Hello, Friend in the Mirror
In front of the room's mirror, children say hi to themselves, make faces, move body parts and show their stuffed animal to the "friend in the mirror." It builds self-image, facial expression of feelings and calm body exploration.
How to play
- Sitting in front of the mirror, the teacher waves to their reflection: "Hello, mirror teacher" (1 min).
- Each child waves to their reflection and says their name (2 min).
- Make faces: happy, sad, surprised, sleepy; look at them in the mirror (2 min).
- Move body parts and watch the friend in the mirror move them too: arms, head, legs (2 min).
- Show your stuffed animal to the friend in the mirror and make it wave (2 min).
- Say goodbye to the mirror with a blown kiss and your happiest face (1 min).
Rules
- We get close to the mirror without bumping it with our faces or hitting it.
- Everyone looks at their reflection without pushing.
- We make the faces the teacher calls out.
Variations
Easier
For 3-year-olds, work in small groups sitting very close to the mirror with the teacher beside them.
Standard
For 4-year-olds, name the feeling behind each face and talk about when we feel that way.
Harder
For 5-year-olds, work in pairs: one makes a movement and the other copies while watching the mirror.
Adaptations
- Limited mobility: position the child's wheelchair in front of the part of the mirror at their height.
- Autism: some children don't want to look at themselves; they can watch the reflection of their stuffed animal or the teacher.
- Visual impairment: with low vision, bring the child close to the mirror in good light; otherwise, explore their own face with their hands.
Learning goals
- Recognize their own image.
- Show basic feelings with their face.
- Explore how body parts move.
Equipment for a class of 25
- Wall mirror: 1
- Stuffed animals from home: 25
Teacher tip
If the room has no big mirror, a few shatterproof safety mirrors leaned against the wall work fine. Many crying children calm down when they see themselves, so leave some free time in front of the mirror.
PatioLab has "Hello, Friend in the Mirror" and 8714 more activities ready to drag into your lesson and run from your phone in the gym.
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