Mirroring movement is a simple and engaging play activity where one person copies the movements of another, like a reflection in a mirror.
This activity can be particularly beneficial for children with disabilities, autism, or additional needs, helping to improve their physical coordination and gross motor skills. But really, it’s a beneficial practice for all children of different age groups both physically and emotionally.
Benefits of Mirroring Movement
- Physical Coordination & Motor Skills: By copying another person’s movements, children practice and enhance their physical coordination, balance, and gross motor skills.
- Building Relationships & Empathy: Mirroring activities promote collaboration, encouraging children to work together. It allows them to take turns leading and following, fostering empathy and understanding.
- Mirroring is Important Emotionally & Cognitively: Mirroring fosters connection, understanding, and trust between individuals. Mirroring also teaches infants cause and effect, learning their behaviors impact others and is a healthy way for postpartum moms and babies to bond.
- Emotional Validation: When someone mirrors another’s movements or emotions, it communicates that they are seen, understood, and accepted. This can be especially meaningful for children, as it validates their feelings and experiences.
- Self-Expression: Mirroring offers a non-verbal way for children to express themselves. For children who may struggle with verbal communication, it provides a way to share emotions through physical movement, deepening their emotional communication skills. It also educates kids on common emotional struggles like anxiety and depression.
- Enhancing Emotional Regulation: By practicing mirroring, children can become more aware of their own emotions and the emotions of others, helping them develop better emotional regulation skills. This can be calming and grounding, especially for children with additional needs.
- Developing Trust and Bonding: The act of mirroring creates a sense of attunement and synchrony, which builds trust and deepens emotional bonds, especially in relationships between children and their caregivers or peers.
What You Need for a Mirroring Movement Activity
- A minimum of two people (an adult and a child, or two children).
- You can also adapt the activity for small or large groups, with one person leading and others mirroring the movements.
How to Do Mirroring Movement Activities
1. Stand facing each other.
2. Designate one person as the leader and the other as the ‘mirror.’ The leader performs movements, and the mirror copies them exactly, like a reflection.
3. Avoid physical contact; focus on watching closely and mimicking movements.
4. Take turns being the leader and the mirror.
5. Movements can range from large, whole-body motions to subtle facial expressions. Start with slow, deliberate actions to ensure the other person can keep up.
Adapting Mirroring Movement for Children with Diverse Abilities
For Children Who Struggle with Eye Contact:
- Focus on hands or arms instead of faces.
- Stand side by side rather than face to face.
- Mirror movements using objects, like toy trucks or animals, to make the activity more engaging.
For Children with Limited Mobility:
- Concentrate on moving just the arms, legs, facial expressions, or head movements.
For Children with High Energy:
- Incorporate larger, whole-body movements such as jumping, arm swaying, stretching, crouching, or shaking to help them expend energy and stay engaged.
Looking for a community for your child to grow in their social-emotional development? Check out our Social Skills page to learn more about what we do or our Pinterest boards for some interactive fun and creative ideas we have used in our groups.
Image Credits: Spinning Child, Standing Child, Child With Eye Stickers