Feelings in the Mirror
Children use a mirror to explore facial expressions and emotions. Through imitation and conversation, they begin to recognize feelings and connect them to their own experiences.
Materials
Mirror
Optional: simple emotion cards or pictures
Instructions
Sit with your child in front of a mirror.
Make a simple facial expression (happy, sad, surprised) and invite your child to copy it.
Encourage your child to make their own expression and name how they feel.
Take turns guessing and talking about each feeling together.
Connect feelings to simple experiences, like “When do you feel happy?”
Learning Benefits
Builds early emotional awareness
Supports expressive language development
Encourages imitation and social interaction
Strengthens connection between feelings and experiences
Infant & Toddler Adaptations
Sit with your child in front of a mirror and make simple facial expressions. Allow them to watch, imitate, and react while you name feelings using clear, simple words like “happy” or “sad.” Keep the interaction playful and responsive.