You splatter toothpaste all over it as you brush your teeth. You contemplate changing your outfits several times in front of one. You use one to change lanes or check behind you as you weave through rush hour traffic. Mirrors: they are more than vanity When considering toys for children mirrors are often overlooked, but they are crucial to development! Mirrors provide children sensory input and environmental exploration from such a young age. Benefits of using mirrors with babies (0 to 17 months): When babies are born, they can visually see 8 to 12 inches in front of them. This is the approximate distance from breast to mothers face, no mere coincidence! For this reason, babies are interested in faces. This makes mirrors a great tool for exploration because they are able to explore a face... their own! As they detail the movements and facial expressions of the child in the mirror {themselves} they inadvertently learn cause and effect. Mirrors help support head strength when used during tummy time because they are more likely to lift their head and keep it up so that they can look at their reflection, although it is believed they will not recognize it is themselves until about 18 months of age. Building the strength to hold themselves up during tummy time develops the core strength needed to eventually scoot, crawl, and sit up. Mirror use during tummy time also helps babies to explore the environment around themselves. They are able to visually track the items that are reflected in the mirror as their vision improves. They are able to explore the angles of the room, as well! All of these things help with spatial awareness in the future. As babies become more mobile, they will further enjoy the benefits of mirrors. They will crawl up to the mirror to explore the baby being reflected and continue to learn that cause and effect relationship. You might even consider placing a bar across the mirror to aid the child in pulling up and standing, as pictured here. Sensory input will be heightened as they slap and hit the mirror.** **BE SURE TO USE A GLASS-FREE MIRROR FOR CHILDREN** Mirrors and Toddlers (18 months+): I think it is safe to say that almost everyone can agree, toddlers LOVE to look at themselves. Perhaps there is a little vanity involved, but do not be fooled. There is a lot more going on other than a "Check me out, I am adorable!" mentality. Mirrors up to this point have provided sensory input and exploration of the environment for the child. Around 18 months, the mirror now serves a role and purpose. Toddlers come learn the uses for mirrors such as to brush teeth, brush their hair, and to dress themselves. Not to mention, making faces and playing around with the mirror is also a lot of fun! I cannot encourage enough the addition of a mirror in your child's room. As a toddler, mirrors help to support independence as they learn to care for themselves, as seen above. S is mostly independent in her care. Mirrors help S to explore her body, her movements, and her environment. -She has learned that she can see me in her closet when she is on her bed, simply by looking at her mirror. Hello, science lesson in light reflection! -When listening to music, she stands in front of the mirror watching herself dance, oftentimes giggling away at her "crazy" moves. -S practices language, both verbal and facial expression, by looking at herself in the mirror. -S has learned beauty and acceptance of herself by having a mirror in her room. Mirror Options: Wall mounted mirrors are one crucial option when it comes to offering a reflective surface. With that said, there are other options available that might be more engaging or offer unique perspectives for your little ones. I have included some below, with links to the product for you to explore! Mirror Placement: As I bring this blog to a close, I wanted to be sure I cover the topic of mirror placement. So often, as with most items in our home, mirrors are typically placed high up and out of reach for children. More often than not, young children have to either be hoisted up or use a step stool to see themselves. This unfortunately does not encourage independence or exploration. I ask you to consider placing at least 1 mirror at your child's height. Get on your knees, see the world from the perspective of your child. The simple act of bringing down objects to their height not only shows them respect, but acceptance that just like you, they have a role and place in the home. In our home, we have 4 mirrors placed at the height of S or O. One is in her room, another in our bathroom because she has no stool to stand on, another by the front door, and one that can be moved anywhere in the home when needed. This allows S to explore and inspect whenever she feels the desire or need. This gives her liberty. Montessori stressed the importance of creating an environment for children where they felt invited and empowered. To do this, they must be able to interact and engage with the environment with ease. Hence placing mirrors {and other items, but more on that later} at THEIR height. I can assure you, your child will find so much delight in their newfound freedom to explore. As I mentioned before, please be sure to use GLASS-FREE mirrors with small children. Thanks for reading todays blog! Be on the lookout for a new blog post every Sunday!
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