10 Fun & Easy Magic Tricks For Every Party

You don't have to be David Copperfield or Siegfried and Roy to put on a good show — all you need is a little magic trick. The following optical illusions are easy to master, but will leave everyone stumped as to how you pulled it off. They'll be calling you the Great Houdini in no time!

1. The Card in the Arm

For the first trick, you'll need two playing cards, scissors, and glue. On the first card, cut out a section that fits your arm exactly. Glue the intact side on top of the second card. Glue the cut-out piece in the void on the second card — make sure to be precise so that you don't see the cut edge. Finally, bend the second card backwards halfway.

When performing the trick, first press the cards close together so it appears that there is only one card. While you move it quickly towards your arm, loosen your grip and the second card will fold back — your arm will fit perfectly in the hole you cut out for it, and it will look like the playing card has plunged into your arm.

2. The Disappearing Finger

Get a piece of felt that is the same color as your top, preferably a deep black. Cut a pocket out of the felt. As a template, you can easily put your thumb and forefinger on the felt — the space corresponds to the shape you need. Roll the pocket in and thread it through a ring. The ring should be big enough so that you can slip it and the felt bag smoothly over your finger.

If you now hold the ring with the felt bag close to your body and put your finger in the ring, it will look like your finger disappears. Tip: It looks even more realistic in dim lighting. 

3. The Torn Newspaper

Now it's getting crazy: take two identical newspaper pages. Fold one as small as possible and hide it in your left hand. The other newspaper page will be the one presented to the audience. Tear the page into pieces and crumple it into a small ball in your right hand.

While you secretly make the ball disappear, bring out the folded page and unfold it in front of your stunned guests.

4. The Smoking Glass

Use a pencil to make a tube out of the aluminum foil and roll some matches up in the foil.

Put the aluminum tube in a glass and light it at the top where the matches are located. The resulting smoke is pushed down into the glass by itself. Collect this smoke and use it to your advantage.

5. The Ascending Ring

A simple trick that can be performed anywhere, all you need to do here is cut a rubber band and thread it through a ring.

Tighten the rubber band between your fingers. Slightly lift the left hand up and let the rubber band carefully slide between the fingers of the right hand. By pulling the rubber band, the ring will move up the rubber band by itself. 

6. The Glass on the Card

Is it possible to balance a glass on a regular playing card? Of course, all you need is TWO regular playing cards! All you have to do is fold one card in half and glue it to the back of another card, thus making a three-legged stand.

Of course, it's best if the audience is sitting a bit lower than the height of the table so you can effectively pull off the optical illusion. Also make sure not to unfold the back card before you start the trick.

7. The Recovered Coin

Take a matchbox and a coin. Insert the coin between the tray and the sleeve of the box. 

If you push the box open, nothing is visible at first. Only when you push the drawer back in and shake it a little bit does the coin come loose and fall into the box. 

8. The Spilt Wine

Pour a drop of hot wax on a plate and stick a tealight on the wax. Light the candle and pour some wine on the plate. Now put a wine glass over the candle. 

The flame will go out and the wine will mysteriously be sucked into the glass — now that's certainly a different way to pour wine!

9. The Sticky Ping Pong Ball

Place a table tennis ball on the opening of a narrow carafe filled to the brim. If you turn the decanter in one go, the ball will be sucked in by the resulting negative pressure and seal the opening.

The trick is best done with a bet: "I bet you xxxxx that this ball will stay in the glass!" Simple physics can be very exciting (and lucrative).

10. The Obedient Can

Now for the last trick, which also relies on physics: rub a microfiber cloth over a plastic tube several times. Then hold the tube next to a can lying on its side without touching it. 

You'll notice right away that the can is drawn to the pipe. The tube is electrostatically charged by the friction and calls to the can, like a mama bear to its cub.

You might need to practice some of these tricks a few times before performing them live in order to make it as believable as possible. But once you get the hang of it, you'll always have a few tricks up your sleeve that'll be perfect in a pinch.

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