11 SIBLING BONDING ACTIVITIES
Sibling bond is the beautiful connection that builds up over time between or among brothers and sisters and lasts a lifetime if it is properly nurtured.
In simple terms, they will support each other until the end with or without you around them.
However, are there activities that can strengthen this amazing bond and give them lifelong memories? If you thought about it before, the simple answer is YES, there are.
The more quality time they spend together, the more they grow closer and fonder.
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Before we go through the list, take a look at these ideas. The following sibling bonding activities will give you an idea of how we can do this.
Collaborative Projects and Hobbies to Strengthen Sibling Bonding
The following activities require your kids to work together as a group.
When they are working towards something as a team, they get to spend so much time together, sharing their views, arguing, accepting, negotiating and identifying each other’s viewpoints.
Starting a garden or planting flowers
You can encourage them to start a vegetable patch, flower garden or indoor plant area. Let them decide what they do and they can divide all the responsibilities between them.
You can make sure the younger ones get fairly easy tasks like watering the plants and raking, and the older ones get more challenging tasks like deciding which vegetable to grow, preparing soil etc.
Appreciate each other’s contributions and give instructions when needed.
Building a treehouse or fort in the backyard
Remember how thrilled we were when a treehouse or fort was built for us when we were little? We get so excited about the new space we can call our own. Just me and my brother.
In the same way, our kids will also be thrilled at the idea of having their own fort or treehouse and sharing it with their siblings. Encourage them to plan how it’s styled inside, which knickknacks to keep where and all sorts of little things that children find most adult-like.
And they will enjoy each other’s company in their own little space. (Feeling like adults)
Writing and performing a play or skit
Writing a play, practising, dressing up and performing together as a team will be a great fun activity to do during the holidays.
The sense of accomplishment they felt after that and the feeling that they achieved it together will always be remembered.
Creating a scrapbook or photo album
Make a collection of family photos. Get some of their baby, toddler and latest photos and compare, contrast and talk about how amazing they all look.
Make a compilation of family photos as well and talk about how everyone has changed over time to be more and more amazing.
Learning a musical instrument or forming a band
Learning a musical instrument is fun and engaging. Forming a band requires them to have a good understanding of each other.
Coordination and synchronisation can be achieved when they become familiar with each other’s rhythms, and these activities help them admire each other’s company.
Volunteering together for a community service project
Again, the sense of accomplishment and team spirit they feel from volunteering and giving back to society will make a lasting impact on their memory and will always be associated with the good times spent with their siblings.
Indoor and Outdoor Sibling Bonding Activities
1. Board games and puzzles
This may sound old-school. But board games are the best way to keep the kids entertained while giving them space to enjoy each other’s company. They are easy to learn and provide age-appropriate challenges for kids to work on.
Puzzles can be done collaboratively and floor puzzles are ideal for this purpose. They will match, discuss, argue,accept, agree and admire each other’s views.
2. Arts and crafts projects
Download these free all about my siblings worksheets and let them draw and colour as they wish.
Art and craft activities are also another wonderful way to spend some quality time together. Offer them art and craft supplies and see what they do.
They may draw on the same page, draw separately peer into each other’s drawings, imitate, learn from each other, compliment each other, ask questions and so on.
When they are engaged like this, that creates this amazing space for them to connect, have conversations, identify each other and get closer and closer.
3. Cooking or baking together
Cooking and baking can also be done together. You can assign different tasks to each other. While the older sibling can measure ingredients, the younger ones can mix.
Stress the importance of each task and appreciate everyone’s contribution.
And at the end comes the “eating together” part which is the most interesting of all 🙂
4. Movie or game nights
Movie and game nights on a specific day every week/month make family traditions that will be remembered for a lifetime.
If you get their help preparing snacks, you can prepare homemade fake meals that look exactly like shop bought meals. It will be fun and exciting.
5. Building forts or pillow forts
Building something together with a sibling always sounds exciting. Building a pillow fort or cardboard fort is always a fun time at my place.
Try it! They’ll love it. It’s amazing how my kids stay inside the fort in the dark, cuddling and giggling with each other. That’s what they call happiness! haha.
6. Indoor scavenger hunts
This is ideal on a rainy day. They can look for things like red socks, books about animals, toys with wheels, blue building blocks etc indoors.
When you prepare the scavenger hunt sheet make sure, all your kids can understand it without much difficulty. (You can use more images) Be creative with more indoor activities.
7. Going for bike rides or walks
Going for bike rides or walks not only helps them bond as siblings but also helps them bond with nature.
Nature provides a great space for exploring things together and having a memorable time.
Encourage them to experience that!
8. Playing sports or backyard games
Playing sports or backyard games keeps them active while encouraging healthy competition.
Siblings need to have healthy competition between them so that they will learn from each other and respect each other.
9. Having a picnic or outdoor tea party
A picnic or outdoor tea party is a wonderful way to bring change to a monotonous day.
Children will enjoy the fresh air, change of scene and new experience while relishing each other’s company.
10. Flying kites or playing with bubbles
Both of these are highly entertaining and engaging activities for kids. Help them learn to share and take turns.
These simple activities can create the best memories and moments for kids.
11. Water play activities
Encourage them to work on something together. Building a waterway, a pond or a muddy puddle is a great idea.
Take a look at these 9 sand and water play ideas.
They will plan, make decisions, and put their plans into action. These will eventually be a source of great joy for them.
Tips for Encouraging Sibling Bonding
Setting aside dedicated time for sibling BONDING activities
Make sure there’s some time allocated every day for sibling-bonding activities.
We don’t have to force it on them. Just plan some activities that you think all your kids will enjoy.
Encouraging open communication and resolving conflicts peacefully
Encourage them to express their opinions openly. They may disagree and argue at times.
You don’t have to take sides. You can make that a learning experience for them to respect different opinions.
Supporting and praising each other's efforts
Every child is different. Sometimes you may not like what they do or how they do it.
Remember not to compare each other. Every child is unique and we love and cherish them for who they are.
Providing opportunities for individual interests and shared hobbies
Sibling bonding activities need to be done regularly but don’t forget that each and every child has their own passions, likes and dislikes.
Encourage them to pursue what they are interested in even if the other siblings do not enjoy doing it.
Creating traditions and rituals that strengthen the sibling bond
Creating family traditions and rituals, however small they may seem now, will create memories that stay with them for a lifetime.
Celebrate their birthdays, their little victories and encourage them to make cards and presents for their siblings to show love.
Explore beautiful places, if possible travel around the world. Let them bond with each other on so many different levels.
Create memories. They will probably talk about them together in their old age and look back on those fond memories.
Benefits of Sibling Bonding Activities
Strengthening the sibling relationship
As I said before, sibling bonding activities can draw the siblings closer and closer and give them a world of memories to carry into adulthood.
Developing social skills and empathy
Children learn their first form of social skills, sharing skills, taking turns with their siblings.
They learn to understand each other’s pain, happiness and other emotions as they spend time with each other.
Promoting teamwork and cooperation
When they build something together or help each other achieve something, it promotes their teamwork and cooperation.
Creating lifelong memories and shared experiences
Finally, all these beautiful moments shared together, beautiful emotions felt together will make them “buddies for lifetime”.
It’s a beautiful connection and even with ups and downs in life, their love will stay strong
Conclusion
Sibling bonding activities are a great way to strengthen the love and connection between brothers and sisters in a family.
Kids do have so much time to spend together and if we direct them all towards some meaningful activities to create memories and share experiences, their love will flourish. They will build up a friendship and comradeship that is quite unmatchable.
I hope all my ideas will help your kids build a strong connection.
Please share your thoughts with us.
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