When I was in college, I went through a phase where I was interested in stage magic.  I read a lot of books on the subject and taught myself how to perform (after a good amount of practice) two or three illusions with some degree of precision.  One of the things that I noticed when I was studying magic was that there were very few good books for young beginners.  Most of the books and videos aimed at kids have hokey tricks (often self working) that their peers will easily be able to figure out.  Sources with more advanced illusions often have verbose and confusing instructions that will be difficult for young magicians to decipher.  To fill this void, professional magician Lyn Dillies has created a DVD aimed at children, Learn Magic with Lyn, which teaches them some fairly impressive illusions that can be achieved with a little bit of practice and minimal setup.

This DVD teaches young magicians how to prepare and perform 11 tricks.  First the trick is shown as the audience would see it, then the illusion is explained.  The thing that sets this apart from many other beginners' magic sources is that Lyn then goes through, step by step, and shows how to prepare and present the trick.  She points out areas where the performer has to be careful, and even shows what not to do.  This last part would be very helpful for young budding Houdinis.

When I saw the cover of this disc featuring a Ms. Dillies with a big smile on her face and green and purple sparkles arcing out of the wand she's holding, I was ready to dislike it.  That's just what the world needs is another ultra-cheerful magician teaching children about the "wonders of magic."  While Lyn's patter is a little too cheerful for my tastes, I was impressed with the variety and types of tricks she teaches.  There are no card tricks or 'tie a knot in a rope and watch it vanish' tricks that often populate books aimed at children.  The tricks she presents are visually impressive and won't be easy to figure out if done correctly.

There's a wide variety of illusions too.  There's mental magic, tricks that require no preparation, close up magic and even a beginning stage illusion.  More importantly, the tricks selected illustrate some of the techniques that are used in more advanced magic.  The trick Eye on the Coin features a simple but elegant use of misdirection to vanish a salt shaker, and Lyn's simplified version of the classic trick Cups and Balls has the students using some simple but effective manipulations.

In addition to those tricks this disc will show kids how to crumple up a piece of newspaper and turn it into a bouncing ball, vanish a dime, turn a cup of water into ice instantly, cut and restore a ribbon, and read someone's mind to discover which crayon they selected out of a box of eight, among other tricks.

Lyn also presents some rules of magic that are very useful.  She advises her audience to practice their illusions before presenting them, to never repeat a trick, and, of course, to never reveal the secret.  All in all, this is an excellent package for child who is interested in learning the art of magic.

Audio:

The two channel audio is fine for an instructional video like this. The dialog is clear and easy to hear and there is no his or distortion.

Video:

The full frame video looks very good, especially for a low budget production like this one.  There aren't any glaring video defects and both the definition and color level are fine.  A nice average looking disc.

Extras:

Unfortunately there aren't any extras.  A clip or two of Lyn performing her stage illusions would have been nice.

Included in the case is an insert with a note to parents, a magician's oath for children to sign, and an article on Lyn Dillies career.

Final Thoughts:

Learn Magic with Lyn is a fantastic introduction magic for young children.  The tricks presented on this DVD are superior to the illusions presented in most beginner's magic books and DVDs.  They have a lot of visual impact and are easy to perform, but do require some practice and work.  Lyn Dillies takes her students through the tricks step by step and gives tips on presentation and even how to segue into the next illusion.  This would be perfect for an elementary or middle school child who wants to learn how to mystify and impress an audience.  Highly Recommended.