Incorporating Mirror Play

[Baby Beluga]

Do you incorporate mirror play with your children? If so, would you mind sharing some ideas?

I got a group of 15 table top mirrors for $8, and would like to use them with the children. Aside from allowing them to use loose materials to "build" on the mirrors, I'm at a loss of what else to do with them.

[Cat Herder]

Use emotion picture cards and have the kids mimic the expressions in the mirror.

Discuss emotions and how to deal with them constructively.

[childcaremom]

Draw self portraits.

Depending on your group's age.... drawing a picture by looking in the mirror. (if you know what I mean... holding the paper towards the mirror, looking in the mirror, and trying to draw a picture like that).

[nothingwithoutjoy]

Love this (painting on mirrors which reflect the sky).

Mirror "books."

Use one to display a gorgeous object on. (Scroll through this post and you'll see a few.)

Set them at the back of your shelves (2nd picture down) to bounce light; draw interest; show things from another perspective.

Draw on them with chalk markers. Use shaving cream on their surface. Or finger paints.

Can you tell I love mirrors?

[Josiegirl]

I love the mirror books! That whole blog is inspiring, thanks for sharing it!

[Josiegirl]

I've been searching for plain square mirrors to make the mirror books with and haven't come across any yet. Anyone know where they're available? And are there kid-safe ones?
Thanks!

[Unregistered]

Google acrylic mirrors.

[nothingwithoutjoy]

I bought the ones in the sky link above, here.
Pros: definitely kid safe. Light weight, so I attached velcro and stick them to the wall, then can pull them down to use for other things. Nice size.
Cons: they don't stay nice long; being acrylic, they scratch and look kind of cloudy. Rounded corners don't make the lovely "books."

Later I saw another post where someone had used gorgeous round mirrors for display and for loose parts. She got them from some wedding-supply place (centerpieces). I bought some, and love them. They are breakable, but we use them on a table that's above carpet. The kids know they're breakable. We haven't had any problems. Here's what they look like. Obviously not right for books, but my point is, real glass isn't so scary as we sometimes think. We use glass in lots of ways here.

[Josiegirl]

I bought a couple glass mirrors at yard sales last year and love them! A round one much like the link you posted, nothingwithoutjoy, and a larger rect. one and we do use both of those on the table. But I loved the 'books' and how that works, the kids would love them!
I know what you mean about acrylic mirrors I bought an expensive one from lakeshore(or somewhere similar)to put on the dc wall. It looks like somebody ran all over it with hot wheels.
Sorry to hijack.

[Baby Beluga]

Love all of these ideas.

We too use real mirrors and they aren't as scary as I originally thought. The children have all been super gentle and understanding that if not, it may break.

[childcaremom]

I found some square ones on kijiji. Real glass. Someone had used them for a wedding.

Love the blogs and ideas. Thanks for sharing!

[Cat Herder]

Oriental trading has the glass ones really cheap in the wedding section.

If you are QRIS Rated - you will lose points, though. Acrylic only.

Luckily, Oriental has those, too... they call them "specimen mirrors" in the science "teacher supply" section. Buy extras of them become unusable quickly. They are really inexpensive.