Talk to the Mirror

1. 1

   Hold your baby in front of a mirror, point to their reflection, and ask with surprise, “Who’s that?”

2. 2

   Point to one feature at a time—the eyes, nose, or mouth—and pair it with a playful sound or short phrase.

3. 3

   At the mouth, for example, say, “Ah—your mouth opens to eat.”

4. 4

   If your baby copies “ah,” echo the sound in a playful voice.

5. 5

   Touch the nose and hum “mm, mm,” then point to the eyes and use another simple sound. Watch whether your baby joins.

6. 6

   Whenever your baby vocalizes, answer that sound: “Mm—there’s your nose!”

What to notice

• Imitates a sound you make and takes a turn in the “conversation” Communicating and Speaking
• Reaches out to pat or touch the mirror Exploration and Discovery

Tips

• After you say a short phrase, pause instead of speaking again right away. Look at your baby and give them time to make another sound—this pause can turn the moment into a back-and-forth “conversation.”

Developmental benefits

• Language: Pointing to facial features in the mirror and pairing them with playful sounds encourages your baby to watch and imitate early vocalizations.