If you were to sit down with a group of toddlers and preschoolers, and announce that you will be spending the morning discussing cause and effect relationships, perspective, and self awareness, what sort of responses would you receive? Probably some blank stares and a total lack of interest.
But if you were to take the children outside, and allow them to stand in front of a mirror, what would happen? The children would enjoy studying the reflection of their bodies in the outdoor mirror, as well as the things that surround them. By looking at the mirror, they will be learning:
- Cause and effect (if they move their bodies, the mirror will reflect those movements)
- Perspective (their size will change depending on their distance from the mirror)
- Self awareness (viewing themselves in a new context)