11 Optical illusions for kids
Optical Illusions for kids play with the way an object appears, through the use of colour, light, images and patterns to manipulate what our brains are perceiving.
why do we see them?
Our visual system has limits in tackling all the information our eyes take in. So our minds take shortcuts and our brain constantly chooses the most likely interpretation of what we see.
Check out some interesting optical illusions for kids below and let us know which one you liked best.
HOOT HOOT
They say that some of the greatest moments in life are unplanned.
What we see is the face of a mysterious owl staring back from the cup of a mans morning coffee.
What it really is? This optical illusion was created, as a result of two Hula Hoops (potato snacks) being dropped into the mug.
MOVING SQUARES
Scroll this picture up and down and the squares will move.
How does this happen? One theory is that when you move your head back and forth, the alternating dark and light patterns can seem to cause the perception of movement.
Read more.
My Wife and My Mother-in-Law
The illusion is considered to be one of the most famous optical illusions in the world (dating back to 1915).
Some people see a young lady with her head turned towards the background while others see an elderly woman’s side profile.
What do you see? It’s almost impossible to see both at the same time!
Australian researchers asked 393 participants aged 18 to 68 to tell them who they saw in the optical illusion. The results, published in the August 2018 issue of Scientific Reports showed that the youngest set of people tended to see the wife first, while the oldest set of participants tended to see the mother-in-law first.
Lightbulb magic
All you need to do is stare closely at this light bulb for 25 seconds.
Then immediately stare at a white wall or sheet of paper.
What do you see?
You should see a glowing light bulb!
SOULMATES
When you look at this image, what colour are the left and right hearts?
Well, The hearts are actually the same colour, it is the lines over them that are of different colours.
Image source.
SPINNING DANCER
Is the lady spinning clockwise or counter-clockwise? You may even see the figure suddenly spin in the opposite direction if you look closely.
Did you know this figurine is used to determine whether or not people are right-brain (creative) or left-brain (logical) dominant?
Viewers are told that if they view the dancer as standing on her left leg and spinning clockwise, then they are right-brain dominant (creative), and if they see the reverse (the dancer standing on her right leg and spinning counter-clockwise), then they are left-brain dominant (logical).
Read more.
So how does it work? It has to do with our visual cues and bistable perception. This occurs when visual cues are ambiguous and our brain tries to make sense of it.
A path between rice fields
A work by Japanese artist Makoto Aida titled AZEMICHI.
This photograph shows a young Japanese schoolgirl standing between two rice fields. The painting creates an optical illusion with the little girl’s parted hairline as it merges with the divide between the rice fields.
Read more.
Are you colourblind?
What number do you see in the circle?
Answer: You should be able to see the number 74, but people with red-green colour blindness see a 21. Those with total colour blindness see nothing.
For more colour blind test click here.
Direction confusion
Are both arrows pointing the same direction on the paper behind the glass?
What is happening? This image showcases the effects of refraction (the bending of light).
Read more.
DANCING DOG
Timing is everything.
Tell that to the man, busy reading his morning news.
I guess, “Dreams”, really do come true, doesn’t it?
Image source.
SPOT THE PREDATOR
In this image try finding the predator.
Then scroll down to the coloured version of the same image, and try again.
Why is it so easy this time? The reason is that the second image shows the surfaces according to the quality of light they reflect (not just their intensity), while in the first image you are only seeing the surfaces according to the amount of light they reflect.
In other words, your brain has a lot more information for making its decisions.
Read more.
If you liked our curated set of Optical Illusions for kids and are keen to learn more about Optics, join us now to receive an “Optics” box for your child next month. Sign up for our VIP Adventure to receive the first two boxes at HALF PRICE for $19/month. Join here.
Extra reading: check out our posts on 11 places to visit for your next science expedition and our blog on 11 best science fiction books for kids.
