Watchly Safety Review

How To Fool Your Brain!

1:09 · 55.1M views · June 27, 2025

Minor FlagsReviewed June 2026

4Minor Flags

This is a fun, educational science experiment demonstrating how the outer ear's shape helps us locate sounds. The hosts use Play-Doh to temporarily block ear folds and show how it affects directional hearing—it's harmless, reversible, and genuinely teaches kids about auditory perception.

Content Breakdown · 4 Categories

Strong & Crude LanguageA little

Contains one mild exclamation 'What the...' which appears to be a truncated phrase, though not fully completed. Also includes 'evil laughing' which could be interpreted as mildly crude humor but is clearly playful in context.

See evidence (1)

“What the... Like, down here?”Mid-video during blindfold experiment

Hidden Advertising & Sponsored ContentA little

Play-Doh is mentioned by brand name multiple times as the material used in the experiment. While this appears to be organic use rather than paid placement, the repeated brand mention without disclosure warrants minimal flagging.

See evidence (2)

“Did you know you could use Play-Doh to pull a crazy trick on your brain?”Opening line

“But now that she has Play-Doh in her ears”Mid-experiment

Dangerous Internet ChallengesA little

While the Play-Doh ear experiment is relatively harmless, it does involve putting a foreign substance in/around the ears, which could be imitated by children. The risk is low (Play-Doh is non-toxic and the experiment appears to involve the outer ear folds), but warrants minimal flagging as it demonstrates a physical manipulation that children might attempt to replicate.

See evidence (2)

“Did you know you could use Play-Doh to pull a crazy trick on your brain? And it all has to do with those weird folds we have in our ears.”Opening and experiment demonstration

“But now that she has Play-Doh in her ears”

Playful & Fantasy ViolenceA little

Contains minimal playful elements including 'evil laughing' and a reference to using the trick in Marco Polo game context. This is clearly playful and non-threatening, but technically qualifies as fantasy/playful competitive content.

See evidence (2)

“Which makes this a very useful hack for Marco Polo.”End of video

“Aha, gotcha! (evil laughing)”

What Parents Need to Know

This video features a safe, hands-on science demonstration about how our ears work. Two hosts conduct an experiment using Play-Doh in the outer ear folds to show how sound localization works. The content is educational and age-appropriate, though parents should supervise if younger children want to try this at home to ensure Play-Doh doesn't get pushed into the ear canal. The experiment is presented clearly with explanations of the science behind it. There's brief playful teasing between hosts but nothing mean-spirited.

Talk to Your Kids About

1What other body parts have special shapes that help them work better?
2Why do you think our brains need to learn how sounds bounce off our ears?
3Can you think of times when knowing where a sound comes from is really important for safety?
4What other safe experiments could we try at home to learn about our senses?

Protected Viewing

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it safe for my child to try this Play-Doh ear experiment at home?

Yes, but with supervision. The experiment only involves placing Play-Doh in the outer ear folds, not inside the ear canal. Parents should supervise to ensure children don't push Play-Doh too deep or leave it in for extended periods.

What educational value does this video provide?

This video teaches children about auditory perception and how the shape of our outer ears helps us locate sounds in space. It demonstrates the scientific method through a simple, hands-on experiment that makes abstract concepts concrete and memorable.

Are there any inappropriate elements in this video?

No. The content is entirely educational and age-appropriate. There's mild playful teasing between the hosts and a joke about using this trick for Marco Polo, but nothing concerning or inappropriate for young viewers.

Will this video encourage my child to put things in their ears?

The video specifically demonstrates placing Play-Doh in the outer ear folds, not the ear canal. However, parents should use this as an opportunity to discuss ear safety and explain the difference between the outer ear and ear canal, emphasizing that only the outer ear should ever have anything placed on it.

Is this video suitable for preschoolers?

Yes, preschoolers can enjoy and learn from this video. The concept is presented clearly with visual demonstrations, and the science is explained in simple terms. Younger children will find the experiment entertaining even if they don't fully grasp the auditory science behind it.

Does this video promote any products or contain advertising?

No significant advertising is present. Play-Doh is used as a common household material for the experiment, but it's not promoted as a product—any moldable, safe material could theoretically work for this demonstration.

What age is "How To Fool Your Brain!" appropriate for?

Watchly's safety review recommends "How To Fool Your Brain!" for ages 5 and up. See the content breakdown above for the category-by-category findings behind this recommendation.