Why Do Snails Have Eyes on Their Horns? A Simple Explanation for 7-Year-Olds

Hi there! Did you know that snails have eyes, but their eyes aren't like ours? They don’t have eyes on their face like we do. Instead, they have little eyes at the tips of the two long horns (sometimes called tentacles) on their heads.

Here’s why:

• Looking Around Safely: Snails use their horns to look around and see what's coming. Because their eyes are at the tips of these horns, they can stretch them out to see farther and then pull them back to stay safe.
• Feeling and Seeing: The two pairs of horns do different jobs. The longer ones have eyes at the ends to see, and the shorter ones help the snail feel and touch things around them.
• Protecting Their Eyes: Since the eyes are on the ends of flexible horns, snails can pull their eyes back inside their shell when they’re scared or danger is near.

So, those horns that look like small horns or antennas on a snail’s head aren’t just for show – they help the snail see and feel its way around the world!