5 Reasons Students Should Learn Magic Tricks!
A Message from the Author: Hello everyone, my name is Mikayla Oz and I am the founder of The Magician School. I have been learning magic since I was 4 years old and made this fun hobby into a full time profession that's taken me literally around the world. However, it wasn't until I started teaching students magic, that I found the real value of learning magic tricks and it far extends past the actual "tricks". Here are my Top 5 Reasons Students Should Learn Magic Tricks!
Students Work on Communication and Public Speaking
The number 1 fear in the world is public speaking or the ability to confidently talk in front of a group of people. At The Magician School we try to foster an environment where students are able to stand in front of a group and present a magic trick. We do this by not directly focusing on the actual public speaking, but by giving students the task of performing a magic trick that just so happens to be in front of a larger group. Also the fact that we all just learned the magic trick together, helps put students at ease that they are all on the same "level" or starting from the same place. Also because of the way that a lot of magic works, the words we say hold power and are important. Meaning we shouldn't always say exactly what we are thinking, because that might reveal the secret to the trick. So we go over a informal script during our magic tricks to help students focus how and why we communicate what we are doing as magicians.
Dexterity and Coordination
Performing magic tricks can help develop fine motor skills. Many magic tricks, especially sleight-of-hand tricks like card tricks and coin tricks, require precise hand movements that can help improve dexterity and coordination. Magic tricks can also help improve finger strength, hand-eye coordination, and the ability to manipulate small objects. These skills can be particularly beneficial for students who have difficulties with fine motor skills, such as those with dyspraxia or other motor coordination disorders. This can not only help students perform better magic tricks, but also in other areas of their life as well, such as writing, drawing, and playing musical instruments.
Improved Social Skills.
By learning Magic students can gain the confidence to talk in a group of people. Learning magic is like knowing a good joke as it helps break the ice in new situations and connect people students may have not talked to before. By learning these important Social and Emotional Learning Skills students can interact successfully with their peers and will better understand how to relate to the world around them. In The Magician School Curriculum we put heavy emphasis on these skills. We understand the words we say and the way we interact with people is important. That's why we try to meet students where they are at and work on both our verbal and non verbal communication and social skills. Also magic tends to be the ultimate ice breaker and can help build relationships and work on our critical thinking skills.Â
Enhance Creativity and Problem-Solving Skills.
Learning and practicing magic tricks can be a great way for students to expand their creativity and problem-solving skills. By learning magic, you start to look at the world a little differently and question a lot more of the constraints that we put on things. This encourages students to think outside the box and find new and unique ways to solve problems. Magicians are constantly trying to find solutions to problems.Â
Teaches Patience
Magic tricks can be challenging to master, and often require students to practice and repeat the same trick multiple times in order to perfect it. This process can help students develop important qualities such as patience, persistence, and determination. By persevering through the challenging aspects of learning magic tricks, students can learn to approach difficult tasks with a positive and patient attitude, which can be beneficial in other areas of their life as well. In all of The Magician School Curriculums we've seen this evolution of practice and patience. In our A+ Card Tricks Program, most students don't know how to shuffle or even hold a deck of cards. However over time we've seen students successfully master of these skills. Even in our Magic 101: Intro to Magic Program, the very first trick taught most students won't get on the first attempt. We've seen students get frustrated because it didn't happen right away, but by the end of the class every student is able to perform the trick because of practicing it over and over again.Â