Magic workshops at Margam Castle August 2009

 Loopy Lews are pleased to be able to offer our magic school/ workshops to schools, community groups , organisations and also to businesses. 

Magic is an excellent tool in many aspects of life for both children and adults in that it builds on social skills, confidence, problem solving, self discipline and team building skills. All very useful in day to day life for children and adults of all ages. 

Please read the article below by Lewis Smith, Science reporter with the Times newspaper published in the newspaper in September 2008ewspaper in September 2008:-

"Magic tricks should be taught to every school pupil, researchers have concluded. Although not exactly in the Harry Potter league, tests have shown that teaching magic to children boosts their self-confidence and social skills.

The improvement seen in children were so marked that the research team from the University of Hertfordshire called for magic to be added to the national curriculum. Richard Wiseman, who led the study, said that the skills demanded by even simple tricks helped children in several ways.

Magic forced them to show self-discipline to master the tricks, problem solving skills in identifying how tricks worked and likeable behaviour to entertain other people successfully.

The overall effect of the lessons, in which they had to learn to perfom at least one trick in front of other pupils, was to enhance their self-esteem and confidence.

The study involved 60 pupils aged between 10 and 12 from two schools in Hertfordshire. They were given magic lessons during Personal Social and Health Education (PSHE) lessons.

"Magic School was far more effective than the existing self-esteem and confidence lesson,"Professor Wiseman told the British Association conference in Liverpool.

He said magic encouraged children to look at issues from other peoples perspectives, which he argued could reduce bullying. Because magicians have to know what the audience will look for as it tries to work out how the magic is done, children have to look at a trick from the observers point of view.

Professor Wiseman said that magic should be part of the PSHE curriculum: "The improvements we saw were great. Kids love the idea of going to magic school like Harry Potter.

"This is an interesting way of motivating children to think. Solving magic tricks is all about critical thinking. Learning requires self-discipline, an understanding of how other people think, and an ability to entertain. Unlike playing computor games, it encourages children to interact with their friends and family.

Because of this, we thought it might be a unique and effective way of developing an important set of psychological skills".

For any further information please feel free to discuss with Craig either on e-mail :- [email protected] or by telephone on 01792 585335 / 07899 093065