Workshops that sharpen kids' senses without sight coming to Austin

Blindfolded children guessing colors and shapes might sound like a magic act, but a new family program coming to Austin this fall frames it as something closer to brain training.

Superminds Academy, a project from MindSee, arrives at the Omni Austin Hotel Downtown for three sessions this fall, on October 10, October 17, and November 7. Each 75-minute workshop invites kids between the ages of 4 and 16 to put on a blindfold and move through perceptive activities other than sight.

Neuropsychologist Dr. Ann DeSollar designed the format alongside educator Elena Restrepo, and the concept has drawn national attention, including a segment on The Telepathy Tapes podcast. DeSollar made appearances at TED and the World Economic Forum in Davos. Besides Austin, the event has toured in cities like New York, San Diego, and Chicago.

Behind the scenes, MindSee has been running EEG (electroencephalogram) studies to pinpoint what happens in the brain when a blindfolded child begins identifying colors and shapes, an effort to ground the practice in measurable neuroscience rather than novelty. DeSollar built the program around a single idea: that stripping away vision can sharpen a child's focus, confidence, and mental flexibility while building intuition. The company sums up that philosophy in a line it uses often: "It's not magic, it's a muscle."

During each session, a certified trainer walks a child through a series of perception challenges while a parent stays close, coaching and encouraging along the way. Exercises begin with simple 2D activities involving colors, patterns, and numbers before advancing to 3D challenges using cups, tactile objects, sorting games, and fine-motor skill challenges.

Participants learn to trust their other senses as the exercises progress, relying less on sight and more on their ability to process the information around them and communicate effectively, in a fun, low-stakes environment.

"Seeing through a blindfold may sound impossible, but children are capable of much more than we often realize," said DeSollar in a press release. "At Superminds Academy – MindSee, children are given the opportunity to explore this remarkable ability in a supportive environment that encourages curiosity, experimentation and discovery."

Tickets are $30 per child and are available now through Fever.