Connection & feelings

Feelings mirror

Make gentle feeling faces together and name them without testing.

5 minutes

What you'll need

Adult-held purpose-made unbreakable toddler mirror

Before you start

Comfortable interacting with a familiar caregiver

Best fit: either · calm energy · low caregiver effort · low mess

How to play

  1. Look in the mirror together.
  2. Make one simple face and name it.
  3. Follow any face your child chooses.
Make it easier

Start with happy and surprised.

Standard

Make gentle feeling faces together and name them without testing.

Extend it

Match a face to a recent everyday moment.

What you might notice

Expressions your child watches, copies or names.

Keep it safe

The adult holds an intact purpose-made toddler mirror at floor level. Never use ordinary glass or prop a mirror where it can fall; inspect its edges and backing, stop for damage or distress, and store it afterward.

Why it may be useful

Following your child's lead and responding to their signals may support warm, reciprocal interaction.

strong

Supports responsive interaction as a broad mechanism, not a claim that a single activity changes development.

Jeong et al. (2021) — Parenting interventions to promote early child development in the first three years of life: A global systematic review and meta-analysis

Pitchik et al. (2024) — A meta-analytic review of the implementation characteristics in parenting interventions to promote early child development

Leijten et al. (2021) — Teaching Parents to Be Responsive: A Network Meta-analysis

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