Although you probably wouldn't want anyone to hear you say it, raising a child is a pretty fascinating experience. Their innocence and eagerness is refreshing, and seeing their reactions to the world is like looking at everything through brand new eyes. For a moment, you can play again, you can see the world for the first time again, and you can believe in the unbelievable.

One great way to bring out the youth in your kids (and the youth in yourself) is through magic. Pull a quarter from behind an unsuspecting ear, flip a chosen card out of a deck or make a six-foot scarf disappear, and your kids will think you're out of this world. Besides, any good father and prospective old man have to have a few magic tricks in his repertoire. Not only will they be good for countless generations of kids, they're also great for quieting down a loud group during events like birthday parties and family gatherings.

If you're going to be a magician, though, you've got to know the ground rules:

1. You must be able to palm a penny - You will never pull off any coin tricks if you don't learn this basic, ground-floor technique. Start by holding the penny between your thumb and forefinger of your left hand, with your fingers pointing up. Move your right hand in as if to grab it from your fingers, but instead drop the penny into your waiting left palm. Although it seems simple enough, you'll be amazed how many kids watch your right hand to make sure you don't do anything "tricky" with that penny. For more coin sleights, click here.
   
   
2. You must be able to force a card - Just like a coin palm, this is the foundation for most good card tricks. Unless you know how to read minds, you'll need this technique to "magically" guess someone's card. In all actuality, you'll be forcing a particular card on them. The easiest way to do this is to use whatever card is on top of the deck. Fan through all the cards, explaining that you want the spectator to know that the cards aren't stacked in any way. Take note of the very top card, and remember it. Then, use one of these card sleights to force the card into their hands. When you "guess" the correct answer, your kids will be amazed.
   
   
3. You have to practice your patter - Doing a successful magic trick isn't all about pulling the rabbit out of the hat. It's also about misdirection - making the audience look the other way, or simply distracting them with what seems to be idle chit-chat while you go to work. This chit-chat is called "patter"; it's the story you tell your audience while you're pulling the wool over their eyes. A card trick is just a card trick; what makes it really memorable is the performance. Practice your patter; many card trick descriptions will give you suggestions for how to deceive your audience.
   
   
4. You can never do the same trick twice - This is a huge no-no in the magic world. Remember, this is your show, and you don't have to do anything you don't want to. You'll get requests incessantly, but you must resist repeating a trick. When you perform a trick, no one knows what's coming, and so the end result is a surprise. If you repeat it, however, everyone knows what's coming and can now specifically watch to see how you accomplish the trick they know is coming. Keep the mystery alive; never repeat a trick.
   
   
5. You can never, ever reveal your secrets - Kids want to believe in the unbelievable, and you'll find they are generally the only audience that will truly believe that you are, indeed, channeling actual magic. Don't take this away from them. They're kids, and they're only going to believe in all this stuff for a few more years, so let them have their innocence. Besides, for now you're an amazing magician. If you tell them your secrets, though, you'll be come a shady trickster. Maintain the illusion at all costs.

This is the groundwork. From here you can learn any trick you want and pull it off like an accomplished prestidigitator. Your kids will be amazed, as if their father controlled the wind and rain, and for a minute maybe you'll believe in magic too.