Hobbies Magic Magic Tricks

Easy Dinner Table Magic Tricks

Fun magic tricks for tableside entertainment

psychokinesis concept with bent spoon
fergregory / Getty Images

Do you ever find yourself at the dinner table and in need of some easy magic tricks to perform to break the ice? In this collection of step-by-step instructions, you'll learn some everyday magic tricks that you can do with whatever you have around the table. No need to have a deck of cards on you or some unusual magic prop. Just use the materials at hand and it can be "magic." 

  • 01 of 05

    The Impassable Corks

    In the Impassable Corks, you hold two wine corks that are seemingly interlocked and somehow pull the corks through each other. It's a fast, visual trick that you can also perform with rolled dollar bills and other objects of roughly the same size as wine corks. All you need is a little bit of manual dexterity to make the trick look seamless.

  • 02 of 05

    The Spoon Bend

    The Spoon Bend is a classic trick that every smart-aleck needs to know. You grab any spoon, press down on it with your hands, and appear to bend the spoon. As your stunned spectators register what you just did, you lift the spoon and show that it is unbent, just as you found it. The trick is all in how you hold the spoon.

  • 03 of 05

    Coin Through Table

    In Coin Through Table, you cause a coin to somehow pass through the top of a table. It's a sleight-of-hand trick that can be done with a dramatic flourish to really wow your audience. For a great routine, follow this one with the coin vanish.

  • 04 of 05

    The Coin Vanish

    This Coin Vanish is a great trick to do after the Coin Through the Table trick. Just substitute a cloth napkin from the table for the handkerchief.

    In this easy trick, a coin is placed into a handkerchief where it mysteriously disappears. You can perform this one just about anytime or anywhere. All you need is a quarter, a handkerchief, and that special secret. (Spoiler: The secret is a rubber band.)

    Continue to 5 of 5 below
  • 05 of 05

    Cups Up Bar Bet

    Cups Up is a classic challenge that's more "sucker trick" than magic. It's a "do as I do," but because you will handle each setup of cups, your volunteer will fail at recreating your results.

    The goal of the game is to get all three cups in a line with the mouth up. Each player gets three consecutive turns to do this. A player can move two cups at a time with each turn.

    Your turn is first. Set your three cups in a line, with the first face-down, the second face-up, and the third face-down.

    • First turn: Turn over the first cup and turn over the second cup.
    • Second turn: Then turn over the first cup and the third cup.
    • Third turn: Finally turn over the first cup and the second cup.

    You should now have all cups in a line with the mouths up.

    Now, it’s the other person’s turn; however, you will set up the cups so the first and third cups are face-up and the second cup is face-down. This renders it impossible to get all of the cups facing up in three turns as you did the first time around.