Apparition Lesson (lighthearted)

[letsgomaths]

OK, it's not exactly serious learning, but it's a fun thing for younger children who love Harry Potter, which can be presented as a "lesson". I was the secret assistant in this trick at a Harry Potter party; the children loved this.

Take each child one at a time into the "Apparition Classroom" (could be the garden), which has a cushion or stool on the floor at one end, and a hoop (or mat) at the other. Stand them in the middle of the room, and tell them that you will teach them to Apparate from the cushion to the hoop, and tell them they have to memorise the three D's (destination, determination, deliberation). They will have to jump off the cushion when they Apparate: you can get them to practise doing this as part of the lesson, so you can see how far they jump. When they have done this, take them back to the middle of the room.

Because they are Muggles, and the magic is very secret, you have to blindfold them. Warn them they must not take off the blindfold, or they might get Splinched (body parts separated). Spin them round, lead them to the cushion or stool, and help them to stand on it. Then tell them to say the three D's out loud, to jump off the cushion... and lo and behold, when you take their blindfold off, they have Apparated from one end of the room to the other!

The trick is: just after you blindfold them, somebody quietly moves the cushion to near the hoop (this is where it helps to have another adult, or teenager). When you lead them to the cushion, they think they are being led to where it was originally: make sure there aren't any noises that would give the position away. The cushion has to be moved back to the start before they are allowed to see where they are.

Of course, some children will work out how you did it straight away, but it's a good bit of fun for those who love HP.

[PorpentinaScamander]

I wonder if my 15 and 13 years olds would fall for this

[CheriLittlebottom]

I love that, OP! DD is too young to use it now but I will try to remember it for any HP birthday parties in future.

dd had bloody better love potter I am desperate to throw a potter party

[letsgomaths]

Another tip to make this work well is to keep talking to them while they are blindfolded, to distract them: quiz them on the three D’s.