Hobbies Magic Magic Tricks

7 Easy Levitation Magic Tricks for Beginners and Kids

floating card

The Spruce / Wayne Kawamoto

Magicians are known for levitation, serving as specialists in defying the laws of gravity by making it appear as if objects are floating in mid-air with no physical help. In close-up magic, it can be small objects such as playing cards and finger rings. In big stage illusions, skilled magicians can levitate people, live animals, or cars.

Levitation is a visual effect that everyone can understand and you don't have to say a word. Even though your audience recognizes that objects don't mysteriously float on their own, you can make them think it's happening. To learn how to levitate, study these simple magic tricks—you'll begin to learn the secrets and be able to amaze anyone in the audience.

Float a Card Between Your Hands

The floating card trick is a classic in any magician's toolkit. During it, you will make it appear as if a card is floating from one hand to the other. However, there’s some crafting involved, and you’ll have to watch your lighting, clothing, and distance those who are watching the trick.

floating card
The Spruce / Wayne Kawamoto

Watch Now: Learn to Float a Card From Hand to Hand

Levitate a Playing Card

Learn the basics of sleight of hand with this simple trick. There's no complicated move required to levitate a playing card, just a special card that's had a tab cut into the back of the card. Once you figure this one out, you'll be ready for more complex tricks.

Easy Levitation Magic Tricks
The Spruce / Wayne Kawamoto

Levitate and Spin a Card

With the knowledge you gained in the basic floating card trick, it's time to take the levitation to the next level by making it spin a quarter of a turn. The key to the trick: A plastic strip that's attached to the back of the card that's been spun.

Easy Levitation Magic Tricks
The Spruce / Wayne Kawamoto

Float and Spin a Card

Here's a magic trick that is sure to get the attention of spectators. You bring out a playing card and cause it to spin in mid-air before it rises up to your hand. It's another gimmicked card and one more secret to toss into your magic hat.

Easy Levitation Magic Tricks
The Spruce / Wayne Kawamoto

Make a Ring Rise

A trick that you can do almost anywhere, all you need is a ring and a rubber band for this illusion. The secret to making the ring mysteriously move is in how you hold the rubber band. This is a perfect trick for kids for anyone new to magic.

Easy Levitation Magic Tricks
The Spruce / Wayne Kawamoto

Levitate a Ring on a Pencil

Building on the ring trick, grab a pencil and some black thread and make the impossible possible. Then, you can make a ring mysteriously float up and down the length of a pencil—much to the delight of all who see it. 

Easy Levitation Magic Tricks
The Spruce / Wayne Kawamoto

The Rising Card

Card tricks are a ton of fun to learn and perform, and the rising card trick is a great place to begin. After a card is chosen and returned to the deck, the card the spectator selected will mysteriously rise out of the deck. You'll know the secret, but they won't! In order to do this trick, you will need to learn the trick of finding a spectator's card.

Easy Levitation Magic Tricks
The Spruce / Wayne Kawamoto