Discover the origins of animation and create your very own optical illusion!
Children explore one of the earliest forms of animation by creating a rocket-in-space thaumatrope. Participants draw a rocket on one side of a disc and a space scene—with stars, planets and the moon—on the other. When the disc is spun quickly, the two images merge, making the rocket appear to travel through space.
The session begins with a simple demonstration explaining how the optical illusion works, followed by designing, assembling, and testing the thaumatrope. Children can experiment with spinning speeds and image placement to achieve the clearest effect.
