The Best Bonding Activities for Siblings To Smooth Things Over

Every parent of more than 1 kid has their tricks for when things get hectic. Siblings are bound to fight, but that doesn’t necessarily mean you can’t stop an argument from turning into a day wrecking catastrophe. Here are some ideas for ruckus prevention that don’t include a smartphone, tablet, or TV.

FUN FUN FUN

Nothing bonds children more than chuckling together over an internal joke. When you see that a fight is about to break out, give your kids a reason to laugh with the following funny activities.

1. Face Freeze

Remember the times when a funny face was the epitome of fun? Oh, the simple times! With this classic children’s game, you’re allowing your children to be children and to forget the spat they cried over just moments ago. See who can come up with the most creative funny face, encouraging them to use props like hats, glasses, and hair accessories. Then, it’s time for a competition. Who can hold their funny face the longest without laughing?

2. Floor Is Lava

Before you erupt (pun intended) because of all the rumpus, shout out “The floor is lava!” and open the timeless kids’ favorite game. The goal of the game is to avoid touching the ground, pretending it’s scorching lava. True, kids will be jumping from and to the couch like crazy and you’ll probably have to take refuge, but at least the siblings will finally find common ground (another pun intended).

3. Funky Animal Walks

This one is not only great for the laughs, but also lets kids learn about animals. This is especially true when they’re of mixed ages, so the smaller ones can learn from those who are older. Siblings take turn choosing different animals and everyone has to walk like that animal until someone calls out “Change!”. Then it’s another kid’s turn to call the creature. ROFL guaranteed!

EMOTIONAL

When you want your kids to strengthen their bond you should think about the games that teach them about all of the similarities and differences between them. There’s no better activity for that than:

1. Sibling Trivia

Come up with a list of questions that the kids can relate to, for example: “what is your favorite food?”, “what is your favorite color?”, “what is your favourite holiday?” for younger children and “what makes you happiest?”, “what are you most afraid of?” and “what do you wish for the most?” for slightly older children. The game teaches children of any age to talk about themselves and their emotions, but also to be interested in people around them. In addition to that, it’s a good way to prepare them for school, where they’ll meet new faces and will want to make friends.

2. Reading A Book About Team Work

Hooray Heroes’ personalized book for 2 or 3 siblings called The Dream Team is a great way for kids to learn that they’re strongest when they stand together. The book shows them why they’re each other’s biggest treasure by talking them through 10 imaginary worlds. In each of them they find a mini treasure that’s symbolic of one aspect of their irreplaceable bond: they protect each other, they make each other laugh, they know how to share and much more. The fact that the book is personalized allows your kids to relate to the book even more and helps them to internalize the moral of the story better.  

TIP: Hooray Heroes offers a wide array of free printables for siblings too. Download a personalized coloring book or a coloring calendar to earn a few extra minutes of peace and calm.

EXCITING

1. Scavenger Hunt

Get your little ones to work together by hiding small treasures in or around the house and then making kids find them. Give them clues on a piece of paper and make them as mysterious as possible, so you give the kiddos an opportunity to develop a plan and bond while doing so. A clue can be anything from “I’m shiny and small and make wishes come true” for a hidden coin or a hand drawn treasure map that leads to a prize. Too busy to put together a scavenger hunt? The Hooray Heroes’ personalized book in the paragraph above includes an exciting one that will bring siblings closer together than ever.

2. Adventure Jar

Adventure or activity jar is a mason jar, filled with little pieces of paper on which different activities are written. It’s a perfect distraction for a rainy day when a fight is bound to break out due to boredom. But above all, it’s an amazing post-fight recovery activity that will soothe hurt feelings in no time. Fill the jar with all the activities from above and here you have it! If you’re crafty enough, you’ll sneak in some chores the kids have been avoiding. Make sure to add “No activity should be skipped or exchanged for another” to the instructions. Make yourself a cup of tea and get a book ready. You’re in for a relaxing afternoon.

In conclusion, there are ways for parents to stay sane when a quarrel between siblings breaks out without resorting to smart phones, tablets and TV. So the next time you feel black clouds gathering above your kiddos, pull out your secret sibling bonding activities and enjoy the cute view.