The current activity expands the range of feelings explored with toddlers. Prior activities focused on happy and sad, as recently as Block 17. Most toddlers will readily connect with the facial expression of anger. Anger is an important emotion for toddlers to know and say. There is a wide range of ways babies and older persons communicate feeling surprised and silly through facial expressions. These two emotions can be challenging to discuss and understand through pictures of facial expressions. Spend less time on discussion of these feelings if a toddler seems confused or uninterested.

Avoid pursuing a deeper or more advanced approach to discussion of each feeling. A higher-level question, such as “What makes you feel sad?” is more appropriate for older children. It is difficult for most toddlers to describe a time they have felt the emotion shown in a picture. Keep the session focused on the name of the feeling and what the feeling can look like in a facial expression.

Extra support

• If a toddler seems to want help in identifying a particular facial expression on a page with five different pictures, point to several of the facial expressions that might be more like the facial expression on the opposite page. For each picture you point to, ask “Does this baby look (name of feeling)?”

Enrichment

• If the toddler can say the emotion words featured in the book, return to pages that show one facial expression only and ask the toddler to say the name of the feeling the baby is showing.

Pay attention to the toddler’s level of familiarity and comfort with a mirror. There may be an initial indication of mirror experience at the end of Option 1 when a mirror is available in the book. There also will be clear signs in the opening segment of the current activity, which is aimed at helping the toddler become comfortable with mirror use. Determine early in the activity whether the mirror enhances or detracts from the goal of encouraging a toddler to show a facial expression that communicates a particular emotion. Most, but certainly not all, toddlers enjoy looking at their reflection in a mirror.

There are different ways to communicate the emotions emphasized in this activity. The book pictures are offered as examples, not models for the toddler to mimic. Positively recognize a toddler’s version of a feeling. Watch for fine motor challenges in holding a mirror steady.

Extra support

• Offer another example of a facial expression by making a facial expression in the mirror that shows the targeted emotion after looking at the pictured baby in the book. Encourage the toddler to look at your expression in the mirror. Then invite the toddler to use the mirror for making his/her own expression.
• A toddler may be more interested in the faces of babies shown in the book than looking at his/her face in a mirror. Follow the toddler’s lead and talk about pictured baby faces if this is of most interest.
• Omit use of the mirror if this is too challenging for a toddler.
• Hold the mirror for the toddler.

Enrichment

• Encourage the toddler to say the name of the feeling communicated by his/her facial expression. Example: “What feeling are you showing with your face?”
• A toddler may appreciate more time to explore the mirror during or after your interactions.