Everyone enjoys a good magic trick, so I present to you the Incredible Jumping Rubber Band Trick.

This trick involves a rubber band that gets wrapped around two fingers. By doing nothing more than lifting your fingers, the rubber band appears to instantly transport itself to the other two fingers on your hand. It sounds simple, but I'm always amazed how confused people get when I show off this trick.

Step 1: One Rubber Band

This trick involves all of the fingers on your hand except for your thumb. Wrap a rubber band around either the two fingers on the left or the right. It doesn't matter which, as long as the rubber band isn't on your middle two fingers.

Step 2: The Secret...

This is the important step to making the rubber band jump. This is the step that you want to do as quickly as possible so your audience doesn't catch on to what you are doing. I'm always surprised that people don't actually catch on faster...

Make sure the rubber band placed around your two fingers in the previous step is below your knuckles. Use your other hand to quickly grab the rubber band from the palm side. Bend your four fingers and put them through the rubber band and let the rubber band snap back in place.

So at this point, the rubber band should appear to be around two fingers on the back side of your hand and around four fingers on the palm side.

Step 3: Make the Jump

Once you have the setup finished, hold your hand up with the back facing the audience. As quick as you can, extend all four fingers straight up, and it will appear as if the rubber band magically jumps from finger to finger.

Once you have the basic move down, this can be dressed up as seen in the attached animation.

Step 4: Add a Second Rubber Band

Once you have the basic move down, it's possible to add a second rubber band. Put a rubber band on two fingers as you did previously, and then put the second rubber band on the other two fingers. You have the option of how tight you wrap the rubber bands around your fingers. If you wrap the bands around multiple times, the rubber bands have less chance of getting caught on each other, but the bands will end up higher on your fingers when the switch. Just placing the rubber bands without multiple twists increases the chances of getting tangled, but it makes the trick look better. Figure out what works best for you.

There are two methods to make the two rubber band jump and switch places. One involves using your thumb, and the second method does not. These methods will be explained in the next two steps.

Step 5: Two Rubber Band Switch Using Thumb Method

From the palm side of your hand, grab the rubber band farthest from your thumb. Pull it up so you can slip your thumb inside of the loop. Lift your thumb to get the rubber band away from the palm of your hand. Using your other hand, grab the second rubber band and pull it away. This should form a loop between the two rubber bands. Make a fist and lower your four fingers through the hole. Then pull your thumb and other hand out of the rubber bands. Make sure the two rubber bands don't cross on the back of your fingers to avoid tangling. Unclench your fist by lifting your fingers, and the rubber bands should switch places.

Step 6: Two Rubber Band Switch (Without Thumb)

Not using the thumb to set up a two rubber band switch is a little simpler and is my preferred method. Start by pulling one rubber band out and around all four fingers just like if you were about to preform the jump with one rubber band. After the first rubber band is set up, lift your fingers a little bit so you can grab the second rubber band. Repeat by wrapping the second rubber band around your four fingers, making sure that they do not cross. Lift your fingers, and the rubber bands should jump.

Step 7: Trap the Rubber Bands

For the final touch, twist a third rubber band around each of your four fingers. It works best if the rubber band is wrapped below the lowest knuckle. This way, the rubber band is always in view, even as you make a fist. Explain to your audience how the rubber bands are trapped below this rubber band and how there is no possible way that they could leave the fingers that they are on. Go on to proceed with the trick as previously described and basically ignore the third rubber band. It should work in exactly the same way.