Everyone loves sleight of hand, illusions, and mind-bending tricks that leave them wondering “How?”—and you’re the person to truly wow them.
Whether you’re getting this for yourself or your child, you’ll be able to see the stunning looks on everybody’s face while they attempt to decode the tricks.
It’s a great way to get started, learn the ropes, and get your bearings before pursuing high-scale tricks.
We’re featuring the best magician kit for adults, as well as some more basic beginner-level boxes for kids to get into.
You’ve waited long enough to get started with magic; now is your opportunity.
These low-cost, high-value kits will give you a basic rundown of everything that you need to know for your first days of magic.
Best Cards for Magic Tricks – Reviews & Buying guide for 2020
MasterMagic Magic Kit
It’s marketed as a children’s magic kit, but if you’re truly a beginner (which is presumably why you’re reading this in the first place), this simple kit has enough information and equipment to get you situated in the world of magic.
As the best magic set on our list, there was a heavy list of criteria that it had to meet.
On top of including all the necessary equipment, it comes with 350 magic tricks with full instructions. While that’s an impressive number for any magic kit, it comes with a hidden stipulation.
Those tricks are available to view online. You get an access code with your purchase, which allows you to view all the necessary information about these tricks online through their secured site.
It would be better if it came in the kit, but in our world where you can tell your fridge to set reminders and we can access the internet from anywhere, it’s not as big of an inconvenience as many people point out. It’s okay that it’s not tangible material.
Those 350 tricks are all accessible from what you get in the kit. I recommend this for beginners, whether you’re an adult or a child.
The kit is admittedly more colorful and bubbly that most adult magician kits (which we’ll get into a bit more later), but it’s still a good primer.
I’ll be the first to say that the pieces in the set aren’t the highest quality materials. There’s a lot of plastic, but despite that, it’s built sturdily.
There’s no information about the plastic type (polycarbonate, acrylic, etc.), so I would have to guess that it’s durable ABS plastic.
It’s plenty strong enough for children to use and not break within the first 24 hours. That’s one of the reasons it peaked our list.
Everything comes together to keep this kit nice and cheap without skimping on quality.
One way that I notice they saved money and kept the price low is that the only storage container available is the actual box itself. Other magic kits are known to come with bags or small plastic cases.
The box will eventually get scratched up, so it’s wise to have a separate plastic storage container in mind for all the pieces.
Ideal Magic Spectacular Magic Suitcase
This one is designed exclusively for children, and it comes with a ton of fun, interesting material to hold their attention.
We all know how kids can lose interest in something very quickly, but Ideal (the brand) did a fantastic job of keeping their attention so they can at least give their time to learning these tricks.
It is absolutely a magic kit for beginners.
You could get this for your five-year-old and use it with them, or for a seven-year-old, if they want to try the tricks on their own (after all, it isn’t much fun to display the tricks if your parent knows them already).
When you flip the box open, you get 100 tricks worth of props in the box.
I say it like that because, just like the MasterMagic kit we just reviewed, they’re going to include a code to view videos online to better instruct you on how to use everything to its fullest.
In comparison to the MasterMagic kit, you’re going to have an actual place to store your props when you’re done.
It’s still in the box, but this one is made from corrugated cardboard, which makes it a lot more durable. Along the top, there’s a plastic carrying handle as well, making it easier to transport and store.
Do you get usage out of all 100 props? Yes.
Are they the best quality? No.
The wand is good, the playing cards are very thin, and the fake fingertip isn’t very convincing. However, this is just to get your foot in the door.
It’s also about 30% cheaper than MasterMagic on average, so while the trick numbers are limited, this is a good choice to save some money if you’re concerned that your child will lose interest (as kids often do) before too long.
I would recommend this if you’re not sure if your child’s interest will stick, and if it does, that’s great. Then you can upgrade them to another kit down the line.
Melissa & Doug Deluxe Magic Set
Melissa & Doug make a lot of kids’ toys, and while this certainly isn’t a magician sets for adults, it’s the perfect way to safely introduce your children to magic without the choking hazards of a lot of other sets.
It’s a simple kit that’s designed to last for ages, as many of their toys/products do.
If you aren’t already aware, Melissa & Doug are a brand that makes durable, sustainable kids toys that are usually designed to last throughout all of the childhood (and potentially be passed down to a younger sibling).
As you can imagine, making durable toys is expensive, so you’re not looking at a cheap kit here.
You’re only going to get 10 tricks in this kit, so for ages two to five, this could be a great introduction.
If your kids have seen magic on television shows or cartoons and they want to get started, this is the best way to do it. You can entice their imagination without introducing harmful toys.
Now, while I say ages two to five, for legal reasons they state that this kit is actually designed for ages eight and up. Not to hate on M&D, but an eight-year-old would roll their eyes at this.
While these set pieces are durable, they are painted, so scuffs and scrapes can damage the aesthetic appeal over time.
In your box, you’ll get step-by-step instructions so that you can show them how to perform the tricks. M&D is a screen-free brand, so there’s no codes or online videos of them demonstrating the kit.
However, the instructions are pretty straightforward.
Scientific Explorer Magic Science for Wizards
Initially, I was going to list this about the Melissa & Doug kit, but it actually only includes nine tricks in total, which is a bit of a let-down.
It’s a very cool set that kids ages seven to twelve would enjoy (I know I wish I had one as a kid), making it perfectly viable for beginners.
Despite the lower number of tricks available, it’s one of the best magic kits for beginners because it’s inexpensive and entrancing.
Out of everything we’ve reviewed on this list, Scientific Explorer’s kit is the most inexpensive.
This blends the ideas of sleight of hand behind some chemical mixtures, which include citric acid, copolymer, and other chemicals that make some really cool reactions.
Adult supervision is certainly advised here, just to be safe.
One of the main draws to this kit is that you can make your own wand. As an adult, if you wanted to make a custom wand, you’re looking at a tall price point.
This is a really fun way for kids to come out of the kit, once the chemicals are gone, with their own permanent item. It’s like closing a chapter from beginner to being more experienced.
Criss Angel MINDFREAK Professional Magic Kit
Last but not least, Criss Angel’s kit—the one designed for adults—really gives you something to flip out over.
Not only do you get a whopping 400 tricks in this kit, but they’re designed to trick everyone around you, not just kids.
If you weren’t big on watching Criss Angel Mindfreak when it premiered on television, now is your time to get all of his tricks bundled up into one.
It’s actually not even marked at too bad a price, so you can skip the beginner stage if you want and get right to it.
In this kit, you get the secret to levitation, some excellent card tricks, and on top of that, penetration tricks that leave people mind-boggled.
While most branded kits like these ride on the name of the magician and lower the quality of the props, you actually get some pretty high-end pieces here, making it valued at more than the initial price.
However, it’s not actually valued at what they say it is. They say that it’s valued at $450.00, which is a massive overstatement, but hey, that’s marketing for you.
It’s a worthwhile kit for any adult beginner, so long as you have plans of making your own kit piece-by-piece as time goes on if you plan on doing this as a side hustle.
Magic Kit Buying Guide and FAQ
How Your Kids Can Benefit from Magic Tricks Kit?
They can have fun! Magic isn’t about being the next Copperfield, not when you’re a kid; it’s about doing something cool and impressing people, and there’s nothing wrong with that.
Besides just having fun, there are more benefits than you’d think when it comes to, say, the best magic kits for 10-year-olds.
Self-Esteem
If you remember anything about being a kid, it’s that there was nothing but uncertainty around every corner. Will they like me? Am I cool? Do people want to be around me?
There are so many insecurities that children have that we, as adults, often overlook.
Performing magic captures people’s attention, and there’s nothing better for your self-esteem than knowing you have something to offer and that people are paying attention to you, beyond the shadow of a doubt.
Safe Hobby
While you can certainly upgrade to Criss Angel-level dangerous stunts in the future, that’s closer to their adult years.
A beginner’s magic kit is very safe, and a way for your children to get into a fun hobby without any risk of injury.
Other Creative Inspiration
Who knows where tomorrow leads?
Feeling fulfilled and having fun at the same time allows you to explore other creative ventures in the future, which could be extremely joyful for them. Nothing is off the table.
Cure for Boredom
As a parent, how many times have you heard “I’m bored” from your child?
It gets irritating, but in truth, they just need something more stimulating that isn’t a screen. Magic kits give them hours of fun by creating a dedicated activity that you can throw yourself into.
It’s the perfect thing to pull out on a rainy day, and spark a lifetime of adventure going forward.
What Are the Easiest Tricks to Learn?
Whether it’s a magic kit for teens, kids, or adults, you can all learn these tricks to have a few more ideas in the bag when you go to show off your magic skills.
Rubber Pencil Trick
The thing is, you don’t have to stick to a pencil. You can do this with a pen, a ruler, anything that’s long enough.
You put your index finger and thumb at the bottom third of the pencil, and gently bounce it up and down. After a few seconds, it builds an illusion based on the way your eyes track movement. Simple.
Spoon Bending
Nothing is quite as much fun as spoon bending, because you could just do it while sitting at dinner with friends out of nowhere.
All you need is a spoon, and some instructions to know how to “bend” it, and a bit of practice. These tricks don’t take long at all to learn.
Magnetic Pencil Trick
These are one of those tricks that are better explained through a video, but they’re definitely a lot of fun. It takes you about thirty minutes or so to master these.
Disappearing Coins
When you position a coin between two fingers, usually your thumb and index, you can apply a ton of pressure to have it snap back against your palm.
It happens so fast that most people don’t know what happened, and as long as you open your fingers quickly after finishing the trick, you can fool them.
Coin From Thin Air
Banking on the previous trick, you can hide the coin in your hand, and have another one hidden underneath three of your fingers.
A lot of coin tricks can be hacked by applying a piece of clear tape over one of them and sticking one side to your fingertips, concealing it beneath your closed fingers.
You pull upwards so the tape sticks to the sides/top of your fingers, and the coin pops up out of thin air.
What Props are Must-Have in Any Magic Tricks Kit?
Magicians rely on some of the same props time and time again, and there’s nothing wrong with that. Among all of them, these are the most crucial to always have on-hand.
Cups and Balls
One of the best ways to trick people is with sleight of hand. You can exercise distractions with cups and balls by misdirecting attention. It takes some getting used to, but it’s versatile.
Dice
There’s strength in numbers. Seriously; magicians love to manipulate numbers to predict outcomes as well as to deploy a sense of misdirection. Cards and dice have this in common.
Cards
A magician’s best friend would have to be a deck of cards. You can make so many tricks with these, and beyond just learning the art of cardistry, they come in handy.
Gag Tricks
Rubber fingers, magic drawer boxes, and things of the sort. These are fun one-off tricks that you can only use on one person at a time, but they’re fun.
Ball Vase
These are cheap little tricks that can divert attention while also being their own separate trick, so you can use them to set up other tricks.
DIY Magic Kit vs Buying One
The best magic trick kit doesn’t necessarily need to be store-bought or pre-packaged. They’re good to get started, sure, but as time goes on you might find yourself building your own magic kit.
You can use a bucket, a pencil, and a dinner spoon to start a magic kit if you wanted to (provided that you know all those specific tricks).
So what are the benefits of a DIY kit over a pre-done one for you?
It could be cost. You can find the prices of these magic kits on their sales pages, but if you independently sourced some of these tricks and props, it could run a bit lower.
Depending on the complexity of a DIY magic kit (which most people are going to upgrade to over time), it could end up costing more for a beginner.
Pre-done kits give you the benefit of a flat rate, especially if you aren’t 100% certain if the recipient is going to lose interest; kids do that sometimes.
However, a pre-done kit comes with a cohesive design, whereas a DIY kit is going to look very thrown-together, to say the least.
The aesthetic and appeal matters a lot, especially for some of the tricks we mentioned above. You want things to look cohesive to keep the illusion alive.
How Long Does it Take to Learn Beginner Magic Tricks?
Beginner-level tricks like the rubber pencil can be practiced and mastered in fifteen minutes.
It’s like a rite of passage for new magicians to master, but it’s one that you can pull out of nowhere at any given time.
If you wanted to make a diverse cache of tricks, from coin tricks to deck shuffling maneuvers, levitation and more, you would arguably spend about five hours learning how they all work, and perhaps thirty or forty hours to actually get good at them.
Everything is going to depend on the person learning it though, because some people are able to master things that they’re interested in without much time spent at all.
These rapid learners, or kinesthetic learners, figure out how to get good at something by doing it.
It doesn’t take too long to really get good at beginner-level magic tricks, so for a learner with this style, it can be done faster than most other people.
Beginner level magic tricks aren’t meant to be super difficult; they just take time.
Start Off Right
We all have to start somewhere, and while it’s not easy to begin something new, you can absolutely get your foot in the door with a basic kit.
There are dozens—sometimes hundreds of tricks at your disposal if you have the diligence to practice them, and they’re all available through these kits.
There’s no shame in getting a beginner kit as an adult, either. You can get one for your child, one for yourself, and learn it together to make a truly fantastic experience.
Get your foot in the door and pursue your lifelong passion for getting started with magic. Nobody knows what the future holds, but it’s up to you to decide if that’s going to be Vegas shows or not.
Don’t waste another minute!
