History Main / InvisibleToAdults

* In ''PeterPan'', only kids can make it to Neverland.

* ''ComicStrip/BabyBlues'' plays this trope forwards and backwards. Since the series is told from a couples' point of view, no one can see their imagination or their unusual forms.

* The Rainbow Line in ''Series/ResshaSentaiTokkyuger'' requires [[LargeHam IMAGINAAAAAAATION]] to see, meaning that most adults can't see it.

* In the ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer'' episode "Killed by Death", Buffy thinks the MonsterOfTheWeek can only be seen by children. [[spoiler:In fact, it can only be seen by individuals with a high fever.]]

* Youngblood in ''WesternAnimation/DannyPhantom'' can only be seen by children. That doesn't include children who think they're adults.

* In ''Film/ETTheExtraterrestrial'', Elliott first tries to convince Gertie that this is the reason shouldn't tell their mom about the title alien hiding out in his room, but she's already too smart to fall for that. HeartwarmingInHindsight, though, that he doesn't want his five-year-old sister to find out [[TheyWouldCutYouUp the]] ''[[TheyWouldCutYouUp real]]'' [[TheyWouldCutYouUp reason he doesn't want adults finding out about E.T.]]

Subtrope to ByTheEyesOfTheBlind. Sister trope to InvisibleToNormals. Compare AdultsAreUseless, and ChildrenAreSpecial.

* In the webcomic ''{{Weesh}}'', only children can see the title character.

* The angels and demons in ''ComicBook/PS238''.

* In ''Film/ETTheExtraterrestrial'', Elliott first tries to use this as a reason why Gertie shouldn't tell their mom about the title alien hiding out in his room, but she's already too smart to fall for that. HeartwarmingInHindsight, though, that he doesn't want his five-year-old sister to find out [[TheyWouldCutYouUp the]] ''[[TheyWouldCutYouUp real]]'' [[TheyWouldCutYouUp reason he doesn't want adults finding out about E.T.]]

-->--'''Youngblood''', ''WesternAnimation/DannyPhantom''

* The original stories surrounding [[TheSlenderManMythos Slender Man]] had him being only visible to the children he would eventually kidnap.

* In ''Film/ThePolarExpress'', the bell from Santa's sleigh can only be heard to ring by people (mostly little kids) who sincerely believe in Santa.

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* OlderThanRadio: Goethe's poem ''Der Erlkönig''... or, according to an alternate interpretation, the child was hallucinating the Erlkönig as he was dying.
* Inverted in the ''Literature/HisDarkMaterials'' trilogy; the Specters from Cittàgazze can only be seen once you reach puberty. Unfortunately, as soon as you can see them, ''they'' can see ''you''...

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* In ''Film/{{Jumanji}}'', the Jumanji drums luring people to uncover the game can only be heard by kids.

* Inverted in the ''HisDarkMaterials'' trilogy; the Specters from Cittàgazze can only be seen once you reach puberty. Unfortunately, as soon as you can see them, ''they'' can see ''you''...

** Spoiler alert: [[spoiler:They don't.]]

* People with the kinds of brains that make them hypersensitive (Autism spectrum, Asperger's, AD/HD or Highly Sensitive People) often notice things others can't. Imagine being a kid and being fully aware of the blink and buzz of fluorescent lights, or the itchiness of certain kinds of fabric, or that almost inaudible whine from electronics (which itself falls into the range of high-pitched sounds that can usually only be heard by young people), and being driven slowly insane by something no one else, least of all adults, seems to notice. People without hypersensitivity may be able to perceive some of these things, but generally don't ''notice'' them, whereas the hypersensitive have great difficulty ignoring them, or are ''unable'' to ignore them. Some people even have this problem well into adulthood. This is why Irlen filters (the strangely colored "sunglasses") help people with these conditions; they're customized to block out whichever light frequencies disturb that person's brain.

There is also the idea, closely related with the concept of the {{Masquerade}}, that all the fantasies one had as a child were in fact real, but people started denying them to be as they grew older. This is usually seen as a natural process that all people are subject to, although [[{{Muggles}} some]] are more seriously affected than others. [[ImaginaryFriend Imaginary Friends]] and Santa Claus are typically presented as this. There is AnAesop about [[GrowingUpSucks losing something important part of yourself]] with losing [[ChildrenAreSpecial your inner child]] in stories that feature this idea. Occasionally you get a rare adult who is exempt from under the effect of this, usually because they have [[ManicPixieDreamGirl kept their childish demeanour and might be viewed as somewhat strange]] by normal society. Another grown-up who is affected by this but is still able to acknowledge the existence of the (to him) unseen world (out of faith or from second-hand experience) is also very common. Some coming of age stories present this as a tragic but inevitable process as the character is fully aware that this is happening to them, gradually losing their memory about how things used to be.

** Spoiler alert: They don't.

* Zashiki Warashi in ''UruseiYatsura''.
* ''SpiritedAway'' might fall under this, although it's difficult to say for certain since the only human adults around are completely oblivious at first and later under a spell.

* Only young children (for example, Amu's sister) or those who have Guardian Characters themselves seem able to see the Charas from ''ShugoChara''.

* Animals, children and in one case, an old lady, are the only members of the general public able to notice [[MyLovelyGhostKana Kana]]. Otherwise, only her lover, Daikichi, girl friend, Utako, and to some extent her friend, shopkeeper Goro, are able to interact with her, due to [[ThePowerOfLove their love for her and vice-versa]].

* Back when Bob Saget hosted the show, AmericasFunniestHomeVideos ran a fake trailer clip sent in by viewers, set up as an ad for a new sitcom, ''I Live With the Ghost of Abraham Lincoln''; the basic premise of this "show" was that [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin an average American family came to live with Abe Lincoln's ghost]] and the kids get into all kinds of wacky adventures with him because one of the twists is "Only kids can see him!"
* In ''QuantumLeap'' only children, the insane and animals can see Sam's holographic guide Al, and sometimes even Sam's real self, not the host body he's using in that moment.

* The imaginary friends from the Court of the Lost in {{Mirrorfall}} can't be seen parents, thanks to the ability to be selectively visible.

* Gazoo in ''TheFlintstones'' can only really be seen by children, as well as Fred and Barney because they found him (although it's suggested that they have child-like intelligence).

** Not so true; Adults who had Shugo Charas (Nikaidou and possibly Tsukasa) are able to see them, and Yukari explains the reason she can see them as "Since I knew those things (Shugo Charas) existed, even I could see them".

* Something similar applies to boogeymen from ''Dark Tales & Disturbing Legends'', a {{Ravenloft}} supplement.
* This trope is a major component of ChangelingTheDreaming. Childling characters have the most glamour, and therefore can easily perceive and interact with the chimera and other fantastical creatures around them. As a character ages, they slowly lose touch with their glamour, becoming trapped in the banality of the real world.