Fun + Mindful Activities for Sibling Bonding
/There are many benefits to having siblings. Siblinghood can improve communication skills and social emotional learning, as well as offer opportunities for children to learn teamwork and compromise.
When we foster environments for mindful play and cooperation between siblings, we support their child development, self-regulatory growth, and socialization.
Here are some of our favorite fun and mindful activities for siblings to enjoy!
1. Partner Yoga for Siblings
Keep siblings entertained and moving with fun partner yoga poses! Partner poses can be grounding, and call for increased listening and communication (something we can all work on!)
During times of virtual schooling and social distancing from our usual set of friends, partner pose can help create a sense of physical and emotional support, and foster social emotional learning.
Here are some partner poses your family can try today:
Canoe Pose
Pirate Ship
Partner Forward Fold
Partner Tree Pose
Read our guide to partner yoga poses for kids and our guide to partner poses for mommy and me for more ideas.
2. Storybook Yoga
Whether as an academic supplement or to get kids learning outside of school hours, storybook yoga is a fun way to promote literacy and movement for children. On our Facebook page we share lots of live storybook yoga ideas for kids and families, which siblings can try themselves!
Try encouraging one sibling to read a storybook while the other uses their body to create shapes that depict the storyline. They can take turns if they’re both of reading age, and switch books according to their reading level.
3. Mindful Coloring Books for Kids
Coloring is mindfully soothing for all ages! It can also be great for child development, promoting creativity, and an entertaining activity for siblings.
Create a yoga inspired coloring session with printables like the Yo Re Mi yoga coloring pages and your kids can color emotions associated with yoga poses, practice reading, and enjoy creative illustrations.
4. Kids Camp Activities
Siblings love enjoying the summer together — especially with friends or at camp! While social distancing and our “new normal” might prohibit us from taking our usual adventures, there are plenty of online learning resources and even summer camp alternatives children can take instead.
My Summer Passport for instance, offers arts, cooking, music, theatre, and yoga activities as part of a 5-day virtual enrichment program for kids. You can sign up here for a limited time.
Jersey City Free Public Library’s daily Facebook Live schedule shares free musical yoga each week, among other live adventures from early childhood educators.
5. Take Travel Adventures
One of our favorite things to do with siblings is travel. It is so much fun to experience new places and adventures with our best friends! During times when we can’t travel, we can always use our imaginations to go on BIG adventures.
Encourage kids to grab their sibling(s) and go on a safari adventure, learn about dinosaurs, or even tour the pyramids of Egypt! The Yo Re Mi App has lots of musical yoga adventures for siblings who love exploring new places.
Save this article for later and don’t forget to download the Yo Re Mi app for children’s mindfulness and musical yoga videos.
