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Ten Great Optical Illusion Sites

I think they teach us that things are not always what they seem and that our eyes can deceive us — and regularly do. In fact, the very idea that young kids can’t even make sense of a simple illusion backs up my assertion that our visual perception is linked to a higher level of brain function.

I remember growing up and hitting that age when suddenly a whole world of nonsense images opened up before me; Optical illusions were a terrific way for me, as a kid, to play tricks on my own brain. Of course, this was long before the Web made thousands of illusions available to the average computer user, so we would hunt through the local library for books that would satisfy our cravings.

In my own opinion, optical illusions are a fun way of testing our own cognitive prowess and our perceptions of the world. I think they teach us that things are not always what they seem and that our eyes can deceive us — and regularly do. I also think optical illusions can be a great teaching tool for your critical thought toolkit, helping to introduce children to the universe of ‘things not always being what they appear to be.’

The very idea that young kids can’t even make sense of a simple illusion seems to back up my assertion that our visual perception is linked to a higher level of brain function. In a 2000 Visual Research study, the authors summarize their findings that the ability to decrypt optical illusions is a skill that doesn’t really fully form until later in childhood. “Although important visual functions emerge during the first year of life, the completion of visual development seems to extend until the end of childhood” and that “[taken] together, the data indicate that long-range neuronal connectivity supporting perceptual organization in the posterior pole of the brain, and in the ventral visual pathway is not fully developed in young children.” [1]

What’s a quick way to introduce kids to optical illusions? A few images and a basic printer — and the Internet can be a fountain of do-it-yourself teaching tools.

Parents with older kids can find lots of great resources for optical illusions on the web. Below are small sampling of links that I’ve found to get you started (in no particular order). Remember, I claim no responsibility for the content of these sites. I’ve looked myself, but parents please check the link first to make sure it has kid-friendly advertisements or that the content hasn’t changed.

  1. EyeTricks.com [link] - This is a fairly basic site, but has a few dozen illusions that you can view on your computer’s monitor.

  2. SandlotScience [link] - SandLotScience.com features the world’s most mind-boggling optical illusions including games, puzzles, and artwork!

  3. Mighty Optical Illusions [link] - This site claims the title as the biggest database of optical illusions on the net, and allows submissions from visitors to regularly add new content.

  4. Use You Illusion [link] - Install this FONT on your computer to create great full page printed optical illusions. These would make awesome worksheets or flash-cards for an intuitive parent or teacher.

  5. InFocus Girls [link] - This is a page full of “3-D” images. By rapidly shifting the perspective on these images, your brain interprets them and you see them in 3-D. (BROKEN)

  6. 3-D Painted Rooms [link] - Imagine whole rooms used to generate the illusion of something that isn’t really there. These are photos of just such a thing.

  7. Brainteasers [link] - This site has a fairly solid list of famous optical illusions. They also have a “Google Gadget” you can add to your Google homepage.

    8. Skepi 1

  8. Neuroscience for Kids [link] - Hosted by a University of Washington faculty account, this page has an in depth listing of various visual effects and perceptual puzzles.

  9. Apple, Illusion of the Day [link] - Mac users can download a desktop widget to view a daily dose of optical illusions.

  10. CoolOpticalIllusions [link] - Yet another directory and repository of interesting illusions, some specifically targeted at kids.

Of course, this list is hardly inclusive. Do yourself a favor and use a search engine to find more resources for optical illusions on the web. Once again, I claim no responsibility for the content of the above sites. I’ve visited all of them myself, but parents please check the link first to make sure it has kid-friendly advertisements or that the content hasn’t changed.

[1] Ilona Kovacs, (2000) Human development of perceptual organization, Vision Research 40, pp 1301–1310

The skep/dad blog is meant to casually reflect on questions surrounding parenting and raising kids to become critical thinkers by asking questions and examining parenting ideas with a skeptical eye for facts and science. Each article is one dad's personal opinion, backed where relevant by literature and published research. skep/dad welcomes balanced discussion, comments, and ideas.

September 10, 2007 by Brad
Filed as: Critical Thought Toolkit

Popularity: 52%

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