Programs

The programs we offer are designed with state standards and educational goals in mind from the beginning. That’s just one of the reasons that our programs are completely different from shows offered by most school show performers. For my educational programs, I have three hard, fast, non-negotiables that every show MUST accomplish. The show MUST be entertaining for everyone who attends. The show MUST be educationally strong. And the show ABSOLUTELY MUST promote reading and encourage kids to read! This is done by introducing them to new books and series, reminding them of classics, talking about different types of materials they can check out from the Media Center and telling them what happens when they read every day (they learn to do all kinds of things, have all kinds of adventures and meet all kinds of people, to name a few!).

Looking to have THE BEST SCIENCE NIGHT or LITERACY NIGHT PROGRAM EVER? Ask about our Best Evening Meeting Ever discount when you call!

Tommy Johns Presents currently offers several educationally significant programs for elementary audiences as well as programs for middle and high school students, and we add at least one new program every year. Every program is packed with audience participation, comedy, music, magic, puppets and more and really motivates and encourages kids to continue their learning after the assembly ends by GOING TO THE LIBRARY!

Are you looking for a Just for Fun show to reward your students? Scroll down and take a look at our wild and wacky Just for Fun Magic Show!

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Finders Keepers! Your Library! Your Adventure!

This brand new show, being offered for the 2024 summer library season will be available starting in mid-May, and like all of our programs, features magic, puppets, comedy and a game show segment. There may even  be a visit from Bigfoot, the World Hide and Seek Champion! We will talk about how some of our best adventures, imaginary and real, start at the library, by reading all types of books and taking advantage of the other resources available at the library.

In addition to encouraging reading, the show encourages kids (and their parents) to get outside and have FUN, the best adventure of all!

“This guy is SO professional! Always on time, does a great job, is easy to work with and he really loves what he does. And the kids LOVE him and the puppets!”
Mike Nichols, Rome, GA

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Let’s B Friends!

This fun and funny show celebrates reading and friendship with magic, puppets, a game show and more! The program features a variety of books, uses a lot of volunteers and is hilarious!

But it’s not just another entertaining show! Woven into every routine is the message that friendship is super important! Using picture books, chapter books and series, the show discusses the importance of being a friend to others. We talk about KINDNESS, HONESTY, LOYALTY, EMPATHY and more as we drive home the point – “If you want to HAVE a friend, you must first BE a friend. Your students will LOVE the stories and the fun and will make their way straight to the media center to check out the books we discussed! And the teachers are going to love this show too!

“I have been an elementary school teacher for 25 years and that was, by far, the best school assembly program I have ever seen!”
2nd Grade Teacher, Chatsworth GA

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I Love to Read!

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I Love to Read! is the most popular show in the lineup! This 45-minute assembly program is an interactive educational production that is part storytelling, part magic show, part game show and 100% FUN. I Love to Read shows kids just how much can happen when they LOVE to read!

I Love to Read! features unusual puppets, crazy comedy, magic and audience participation to show how books can magically let readers meet all kinds of people, have all kinds of adventures and learn to do all kinds of things! New books as well as classics and award winners are featured in the show. A part of this program also teaches the importance of taking care of library books and returning them EARLY!

Over and over we reinforce the importance of picking up a book and reading EVERY DAY. This unforgettable show will have your kids talking about the reading program for weeks to come!

“Tommy Johns is a fabulous performer. The kids love him and he always holds their attention. The show is just as much fun for the adults as it is for the children.”

Monica Davis, Stevenson Library, Stevenson, AL

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Not Every Hero Wears a Cape!

heroNot Every Hero also teaches kids what it means to be a hero. As we introduce the books in the show, we talk about the heroes we see every day like police officers, firefighters, teachers, parents, and MEDIA SPECIALISTS! But the show focuses on how your students can be heroes. All it takes is knowledge in your head, a desire in your heart, and the courage to take action. It all boils down to doing the right thing.

We talk about liking yourself, working with others and making a positive difference in the lives of others. There is a brief anti-bullying message as well. Hilarious puppets Roosevelt Rat and Claudia the Hippo help us along the way as we explore and discover the hero inside of us all.

The show closes with a discussion (and a cool magical effect) using the VERY popular book Have You Filled a Bucket Today? by Carol McCloud and David Messing.

BONUS: Since there is a strong character education message in the program, you may even be able to work with your school counselor to provide or help provide funding for this program!

“You bring magic to life by motivating young minds to try their best! I love the way you involve the students. Asking volunteers to come up on stage is always exciting. Everything was fantastic!! Excellent! See you next year!”

Sammi McGowan, Teacher, Canton, GA

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Go Wild! Science in Your Own Backyard!
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A Humorous and Engaging Tour of The Scientific Process

Tommy and his puppet friends will be taking your kids on a wild and imaginary tour of their backyards, neighborhoods, and community parks. Through puppetry, magic and storytelling, Tommy and his furry and feathered (puppet) friends will teach young readers about how to use the Scientific Process to answer questions about their own environment. It looks like a science show, but it is all about getting kids excited about READING!

Along the way everyone will learn interesting facts about the plants and animals that live among us everyday, from color changing lizards, and inventive birds, to animals that change forms.

Get ready for another fun, educational, and entertaining program that will have your kids racing for books and talking about the show months after it’s over.

“I especially liked the integration of books and reading with the magic and puppets. The puppets and magic were especially well received by the audience.”

Amy Billings, Gwinnett County Public Libraries

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Simple Machines Made Simple!

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This hands-on workshop, developed in conjunction with staff from the National Science Center in Augusta, GA, allows learners to handle wheels, pulleys, levers, wedges, incline planes and screws in a way that makes abstract concepts “concrete” (yes, the pun was intended!).

Tommy comes in dressed as a construction worker, but the children from the audience are the ones who do the work.

Your tactile learners will come to life as they help figure out how to lift a 50 pound bucket of rocks with a 5 pound weight, and why a wedge is such a handy tool. Using levers, your youngest students will be able to easily accomplish feats that NO human being can accomplish bare handed. This is a presentation that will be remembered and talked about for a VERY long time.

Teachers will have no problem tying lessons into the subjects taught. And because the program also promotes reading and media center resources, it is a program that everyone appreciates! We look at and discuss biographies of inventors, discover that men women and CHILDREN can invent cool stuff, and even look at fictional inventors.

Throughout the program, the kids learn how simple machines help us “Work Smarter, Not Harder.”

“Mr. Johns came to McKibben Lane and did the presentation for students and parents for Literacy Night.  It was awesome.  He was so entertaining and the message was great.”

Jane Hardy, Media Specialist, McKibben Lane Elementary, Columbus, GA

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Just For Fun Comedy Magic Show!

If you are looking for a Just For Fun Comedy Magic Show that “has NO educational value whatsoever!” this is the place!

Just like all of my other programs for schools, Just For Fun includes amazing magic, hilarious puppets, a game show segment and lots of audience participation. More than one principal and teacher have told me that this show was one of the funniest they have ever seen! And everybody loves the part where the hippo plays the kazoo! 

Depending on the size and age level of the group, I also offer a magic workshop, where I teach the students several fun, amazing and easy magic tricks that they can use to amaze their friends!

Arctic Express!

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This holiday season treat the kids to a program that’s trainloads of fun, filled with puppets, magic, storytelling, music, and audience participation. This imaginary train ride magically takes kids around the world to learn about winter holidays like: Diwali, Kwanzaa, Solstice, Chinese New Year, Hanukkah and of course, Christmas.

Yes, the program is educationally significant (we can’t help ourselves, we are obsessed with creating the most educational programs available without compromising entertainment value), and yes, the program strongly encourages children to read. But don’t think for a minute that the show is anything less than sheer delight for everyone, including teachers and staff. When you hear the sleigh bell ring at the end of the show, you won’t be the only one to wipe a tear from your eye.

This is a show children will remember for the rest of their lives.

“Our teachers loved the show as much as the students. They asked me to get you back to our school next year! (You were) so easy to work with and book. Everything exceeded expectations.”

Sherry Plant, Assistant Principal, Meridianville, AL​​