Make a homemade magic kit for your toddlers and preschoolers using basic household items and supplies. With the hat and magic wand, they’ll feel like true magicians. This activity will provide hours of imaginative pretend play.
Remember the 5 minute magic wand that I showed you the other day? Well, this is the magic kit that I made to go along with it.
This cost me nothing to make, and it was really easy to put together. It’s great for pretend play, it doubles as a bit of a sensory/sorting activity, and a child can play with the set by themselves, or put on a “magic show” for others.
How To Make A Homemade Magic Kit:
To make your Magic Wand:
To get instructions for making our homemade magic wand, click here.
How To make a Magician’s Hat:
Paper bags make the coolest hats and headpieces for pretend play. We have loads of other paper bag crafts too if you’re interested.
- Paint a paper bag black. I supported my paper bag by slipping it over an small, over-turned garbage pail. This made it easy to paint all the way around the bag in one go.
- Once dry, roll the edge of the bag outward, and continue to roll until you’re happy with the size of the “brim” you’ve created. This brim was once the INSIDE of the bag, and will require a quick coat of black paint.
- When dry, tie a wide ribbon around the hat.
Magic Kit Accessories:
Now for the fun part!
Get creative here, and search your cupboards, craft supplies and toy room for items you think a Magician would use.
I came up with cups and a pom pom for the infamous “cups and ball” trick. You could use a bouncy ball, but a pom pom is less likely to roll away on young children.
I added a couple of silk scarves. These are perfect for stuffing into the hat, and for making objects “disappear”. You can pull the scarves through a clenched fist, or simply swirl them through the air.
Every magician needs a small animal to pull out of his hat!. We don’t have a rabbit, so our monkey got the job.
Lastly, I added various items of interest that could be both used for performing magic with, or for simply exploring and playing with:
- A couple jars
- ribbons and laces
- a few playing cards
- a handful of craft sticks
- several sea shells
- and a dozen or so plastic gem stones
These items added to the activity as the hooligans sorted them into piles, dropped them into the jars, and poured them from one container to another.
Now I’ll show you some photos of our junior magician at work!
And when you’re ready to pack it away, everything can be stored in the hat until the next time!
More Pretend Play Ideas:
More Homemade Toys For Pretend Play
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Jackie is a mom, wife, home daycare provider, and the creative spirit behind Happy Hooligans. She specializes in kids’ crafts and activities, easy recipes, and parenting. She began blogging in 2011, and today, Happy Hooligans inspires more than 2 million parents, caregivers and Early Years Professionals all over the globe.
Kate
What an adorable idea! Looks like so much fun for the kids
happyhooligans
Thanks, Kate!
doodlebags
So cool! I made my eldest a magic wand many years ago (he’s now 14) by painting a piece of dowel and it was one of his favourite accessories. Your ideas are superb!!!
happyhooligans
Thanks, Helen! That’s so neat that your son’s favourite was a magic wand!
Erin- The Usual Mayhem
I love the “magician’s hat” in particular! Great invitation to play, Jackie.
happyhooligans
Thanks, Erin! I love how this whole set up cost me nothing, and provided so many opportunities for play.
karyn
I just love this! So cute!
happyhooligans
Thanks, Karyn!
Yvonne Bentley
Great idea, some little magician would have so much fun. You are amazing and one creative lady!
happyhooligans
Thanks, Yvonne. You’re so sweet.
Cristina
Thanks so much for posting this! Such a fun idea 🙂
Melissa @ The Chocolate Muffin Tree
This is so adorable. Even just adding extra things you mentioned to a commercial kit would make it so much better. Many times the sets are not so great and cheap. I may may make one of these set for a 3 year old that I know. Thanks so much. You have such wonderful ideas. I know I would be following you if I had a younger child. You are amazing! I am always popping by on your page either way. Merry Christmas!
happyhooligans
Aw, thanks Melissa! It’s funny, I forget sometimes that while I’m blogging to an audience of moms with young kids, my blogger friends’ kids are all growing up, and won’t be needing my ideas for too much longer. 🙁 I’m so glad you still pop by to see what we’re up to though. Thank you! xx
Michael
You forgot one thing. How to use the magic tricks. That’s important.
happyhooligans
When working with very young children, I find it’s best to allow the children to explore and experiment, using their own imagination and creativity. When we impose our pre-conceived notions of how the activity is to be done, it tends to stifle their imagination and takes the fun away from it.
Michael Pascoe
It’s not whether how clever I am, you included a bunch of stuff, but didn’t say what tricks they are. I am a magician and that is a big step you left out. Adding a bunch of stuff and calling it magic is not helpful it’s actually frustrating.
happyhooligans
Oh no, this isn’t for children to actually perform “real” magic tricks with, Michael. Toddlers aren’t likely capable of that, nor is it important to them to learn how to perform magic. This is an open-ended activity which allows kids to explore the items and use their imagination. Free-play and unstructured, imaginative play is so valuable to a child’s development. Once we start placing expectations and “right or wrong” results on an toddler/preschool activity, it usually loses it’s appeal. The “magic” here, is watching a child explore, experiment and learn in his or her own way. 🙂