"Do You Deal With The Youngest...The Oldest or The Adults?

My natural inclination is toward sarcasm.

Over the last few years, I've decided, very very consciously that I want to work on a developmental level with kids; get them laughing on their level.

The toughest for me have always been after school programs in the school auditorium. These are great fun shows but the breakdown is usually 30 or 40 kindergarten 1st graders, 30 or 40 2nd, 3rd, 4th. and 15 5th and 6th graders. And of course a smattering of adults.

You can guide things toward the older kids but they are in the "I know how that's done" phase. That is they decide they know how a magic trick is done and then they are done with you.

There is certainly fun to be had with that attitude but it just includes the younger kids, it doesn't focus on them.

So, my thought is to generally find your age you want the most laughs from. I'm really geared toward the 1st grade crowd. That easily picks up the kindergarteners and the 2nd and 3rd graders. Big development shifts happen toward the end of 3rd grade into 4th grade.

By picking a group that will give the most laughs, in this case the most there, I get everyone else laughing like crazy. It's strange that it took me years and years and years to figure out. But laughter is very contagious. Even if what I'm doing is just plain old silly to the older kids, the younger kids start laughing and laughing till the older kids come on board.

There are tons of shows like I do. I do a lot of summer camp programs, YMCA programs, where the breakdown is pretty similar. A lot of younger kids and a few older kids. I get heckled by the older kids but simply ignore them until they say something interesting or shout out something I can get a laugh with.

When the older kids get on board, I've trained them what kind of show we are doing. They let go and have a great time.