be silent and still the whole time.
Food Break - If you’re serving food, especially if it’s “buffet style,” I’ll direct the kids, when the show wraps up, to follow the adults’ directions so that they may eat and/or participate in other activities.
Balloon Twisting!
For the first few minutes after the show, I’ll pack up my equipment and set up a balloon station. The kids can come to me any time they want. I generally discourage them from standing in line, and instead encourage them to approach me when there are only one or two kids getting a balloon made. I’m “on” the entire time, so you can expect more entertainment, e.g., magic, “dad jokes,” and occasionally some surprises.
I usually tell the kids that each will get one balloon. If everyone gets a balloon before I’m scheduled to leave (typically two hours after my initial arrival), I can let more kids have more balloons.
See ya next time! - Two hours after my initial arrival, the party’s over. The parents leave with their kids, and you get to bask in the glory of having a party better than the other parents.