We’ve been having fun with simple magic tricks lately, most of which grown-ups need to perform for kids at Travis’s age. But with a little help, even preschoolers can pull this one off, and trick everyone from friends to adults!

Place a coin under a clear glass. After testing out a couple different ones, we found that a clear plastic cup worked best.

Have your rapt audience watch from the side as you fill the cup with water – thanks to the way the water bends the light, the coin will appear to disappear!

Look straight down into the cup to discover the coin again.

Travis had so much fun with this – not just his thrill for the disappearing coin, but also with the mechanics of pouring the water into the cup and seeing what happened over and over again.

A great first magic trick for kids!