Activities to Do With Children Who Struggle With Getting Along With Their Siblings

Your children will be connected for the rest of their lives, so teaching them to get along while they̵7;re young is vital. Ordering squabbling siblings to get along won̵7;t generally help, but getting the children to work together can give them some common ground and let them forget their differences. Praising your children when they get along will also encourage them to continue building a friendship.

  1. Games

    • Pitting siblings against one another will only cause more conflict, but if you put them on a team together, they̵7;ll be forced to work with one another. Pull out the board games or play backyard sports such as three-legged races or keep away, in which partners kick a ball back and forth while another pair tries to get the ball away. Children may be the most motivated to play well together and win if they̵7;re playing against their parents, so roll up your sleeves and play.

    Classes

    • Sign up siblings for a class together. If they don̵7;t know anyone else in the class, they̵7;ll stick together in order to feel comfortable, and they̵7;ll develop a new skill or interest that they can share. Check with your local library, community center or community college, or contact your school district to inquire about children̵7;s courses in cooking, jewelry making, music or languages. Tennis or soccer lessons can also encourage children to be active while learning about teamwork.

    Trips

    • Taking children out of their usual routine may eliminate some of their usual squabbles such as fighting over toys or TV time. Load everyone into the car and take a day trip to a nearby town to take a hike or visit a museum or aquarium. If you can afford a hotel, an overnight trip can also be an enjoyable experience for everyone. Even if you don̵7;t want to leave town, you can check into a local hotel for an evening. The children will enjoy swimming in the hotel pool and exploring all the hallways together.

    Movie Night

    • When your children argue constantly, encouraging them to sit in front of a movie together can be a relief for everyone. Even though they won̵7;t be speaking, watching a movie gives them a few hours to sit next to each other and share some laughs and snacks. If your oldest child scoffs at watching a kid̵7;s movie, let him do the picking. Ask him to pick his favorite movie from when he was the same age as the younger sibling. He̵7;ll feel proud that he̵7;s introducing something new to the younger kid, and the younger child will feel grown up to be experiencing the older child̵7;s favorite flick.

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