October 25-31 is National Magic Week! Our friends at KLUTZ share a secret magic trick just for Scholastic readers. Enjoy!
For more than 40 years, magicians around the world have recognized the anniversary of Harry Houdini’s death with a special week dedicated to magic! The tradition began as an opportunity for magicians to give free performances at nursing homes, hospitals, schools and libraries. At KLUTZ, we are honoring the great Harry Houdini by sharing a little magic from our very own Prankster Magic with all of you! We hope you’ll take some time this week to try out this trick on your friends and family.
Want to see it in action? Check out this trick on the KLUTZ YouTube channel:
Want to learn it? Here's how!
SPELL CHECK
What you need: A deck of cards, a very serious and slightly hysterical magician name, and an audience
STEP 1: Shuffle a deck of cards. Then deal the first nine cards into three short stacks. There should be 3 cards in each stack.
Step 2: Have your volunteer flip over one of the stacks. Any stack will work. Look at the card that is face up. For this example, we will assume the card is the Two of Clubs. Remember that card. (This should work with any card).
STEP 3: Flip that whole stack on top of one of the two others. Then stack those onto the remaining stack. Important: It doesn’t matter which stack is flipped over in step two. But it is critical that the flipped stack be the first one flipped back over in step three and that the other two stacks are underneath.
STEP 4: Out loud, spell the first word of the card. Deal one card with each letter you speak. For example, T-W-O is three cards dealt into a new pile. Stack those three cards back under the remaining six.
STEP 5: Again, spell out loud the next word of the card. Deal one card with each letter. “O-F” is 2 cards. Stack those two cards back under the seven.
STEP 6: One more time . . . out loud, spell the last word of the card. Deal one card with each letter. “C-L-U-B-S” is 5 cards. Stack those five cards under the four.
STEP 7: With your nine cards in a single stack declare, “If I spelled everything right, the TWO OF CLUBS should be here at the top of the stack!” Then, flip the top card. Note: You will be wrong, but don’t worry, here comes the best part. Flip that wrong card facedown back on top of the stack and pout.
STEP 8: You forgot something: To add MAGIC. Spell magic, out loud. Deal a card with each letter. “M-A-G-I-C”. As you get to the “C” in MAGIC, flip the card over. It will be the TWO OF CLUBS.
It’s MAGIC!
You’re welcome, from your friends at KLUTZ.
