An object as simple as a mirror can be an entertaining and beneficial toy for your baby’s development. So if you are trying to use things close to you, here is a simple solution at home. When parents stand in front of a mirror with their babies, they usually see a big smile and laugh out loud. Many of the little ones love to see faces, and if they look at one very similar to their own or other parents in front of them, it can be exhilarating. You can play many games in front of the mirror to entertain and stimulate your little one. Here we will show you the importance of these objects and how you can use them effectively.
Games in Front of the Mirror
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With small mirrors or toys that have a mirror included (the unbreakable kind), you can distract your baby for a while without holding him. If you place them in the stroller or lay them in the crib and hold the mirror close to them, this object may provide something stimulating to do while they are away from your arms.
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When it comes to playing with parents, the mirror can also provide safe entertainment. Hold your baby in your arms in front of the mirror and point to where their eyes, nose, mouth, ears are…. This is an activity with which they can begin to learn words and know each part of their body.
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Another experience in front of the mirror that babies sometimes find very funny is playing hide and seek by moving them away and then bringing them closer to the mirror.
Why Are Mirrors Important to My Baby’s Development?
Using mirrors, beyond being fun for your baby and the family, can have excellent benefits for your little one’s development. Mirrors activate curiosity and motivate little ones to practice and learn skills. Let’s look at several areas of development in which a mirror plays an important role.
Promote the Development of Cognitive Skills
Looking at their reflection and those of their parents in a mirror can allow the baby to learn that he/she is different from you: that dad is one person, and mom is another one. You may then go on to discover that you are looking at yourself. Hide and seek games in front of the mirror or another setting can help enhance babies’ sense of body awareness and help them understand that they are separate from their mother and be independent.
Develop Sense of Self
Around 20 months, your little one will realize that whoever is looking ahead is the same. To test this based on the researchers’ trick, you can apply something to their (with kid-safe paint) and see how they react.
Upside Downtime
A mirror can motivate your little one to lift their head during tummy time, hold it up, and look around. For babies who cry every time, putting a safe mirror in front of them could grab their attention and keep them interested and not weep during tummy time. (You will find information on safety with mirrors below).
Gross Motor Movements
Mirrors can stimulate babies to roll over, sit, crawl, stand, etc. Simply because they want to be close to the reflection
Stimulates Eye Contact
Anything that you reach, stroke, and point to also strengthen your baby’s hand-eye coordination. When your baby discovers a mirror, they’ll probably be curious to explore what they’re looking at and why it moves when they do. If you allow your mini-you to observe, little by little, they may discover that the mirror serves to see the reflection of people and objects.
Capacity of Attention
Mirrors tend to grab and hold your baby’s attention. The more you focus on something, the more your attention span grows.
Emotional and Language Proficiency
Mirrors are a creative tool with which you can teach vocabulary, gestures, and emotional concepts through imitation.
How to Choose Safe Mirrors for Your Little One?
For independent play, choose plastic mirrors with fabric-covered edges. For younger babies, you can put them in front of the mirror during their tummy time, and the older ones will be able to pick them up and move them.
The large mirrors at floor level (or next to the changing table) are excellent; just make sure they are securely attached to the wall. When shopping for a crib or car mirrors, make sure they are designed for this purpose and adjusted securely. Lastly, for supervised mirror play with your little one, use any mirror that fits the reflection of both of you and prop it up in an appropriate spot and store it out of reach when you’re not using it. We hope we have solved your doubts about the importance of mirrors for your baby’s development and how to use them to play. If you found this content useful, leave us your comments below!
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