Controlling Kids Part 2: The Creep Factor
By Danny Orleans - Friday, March 29, 2019
I call it “The Creep Factor.” It’s the tendency for kids watching a magic show, to slowly creep up closer to the magician. We’ve all experienced this, right? How do you prevent it? I have a two-pronged approach.
But first, let’s understand why kids creep. There are a few obvious answers.
- They want the prestige of being in the front row.
- They want to be close to the action to see and hear better.
- They think if they’re closer, they’ll see how the tricks work.
What’s the secret to controlling creeping? Take a hard line—literally. Put a line of tape on the floor about eight feet in front of your magic tables. This “line of demarcation” will give your kids a visual barrier—a structure that you can refer to—so they know just how close they can sit.
I call it “The Creep Factor.” It’s the tendency for kids watching a magic show, to slowly creep up closer to the magician. We’ve all experienced this, right? How do you prevent it? I have a two-pronged approach.
But first, let’s understand why kids creep. There are a few obvious answers.
- They want the prestige of being in the front row.
- They want to be close to the action to see and hear better.
- They think if they’re closer, they’ll see how the tricks work.
What’s the secret to controlling creeping? Take a hard line—literally. Put a line of tape on the floor about eight feet in front of your magic tables. This “line of demarcation” will give your kids a visual barrier—a structure that you can refer to—so they know just how close they can sit.
I call it “The Creep Factor.” It’s the tendency for kids watching a magic show, to slowly creep up closer to the magician. We’ve all experienced this, right? How do you prevent it? I have a two-pronged approach.
But first, let’s understand why kids creep. There are a few obvious answers.
- They want the prestige of being in the front row.
- They want to be close to the action to see and hear better.
- They think if they’re closer, they’ll see how the tricks work.
What’s the secret to controlling creeping? Take a hard line—literally. Put a line of tape on the floor about eight feet in front of your magic tables. This “line of demarcation” will give your kids a visual barrier—a structure that you can refer to—so they know just how close they can sit.
I call it “The Creep Factor.” It’s the tendency for kids watching a magic show, to slowly creep up closer to the magician. We’ve all experienced this, right? How do you prevent it? I have a two-pronged approach.
But first, let’s understand why kids creep. There are a few obvious answers.
- They want the prestige of being in the front row.
- They want to be close to the action to see and hear better.
- They think if they’re closer, they’ll see how the tricks work.
What’s the secret to controlling creeping? Take a hard line—literally. Put a line of tape on the floor about eight feet in front of your magic tables. This “line of demarcation” will give your kids a visual barrier—a structure that you can refer to—so they know just how close they can sit.
Psychologically, it’s all about structure. Kids love rules, structure and limits. It teaches them just how far they can push their behavior—in this case, where they can and cannot sit.
When kids enter your performance space, whether it be at a library, a school, a community center or a living room private party, if they see a line of tape on the floor, most will automatically sit behind it. It’s amazing to watch.
As mentioned in the video, I use blue Painters’ Tape. It’s not very sticky at all and doesn’t leave the floor or carpet with any adhesive residue.
And what if the kids creep past the blue line? I use Positive Reinforcement. As mentioned in last week’s blog, I make statements to the child next to the kid who is creeping. I look directly at a child who is sitting correctly behind the blue line and compliment him or her with something like:
I like the way you’re sitting with your legs crossed in front of you, behind the blue line.
Immediately, the creeping kid will scoot backwards as he searches for his place behind the line.
Or if there a few children that have been creeping during a routine, I might say this at an appropriate point in the show.
In a moment I’ll need some helpers. Remember I always pick kids who are sitting quietly, with their legs crossed, sitting behind the blue line.
It’s simple enough to say in an upbeat, positive manner. And it gives kids the “rules” so that they can be rewarded with a chance to help. But only if they’re sitting correctly!
So, try my one-two punch to prevent “the creeps” from ruining your show. Put down a line of tape and then use complimentary, positive statements to keep the kids in line and behind the line.
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