Brian’s Tiger Cub Scout Magic (Virtual) Course:

Curiosity, Intrigue, and Magical Mysteries

My Gift for Safer-at-Home Tiger Meetings

My name is Brian Hoffman, and I am a Los Angeles based entertainer who specializes in kids comedy magic. My magic show performances are not only hilarious but bursting with energy!

When it comes to Cub Scouts, I am an expert, having served as an active leader and Cubmaster for my son’s Cub Scout Pack (Pack 575 – Santa Clarita, CA). My son is currently Life rank in Troop 303.

With the 2020 quarantines in place, I wanted to help Cub Scout Packs by creating a lesson plan for Tiger Elective Adventure: Curiosity, Intrigue, and Magical Mysteries. It is my pleasure to put together this resource to help your Scouts learn some magic and work towards earning their Adventure Loop!

Please email me at Brian@BrianHoffmanMagic.com, and let’s set up a meeting where I can teach your Scouts some magic using Zoom or another video conferencing tool. It’s my small way of helping you through these unusual and sometimes difficult times.

The guide below was created to provide resources for the Cub Scout Leaders. The Cub Scout activities were pulled from the April 2008 BSA Pack Planning guide. I’ve pulled out some key activities to create a 2020 lesson plan for this Tiger Adventure.

Please feel free to reach out to me with any questions Brian@BrianHoffmanMagic.com. If you are local to Southern California, please take a moment to visit my website BrianHoffmanMagic.com to learn more about my Birthday Party entertainment or Cub Scout Magic Shows.

I am also offering virtual interactive magic shows. 

Requirement 1 (COMPLETE REQUIREMENT 1 AND 2)
  • Learn a magic trick.

    • Practice your magic trick so you can perform it in front of an audience.

  • Create an invitation to a magic show.

  • With your den or with your family, put on a magic show for an audience.

Requirement 2 (COMPLETE REQUIREMENT 1 AND 2)
Requirement 3 (PICK ONE OF REQUIREMENT 3-5)
Requirement 4 (PICK ONE OF REQUIREMENT 3-5)
Requirement 5 (PICK ONE OF REQUIREMENT 3-5)

The Boomerang Illusion

In appearance the two boomerangs look to be different sizes, but are they?

Watch the video for full performance and the secret instructions.

If you create your trick using the download, use white/red and white/blue instead of the red/blue combination.

DID YOU KNOW: The oldest known reference to the Jastrow Illusion as a magic trick is from a 1913 book by Will Goldston, a popular English magician of the first half of the twentieth century. Goldston uses two boomerang shapes with boy scouts drawn on them. The trick is presented as a guessing game, proving the spectator wrong after they point out which of the boy scouts is the largest. From: https://geniimagazine.com/wiki/index.php?title=Boomerang_Illusion

Boy Scout Boomerang Illusion

Boy Scout Boomerang Illusion

Download Brian’s Boomerang Illusion here

 

A Simple Card Trick

A fun and easy card trick for Tigers!

Preparation: Divide a deck of cards with red cards in one pile, black cards in the other. Then place the two piles on a table facedown.

The performer asks someone to pick a card from either pile and then show his card to the audience.

Meanwhile, you pick up the rest of the pile from where he chose a card and place it in your pocket or under the table as inconspicuously as possible. Have the person place his card anywhere in the pile that is left on the table.

With great flourish, pick up the pile and without letting the audience see the cards, fan them out. The card he “replaced” in the pile will be obvious as it is of a different color than the pile. Ask, “Is this the card you chose?” The audience will be amazed.

The Invisible Ball

A little imagination makes a lot of magic.

Effect: You show the audience an invisible ball, which you toss into the air and catch in a paper bag with a very convincing sound!

Supplies Needed: A paper lunch sack and a good imagination.

The Secret: You create the illusion of catching the ball by snapping your fingers on the bag as the ball falls into it.

Performing the Trick: Reach into the bag and stop. Look at the audience and ask, “Have you ever seen an invisible ball?” Wait for an answer. Then say, “Of course not! They’re invisible!” Then remove the “ball.” Look at it, look at the audience, then look at the ball again. Toss the ball into the air, watching it as it goes up and down into the bag.

Snap your fingers at the moment the ball should enter the bag, based on your gaze. (Watching the ball is crucial to the creation of the illusion and is the main thing that people miss when they first begin. Stress the importance of this with your students.) Reach back in and do it again. Hand the ball to an audience member. They will take it – guaranteed! – and ask them to toss it up high. Move under the ball (this can be VERY funny) and catch the ball.

Fold the top of the bag as if there were still a solid ball in it, and move to the next trick.

Visit Brian’s Magician School to Learn More!