Mirror Activity Guide

This guide provides step-by-step instructions for the mirror activity. Follow these steps to help students mimic different emotions and create a supportive, engaging environment.

Objectives

• Help students recognize and express various emotions.
• Encourage self-awareness and empathy through mirror play.
• Create a fun and safe environment where every student feels comfortable expressing themselves.

Materials Needed

• A mirror or any reflective surface sufficient for group use.
• A clear space where students can stand comfortably in front of the mirror.

Instructions

1. Introduction (2 minutes)

• Gather the students in a semi-circle around the mirror.
• Briefly explain: "Today, we are going to have fun using this mirror to show our feelings. You will see your face and practice different expressions like happy, sad, or surprised!"

2. Demonstration (3 minutes)

• Choose one emotion (e.g., happy) and demonstrate a clear facial expression in front of the mirror. Explain what emotion it is and describe the key features (e.g., big smile, bright eyes for happy).
• Encourage the children to notice how your expression changes when you display different emotions.

3. Student Participation (15 minutes)

• Invite one student at a time to stand in front of the mirror.
• Ask the student, "Can you show me what a [happy/sad/angry/etc.] face looks like?"
• Allow time for the student to mimic the emotion.
• Encourage classmates to guess the emotion, fostering engagement and discussion.
• If students feel shy, pair them up so they can practice in a smaller group before sharing with the entire class.

4. Encouragement and Support

• Praise each child for their effort, emphasizing that all expressions are welcome.
• Use positive reinforcement: "Great job showing your happy face!" or "I loved how you let us know how you felt!"
• Make sure no student is left out, and gently invite everyone to participate.

5. Reflection (5 minutes)

• Gather the students back in a circle after several turns.
• Ask reflective questions such as:
  • "How did it feel to see your expression in the mirror?"
  • "Which emotion was the easiest/hardest to show? Why do you think so?"
• Encourage an open discussion where students can listen to and learn from each other's experiences.
• Summarize the activity by reinforcing that it’s okay to feel and show different emotions.

Tips for Success

• Use simple, clear language appropriate for Pre-K students.
• Keep the atmosphere light and playful to ease any nervousness.
• If available, use props such as colorful cards with emotion words to assist visual learners.

Enjoy the activity and remember that every expression is a step toward understanding our feelings!

Feelings Cards Worksheet

Welcome to the Feelings Cards activity! Today, you will learn about different emotions by looking at and discussing pictures of faces. Look at each card carefully and think about what each face might be feeling.

Exercise 1: Matching Emotions

Match each face to the correct emotion word. Draw a line to connect the face to the word that best describes its feeling.

• Happy
  
  
  
• Sad
  
  
  
• Angry
  
  
  
• Surprised
  
  
  
• Scared
  
  
  

Exercise 2: Show Your Feeling

Look in the mirror and try to make the face that matches the feeling on each card. When you're ready, draw a picture of yourself showing that emotion in the box below.

For example: If you see a happy card, make a happy face in the mirror and then draw your happy face here.

• Emotion: Happy
  
  [Draw your happy face here]
  
  
  
  
  
  

• Emotion: Sad
  
  [Draw your sad face here]
  
  
  
  
  
  

• Emotion: Angry
  
  [Draw your angry face here]
  
  
  
  
  
  

Exercise 3: Story Time!

Listen to a story about a character experiencing different feelings. Then, look at the Feelings Cards and point out which card shows how the character felt. Write down the feeling word next to the drawing.

• Story Feeling 1: __________
  
  
  
• Story Feeling 2: __________
  
  
  
• Story Feeling 3: __________
  
  
  

Have fun exploring your feelings with these cards!