How to Do the Toothpick Star Magic Trick

The toothpick star magic trick makes for great dinner table entertainment or a good old-fashioned bar trick. All you need to make magic are some toothpicks, a little water and an inquisitive audience. Keep them guessing by hiding your water until it's time to get the toothpicks moving.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Toothpicks
• Water

1. Bend five toothpicks in half so that they crack.

2. Place the toothpicks on the middle of a table so the middle of each toothpick touch and the ends point out.

3. Tell your audience you will make the toothpicks form a star without ever touching them.

4. Give them a chance to "move the toothpicks" to make a star before you show them the trick. Tell them they have to form a star without ever touching the toothpicks.

5. Drop a small amount of water onto the middle of the toothpicks. The wood absorbs the water and forces the middles out. The result is ends of each toothpick meet to form a star.

Tips & Warnings

• Practice the trick ahead of time to find the right amount of water needed to move the toothpicks.
• Ask your audience to place the toothpicks so they feel like they're part of the trick.
• Don't use wax or plastic-coated toothpicks. They won't absorb the water or move. This is a pretty basic trick, and it's also fairly popular, so people may already know it.