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You are here: Home / By Age / Elementary / Science Activities for Kids: Mirrors and Reflections

October 29, 2013 By Chelsey 12 Comments

Science Activities for Kids: Mirrors and Reflections

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Today I’m sharing one of our favorite science activities for kids- exploring reflections in mirrors! This is super easy to setup and children are always so intrigued with their discoveries!

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Science Activities for Kids: Exploring Mirrors and Reflections~ BuggyandBuddy.com

Science Experiments for Kids: Reflections in Mirrors

I am a huge fan of science experiments for kids! (We have tons of fun science experiments for kids on Buggy and Buddy!) I love how science explorations build on the natural curiosity children have about the world around them.  Often these science activities lead to many more questions and discoveries. That’s exactly what happened when Lucy began exploring reflections in mirrors! (This post contains affiliate links.)

Materials for Mirror Reflection Science

  • At least  2 mirrors (Preferably one on a wall and one you can hold)
  • Some words and letters to study in the mirror
  • Pencil and paper

Procedure for Mirror Reflection Science

1. Start by exploring what happens with two mirrors facing each other.

Science Experiments for Kids: Reflections in Mirrors~ Buggy and Buddy

  • We had one mirror propped up against the wall, and Lucy held the other mirror in front of her. She was so excited, “Look at all my reflections! Why’s it doing that?! I just keep seeing myself over and over!”
  • We talked about why we thought that might be happening. (Remember, my goal is promote critical thinking and predictions, not necessarily to get the correct answer.) Lucy said her prediction was that her reflection kept bouncing back and forth. (In case you’re wondering: You see yourself in a mirror because light bounces off you, hits the mirror, and then reflects back into your eyes. When you add another mirror into the equation, light bounces off one mirror and hits another mirror so you’re seeing a reflection of a reflection. Because the two mirrors are facing each other, you’re getting a reflection of a reflection of a reflection etc.)

2. Hold up some letters or words in front of one mirror and see what happens. I had thought playing with the two mirrors would be the extent of Lucy’s mirror exploration. But, at one point during the experiment, she noticed some letters in one of the mirrors, “Why are those letters backwards?” That led to a whole other set of discoveries and predictions!

Let your child build off their own discoveries. I’m going to outline below where Lucy’s questions led her. You’re child’s path of discovery may be very different!

  • Lucy decided to write the word ‘love’ on a piece of paper and hold it in front of the mirror to see what happened. “It’s backwards! I wonder what will happen if I write ‘love’ backwards on my paper?

Science Experiments for Kids: Reflections in Mirrors~ Buggy and Buddy

  • Lucy got a new piece of paper and reversed the letters, writing “e-v-o-l”. “They’re still backwards! But, not all of them. Look at the ‘o’!” (I love how she thought maybe the whole word was reversed rather than the letters being flipped!)

Science Experiments for Kids: Reflections in Mirrors~ Buggy and Buddy

  • She then decided to write out the whole alphabet to see how every letter looked in the mirror. As she was doing this, she’d jot down letters on a separate piece of paper that looked the same in the reflection.

Science Experiments for Kids: Reflections in Mirrors~ Buggy and Buddy

  • I asked her if she remembered when we learned about symmetry during our previous nature walk? Maybe symmetry has something to do with this? I provided her with a little mirror we had used in a previous investigation on symmetry. She tested out all the letter to see what she could discover!

Science Experiments for Kids: Reflections in Mirrors~ Buggy and Buddy

3. Leave out the materials for further investigation. Lucy is still very interested in exploring reflections in mirrors. (She told me she’s still coming up with other mirror experiments!) I’ve left the mirrors out for her to access easily so she can use them at any time. I may add some wooden letters or printed words nearby soon to help inspire more discoveries.

Some Materials for Mirror Exploration

Mirror Observation Center

 

Mirror Exploration Center

Self-Portrait Mirror

Self-Portrait Mirror

Want to Go Even Further?

Related activities to extend the learning for various ages.

  • Go on a family walk outdoors to look for symmetry in nature.
  • Explore mirrors with paint: Finger paint and Mirrors, Painting a Bathroom Mirror, Painting the Night
  • Explore mirrors with various materials: Water, Mirrors, and Reflections, Invitation to Play: Create a Forest , Pompoms and Mirror
  • Record all your discoveries in a science journal.
  • Experiment with reflections in other surfaces like a spoon.
  • Make a periscope: The Exploratorium and PBS Kids have some tutorials.
  • Related children’s books: I See Me!, Light: Shadows, Mirrors, and Rainbows, Reflections

 

Fizz, Pop, Bang! 40 Playful Science and Math Activities for Kids

Filed Under: Elementary, Kindergarten, Preschool, Quick & Easy, Science Tagged With: discover & explore, mirrors, reflections, science for kids

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Comments

  1. Sharon says

    October 30, 2013 at 5:21 am

    I love to see children engrossed in this kind of exploration. It is a wonderful way to learn scientific principals.

    Reply
  2. Emma @ P is for Preschooler says

    November 1, 2013 at 8:52 pm

    It’s easy to forget sometimes that something as simple as a mirror can be a source of wonder and learning for a child. Thanks for the reminder (and the cool hints!)

    Reply
  3. Natalie says

    November 5, 2013 at 9:56 am

    This is a brilliant science activity – thanks for sharing it with Afterschool!

    Reply
  4. Anna@The Measured Mom says

    November 7, 2013 at 12:15 pm

    You do such a great job at letting your kids make their own discoveries. Thanks for sharing with the rest of us!

    Reply
    • Faith Powell says

      May 7, 2020 at 11:32 am

      Last year my children made the periscope, it brought such a new dimension to the learning activities. Kids learning should always have direct applications to the real world. Connecting all this learning to a real life project would be ideal.

      Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Science: Fun Friday features | Teach Preschool says:
    November 8, 2013 at 2:01 am

    […] Reflections in Mirrors (Buggy and Buddy) […]

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    November 8, 2013 at 2:02 am

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  3. Science Fun {and After School Link Up} - This Reading Mama says:
    November 10, 2013 at 11:32 pm

    […] Science Experiments with Mirrors {from Buggy and Buddy} […]

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  4. 10 Colorful Science Experiments for Kids says:
    November 11, 2013 at 6:51 am

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  5. 7 Science Experiments for Kids That Will Amaze Your Child - Buggy and Buddy says:
    December 30, 2013 at 10:31 pm

    […] week’s Discover & Explore linky was all about science experiments for kids, and there were so many wonderful ideas shared! This week I’m featuring science experiments […]

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  6. Reflection Science with Light Patterns in a Box - Buggy and Buddy says:
    May 2, 2016 at 9:47 pm

    […] of all ages. When Lucy was a preschooler, I remember how intrigued she was when I gave her a couple mirrors to experiment with. She was noticing how letters looked reversed in the mirror and was determined to figure out why! […]

    Reply
  7. Rainbow Science for Kids: Homemade Spectroscope - Buggy and Buddy says:
    January 25, 2017 at 1:48 pm

    […] Exploring Reflections in Mirrors […]

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Welcome to Buggy and Buddy! I'm Chelsey, a former teacher and parent living on the central coast of California. I love sharing crafts, science, STEM and STEAM activities, free printables and more! Read More…

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