How to Explain Mirrors to Children

A modern mirror is a piece of glass with a chemical coating that has reflective properties. Nevertheless, a mirror can be any reflective surface, such as water. Humans have been using mirrors since the beginning of time by viewing reflections in bodies of water. The first man-made mirrors were made out of obsidian, a byproduct of volcanoes. Explaining mirrors to children, although seemingly difficult because of the complexities of the physics of reflection, is fairly straightforward if approached in a simplistic manner.

• 1

  Explain to a child that mirrors are pieces of glass. Show the child a glass vase or jar. Allow the child to touch the glass.

• 2

  Explain to the child that mirrors are not just glass, but glass with a coating of metal, usually aluminum. Show the child aluminum foil and explain that this type of material coats the glass.

• 3

  Tell the child that the way that we are able to see things is because of light. For example, talk about how you cannot see in the dark.

• 4

  Explain to the child that almost everything absorbs light and reflects only a part of that light. For example, tell the child the reason that leaves are green is because the leaf absorbs all of the colors of light except for green light.

• 5

  Bring the child a small mirror, and tell him that the shiny metal coating on the glass does not absorb any light. Discuss how the mirror reflects all visible light, and this is why we are able to see exact replicas of people and things in mirrors.