Printable magic trick cards

3️⃣ The Answer Is Always 3

Apprentice · 2 minutes · ages 6 to 11

You need: nothing but your hands

1. Say: think of any number, nice and small, between 1 and 10.
2. Say: double it.
3. Say: add 6.
4. Say: cut it in half.

…and 2 more on peabody.kids/magic/think-of-a-number-trick

Say: “Don't tell me anything. Just think the numbers really, really loudly. Louder. I'm nearly there. Hold still…”

🔮 The Magic Number 1089

Apprentice · 5 minutes · ages 7 to 12

You need: paper, pencil, envelope

1. Ask your friend to write any three-digit number on the paper with the pencil.
2. Tell them the first and last digits must be at least 2 apart.
3. Ask them to write it backwards underneath, then take the smaller from the bigger.
4. If their answer has only two digits, like 99, write it as 099.

…and 2 more on peabody.kids/magic/1089-math-trick

Say: “I've been practising seeing into the future, but so far it only works with numbers. I looked this morning and wrote down what I saw. That was before you'd even thought of a number.”

🎲 The X-Ray Dice

Apprentice · 3 minutes · ages 5 to 10

You need: dice

1. Turn away and ask your friend to stack three dice into a tower, any way they like.
2. Turn back and look at the number on the very top.
3. Take it away from 21 in your head.
4. Hold your hand over the tower, close your eyes, and say the number.

…and 1 more on peabody.kids/magic/dice-magic-trick

Say: “I have X-ray eyes. They don't work on people, or walls, or homework. Only dice. It's a very specific superpower and I'm making the most of it.”

🐘 The Grey Elephant Prediction

Apprentice · 3 minutes · ages 7 to 12

You need: nothing but your hands

1. Say: think of a number from 1 to 10, and keep it to yourself.
2. Say: multiply it by 9.
3. Say: if that's two digits, add the two digits together.
4. Say: take away 5.

…and 5 more on peabody.kids/magic/elephant-in-denmark-trick

Say: “Say the last line like you're reading it off a photograph only you can see. Slowly. Then say nothing at all and let them work out what just happened.”

🧮 The Calculator Prediction

Apprentice · 3 minutes · ages 6 to 11

You need: calculator

1. Type 12345679 into the calculator.
2. Hand it over and ask for their favourite digit, from 1 to 9.
3. In your head, multiply their digit by 9.
4. Say: now multiply by sixty-three.

…and 1 more on peabody.kids/magic/calculator-magic-trick

Say: “Your favourite number is more powerful than you think. Give it one little push and it takes over the whole calculator. Ready? Press it.”

🎂 The Birthday Mind Reader

Conjurer · 10 minutes · ages 8 to 13

You need: calculator

1. Ask them to key the day of their birthday into the calculator.
2. Times it by 5, then add 6.
3. Times that by 4, then add 9.
4. Times that by 5, then add the number of their birthday month.

…and 1 more on peabody.kids/magic/birthday-mind-reader-trick

Say: “I'm not going to ask you when your birthday is. I'm going to ask you to do some sums, which is much worse, and then I'm going to tell you.”

🗂️ The Secret Number Cards

Apprentice · 10 minutes · ages 7 to 12

You need: index card, marker

1. Write the six six index card out with the marker, each starting 1, 2, 4, 8, 16 and 32.
2. Hand all six six index card over and ask them to think of a number from 1 to 60.
3. Ask them to give back every card their number is on.
4. Add up the first number on each one and say the total out loud.

Say: “Six cards. Think of a number, don't tell me, and give me back the ones it's hiding on. That's all I need. Numbers aren't very good at hiding, it turns out.”

📅 The Lightning Calendar

Conjurer · 15 minutes · ages 8 to 13

You need: paper, marker

1. Draw a month on the paper with the marker: seven across, the dates in rows.
2. Ask somebody to ring any block of nine dates, three across and three down.
3. Glance at it, find the middle number, and times it by nine in your head.
4. Say the total out loud and let them add the nine up to check.

Say: “Ring any nine you like. Go on, make it a hard one. ...One hundred and thirty-five. Take your time checking, I'll wait.”

🤝 The Secret Partner Code

Conjurer · 15 minutes · ages 7 to 12

You need: nothing but your hands

1. Agree the code: the object right after a black one is the answer.
2. Leave the room while everyone agrees on an object.
3. Come back.
4. Say no to each one until they point at something black.

…and 1 more on peabody.kids/magic/secret-partner-code-trick

Say: “My partner and I have been doing this for years. We don't even have to speak. Go on, pick anything in the room, and don't let me hear you.”

🕐 The Magic Clock

Conjurer · 10 minutes · ages 7 to 12

You need: paper, marker

1. Draw a clock face on the paper with the marker and put it where they can reach.
2. Ask them to think of an hour and to count up silently from it as you tap.
3. Tap any numbers you like for the first seven taps, counting out loud.
4. On the eighth tap go to 12, then work backwards: 11, 10, 9.

…and 1 more on peabody.kids/magic/magic-clock-trick

Say: “Think of an hour. Any hour. Don't say it. Now count along with me in your head, starting from your number, and shout when we get to twenty.”

🧮 The Nine Times Fingers

Apprentice · 5 minutes · ages 7 to 11

You need: nothing but your hands

1. Hold up both hands, palms towards you, all ten fingers up.
2. Ask somebody for any number from 1 to 10.
3. Count from your left pinkie to the fourth finger, and fold that one down.
4. Count the fingers left of the fold: 3.

…and 1 more on peabody.kids/magic/nine-times-finger-trick

Say: “My fingers have the whole nine times table hidden in them. Give me any number from one to ten, and my hands will tell me the answer.”

✊ The Knuckle Calendar

Apprentice · 5 minutes · ages 6 to 10

You need: nothing but your hands

1. Make two fists and put them side by side, knuckles up.
2. Practise first: say January on the first knuckle, February in the dip after it.
3. Keep going along the knuckles and dips.
4. Knuckle months have 31 days.

…and 1 more on peabody.kids/magic/knuckle-calendar-trick

Say: “My knuckles are a calendar. I had them made specially. Name any month, any month at all, and they'll tell me how long it is.”

📖 The Book Test

Conjurer · 15 minutes · ages 10 to 13

You need: book, paper, pencil, envelope

1. Put the sealed the envelope where everyone can see it, and hand over the book.
2. Ask them to write any three-digit number whose first digit is at least 2 bigger than its last.
3. Ask them to write it backwards underneath and take the smaller from the bigger.
4. Now write that answer backwards underneath it, and add the two together.

…and 3 more on peabody.kids/magic/book-test-trick

Say: “Books remember everyone who has read them. This one remembered you were coming, and it told me which word you would choose. I wrote it down this morning.”

🔢 The Instant Magic Square

Conjurer · 20 minutes · ages 10 to 13

You need: paper, pencil

1. Ask for any number from 30 to 99.
2. Draw a grid four boxes across and four boxes down on the paper.
3. Top row: their number minus 20, then 1, 12, 7.
4. Second row: 11, 8, their number minus 21, then 2.

…and 3 more on peabody.kids/magic/magic-square-trick

Say: “Every number has a magic square hiding inside it. Most people never find theirs. Give me yours, and I'll draw it out for you before you can count to twenty.”

🔢 The Missing Digit

Conjurer · 15 minutes · ages 9 to 13

You need: paper, pencil

1. Turn your back.
2. Ask them to add up its digits, then take that total away from the big number.
3. They can use the calculator for the take-away if they like.
4. Ask them to cross out any one digit of the answer, except a 0.

…and 4 more on peabody.kids/magic/missing-digit-trick

Say: “Numbers leave footprints. You can cross one out, but the others still remember where it was standing.”

📝 The Answer in Advance

Conjurer · 15 minutes · ages 8 to 13

You need: paper, pencil

1. Ask a friend to write any four-digit number at the top of a sheet of paper.
2. On the other sheet write your answer: their number take away 2, with a 2 in front.
3. Fold it up and give it to somebody to hold.
4. A second friend writes another four-digit number under the first.

…and 4 more on peabody.kids/magic/answer-in-advance-trick

Say: “I'm going to write down the answer to a sum that nobody has written yet. Then you three can write it. Let's see if the future gets it right.”