Your guide to activities and fun things to do with your preschoolers, toddlers and kids in Columbus, OH

The one thing small children love to look at the most is their own reflections. Put a toddler in front of a mirror and he will quickly grin, make faces, and generally turn into a big goof. Preschoolers aren't all that different. They still love looking at their own reflections any chance they can get. Why do they find it so much fun? Is it because the world is so new to them that even their own appearance is new and exciting? Are they imagining themselves as someone else? Or are they trying to catch a glimpse of their future selves in the reflection?

Looking in your bathroom mirror can be fun, but it can be even more fun to explore a reflection found in other places, both expected and unexpected. Reflections can be found in puddles, ponds, shiny elevator doors, metal lamps, and sometimes even well-polished floors. Where else can you go to seek out small faces smiling back at you? Here are a few options:

1. In the glass of the manatee tank at the Columbus Zoo.

2. In the water table at COSI's Little Kidspace

3. In the dress-up mirrors of the Columbus Museum of Art's Eye Spy: Adventures in Art

4. Looking over the side of the Santa Maria on the Scioto River.

5. In the shop windows of the Short North during Gallery Hop.

Next time you're out in public with your preschooler, see how many places your child can find his reflection. You might be surprised at just how many opportunities there are!