Magic tricks should be taught to every school pupil, researchers have concluded. Although not exactly in the Harry Potter league, tests have shown that teaching magic to children boosts their self-confidence and social skills.

The improvements seen in children were so marked that the research team from the University of Hertfordshire called for magic to be added to the national curriculum. Richard Wiseman, who led the study, said that the skills demanded by even simple tricks helped children in several ways.

Magic forced them to show self-discipline to master the tricks, problem-solving skills in identifying how tricks worked and likeable behaviour to entertain other people successfully.

The overall effect of the lessons, in which they had to learn and perform at least one trick in front of other pupils, was to enhance their self-esteem and confidence.

The study involved 60 pupils aged between 10 and 12 from two schools in Hertfordshire. They were given magic lessons during Personal Social and Health Education (PSHE) lessons.

"Magic School was far more effective than the existing self-esteem and confidence lesson," Professor Wiseman told the British Association conference in Liverpool.

He said magic encouraged children to look at issues from other people's perspectives, which he argued could reduce bullying. Because magicians have to know what an audience will look for as it tries to work out how the magic is done, children have to look at a trick from the observer's point of view.

Professor Wiseman said that magic should be part of the PSHE curriculum: "The improvements we saw were great. Kids love the idea of going to magic school like Harry Potter.

"This is an interesting way of moti-vating children to think. Solving magic tricks is all about critical thinking. Learning magic requires self-discipline, an understanding of how other people think, and an ability to entertain.

"Unlike playing computer games, it encourages children to interact with their friends and family.

"Because of this, we thought it might be a unique and effective way of developing an important set of psychological skills."

Tricks included one in which the children seemed to restore a rope that had been cut in half and another in which a volunteer's mind was "read".

Article By Lewis Smith, Science Reporter - Times Online September 2008