[Invite an infant to join you in looking in a big mirror. Sit in front of the mirror with the infant securely in your lap or sitting close to you facing the mirror. Encourage the infant to look in the mirror with you. Example: “Hello, Julian! I am happy to see you. I see you in the mirror! Do you see me? I am smiling at you!” Acknowledge the infant’s reactions. Examples: “You are smiling, Alyssa! You are smiling at me!”

If the infant seems uninterested or uncomfortable, pleasantly end the activity and try engaging him/her in front of a mirror at a later time.]

[Use the following strategies to support a responsive set of interactions with the infant:

• Point to the infant’s reflection, and then your own, in the mirror. Example: “This is you, Julian. This is me.”
• Describe the infant’s facial expressions, vocalizations, and/or actions. Examples: “You are looking at me with big eyes, Alyssa!” “You are waving your arms and talking to me, Julian. I hear you! ‘Ba-ba-ba, da-da-da.’”
• Draw attention to your actions. Examples: “I have big eyes, too! I am looking at you with big eyes.” “I am waving at you, Peter. My hand is waving hello to you!”
• Imitate the infant’s facial expressions and/or vocalizations while you look in the mirror.
• Act on what the infant seems to be looking at in the mirror. Example: If the infant is gazing at your face in the mirror and seems to be interested in your facial expressions, respond with a new face.
• Offer a facial expression, such as an exaggerated happy face or silly face or surprised face with mouth wide open. Name the feeling.
• Encourage the infant to copy your facial expression or actions, or to smile back at you.
• Pause frequently so the infant has an opportunity to respond or contribute.]

[Offer a brief description of what happened during the activity. Example: “We looked in the mirror! I smiled at you. Then you smiled at me! You laughed when I made silly faces in the mirror. We had fun together.”]