What Makes a Great Children’s Entertainer? It Isn’t the Tricks.
- Anastasiia Filippova
- Jul 14
- 5 min read
Today I performed at a daycare, and after the show one of the teachers came over to me with a smile.
She said:
“That was amazing. Honestly, it was even better than the magic show we had before.”
I smiled and replied,
“Magic shows can be wonderful too. What happened?”
She explained that another magician had visited the daycare a while ago, but the children quickly lost interest. He talked for a long time, explained every trick in detail, and the kids became distracted before the show was over.
That conversation reminded me of something I have believed for years.
The problem wasn’t that it was a magic show.
The problem wasn’t even necessarily the magician.
The real difference is understanding how children think.
After more than 11 years performing children’s entertainment and thousands of birthday parties, daycare programs, preschool shows, library events, school assemblies, bubble shows, science shows, and magic shows across the Chicago area, I’ve learned one important lesson:
A great children’s entertainer isn’t the person with the most impressive tricks. It’s the person who understands children’s attention.
The Type of Show Doesn’t Matter Nearly as Much as You Think
I’ve seen incredible magic shows.
I’ve also seen boring magic shows.
I’ve seen amazing bubble shows.
I’ve seen bubble shows that completely lost the audience.
The same is true for science shows, puppet shows, character performers, balloon artists, and almost every type of children’s entertainment.
The format isn’t what determines whether children have fun.
The performer does.
Children don’t remember how complicated a trick was.
They remember how it made them feel.
Children Are Not Small Adults
One of the biggest mistakes entertainers make is performing for children the same way they perform for adults.
That simply doesn’t work.
Adults can enjoy long stories.
Adults can follow complex explanations.
Adults appreciate subtle humor and technical skill.
Young children experience entertainment very differently.
A preschooler doesn’t care how difficult a magic trick is.
A four-year-old isn’t impressed because a card disappeared.
In fact, many preschoolers don’t even understand the difference between playing cards. A trick with the Seven of Diamonds and the Ten of Hearts may seem incredible to adults, but to a young child they’re simply two colorful cards.
Children respond to something entirely different.
They respond to:
Bright visuals
Big reactions
Interactive moments
Movement
Surprise
Simple storytelling
Constant engagement
That’s why a simple trick can receive a much bigger reaction than a technically difficult illusion—if it’s designed for children.
Great Children’s Entertainment Is Built Around Attention
Children’s attention naturally changes throughout a performance.
A professional children’s entertainer doesn’t ignore that.
We work with it.
Every few minutes something new happens.
The pace changes.
The energy changes.
Children answer questions.
They laugh.
They help.
They guess.
They move.
They celebrate.
Then the next surprise begins.
For example, during a 45-minute science show, we might perform around ten different experiments.
That means each activity lasts only a few minutes before introducing something completely new.
Not because we run out of material.
Because that’s how children stay excited.
Interactive Shows Create Stronger Memories
One of the first questions children ask when we return to a daycare we’ve visited before is:
“Do we get to help again?”
Not,
“Are you bringing the same bubbles?”
Not,
“Are you doing the same experiment?”
They remember participating.
Children love becoming part of the show.
That’s why we constantly invite volunteers.
We ask questions.
We encourage guessing.
We let children touch, explore, react, and celebrate together.
Participation transforms spectators into unforgettable memories.
We Don’t Perform Every Trick We Bring
This surprises many parents.
People often ask,
“Exactly what will be included in the show?”
The honest answer is:
It depends on the children.
Our goal isn’t to perform every routine we prepared.
Our goal is to create the strongest emotional experience possible.
If I notice that one activity isn’t creating excitement, I don’t force it into the program simply because it was planned.
I move on.
Keeping children’s attention is always more important than checking items off a list.
Reading the Room Is a Professional Skill
While I’m performing, I’m constantly watching the audience.
If I notice children beginning to whisper…
Looking around the room…
Fidgeting…
Or losing focus…
That’s information.
Not a problem.
Maybe it’s time for a faster activity.
Maybe it’s time for a volunteer.
Maybe it’s time for everyone to shout together.
Maybe it’s time for a visual surprise.
Great children’s entertainment isn’t a performance delivered to children.
It’s a performance created with them.
Behind Every “Spontaneous” Moment Is Careful Preparation
People sometimes think everything happens naturally.
In reality, almost every interaction has been carefully developed over hundreds of performances.
We know when children will probably laugh.
We know when they’ll shout.
We know where volunteers fit naturally.
We know how to involve children from every part of the audience so the same child isn’t always participating.
We even have systems that help us remember who has already had a chance to help.
The best improvisation is prepared improvisation.
Every new activity we create is tested during real performances.
If something doesn’t work, we change it.
If children lose interest, we redesign it.
If it still doesn’t work, we remove it completely.
That’s why our shows continue evolving every year.
We Entertain. We Don’t Give Lectures.
Of course we love encouraging curiosity, kindness, confidence, and imagination.
But our performances are not classrooms.
We’re not teachers.
We’re not babysitters.
We’re entertainers.
Children already spend much of their day learning.
When they come to a show, they deserve to laugh, wonder, participate, and experience something unforgettable.
Learning still happens naturally.
Children develop confidence.
They practice communication.
They build emotional expression.
They solve simple problems.
They explore curiosity.
But those lessons happen through joy—not through long explanations.
Why We Specialize in Children
People occasionally ask whether we perform for adult events.
The answer is simple.
We specialize in children because that’s where our experience is.
Working with preschoolers and elementary school children requires a completely different skill set than entertaining adults.
Rather than trying to be everything for everyone, we’ve chosen to become experts in what we love most.
For more than a decade, we’ve focused on creating unforgettable experiences for children at:
Daycares
Preschools
Schools
Libraries
Birthday parties
Park districts
Summer camps
Community festivals
Family events throughout Chicago and the surrounding suburbs
How Parents and Daycares Can Choose the Right Children’s Entertainer
When comparing performers, don’t only ask what tricks they’ll do.
Instead, ask questions like:
Do you specialize in children’s entertainment?
How many years have you worked with preschool and elementary-aged children?
Is your show interactive?
How often do children participate?
Do you adjust the performance based on the audience?
What happens if the children lose interest?
Those answers will tell you far more than a list of tricks ever could.
Final Thoughts
Whether you’re hiring a magician, a bubble artist, a science performer, or another children’s entertainer, remember this:
Children don’t remember the most complicated trick.
They remember how they felt.
They remember laughing with their friends.
They remember helping on stage.
They remember shouting the magic words.
They remember being part of the adventure.
Because the best children’s entertainment isn’t about performing for kids.
It’s about understanding them.
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