In this activity, children will explore the concept of symmetry using one of our favorite tools—mirrors! Mirrors not only encourage self-reflection in early childhood but also provide a hands-on way to investigate light, reflection, and mathematical concepts like spatial awareness and patterns. This open-ended activity offers many possibilities for extension, allowing children to connect their discoveries to shapes—especially hearts, which are perfect for Valentine’s Day but exciting to explore year-round!
Set up Time: 5 minutes
Directions
1. Draw several hearts of different sizes on easel paper and place mirrors on the table for children to investigate.
2. Show children how holding a mirror along the center of a heart shape creates a reflection, illustrating symmetry and invite them to do the same.
3. Invite children to make their own heart designs by folding a piece of paper in half, drawing half of a heart along the fold, and cutting it out. Provide assistance as needed with drawing and cutting.
4. Offer paint and encourage children to place drops of it on one side of their folded heart. Then, have them close the paper and press the sides together.
5. Open the folded paper to reveal the symmetrical heart design. Allow the artwork to dry, then display the hearts together as a beautiful mural!
Materials
- Mirrors (such as this $6 one)
- Easel paper
- Construction paper
- Scissors
- Paint
Learning Through Play
Cognitive: Connections – Younger children will begin to make to recognize how paint transfers from one side of the paper to the other, while older children may enjoy making predictions about their heart designs before opening the paper. Invite them to pre-plan, experiment and refine their designs over multiple iterations.
Social-Emotional: Self-Regulation – We encourage you to allow the children to explore paint and materials at their own pace, which helps them naturally regulate their bodies. Plan to allow time for iterations and exploration, encouraging them to experiment with both the mirrors and their artwork, focusing on the process rather than the final product.
School Readiness: Spatial Learning – Mirrors are a fantastic, hands-on way to explore spatial concepts by observing how shapes, patterns and reflections take form. This is a great opportunity to introduce the meaning of the word symmetry or symmetrical by saying “Look at what happens when you place the mirror along half of the heart—it looks the same on both sides! That means it’s symmetrical.” Extend this activity by exploring other symmetrical objects with the easel paper and mirrors by drawing items such as faces, the letter “B” to make a butterfly, a bridge or the number 3 to make an 8.
See this activity in the Rayz Kidz app, along with the other fun STEM activities. Rayz Kidz is your trusted source for play-based activities featuring over 100 themes and 500+ hands-on activities and clear descriptions of the beautiful learning that is happening through play.
