Games to play with siblings

Looking for ideas for outdoor games for kids and siblings? Given the lovely weather we’ve been having –  there’s been lots of lovely playing outside with our 4 kids, but there’s also been a fair amount of bickering! We’ve trialled a few outdoor sibling garden games and activities that are easy to set up and all of our four children can play together. Just to try and encourage them to get along a little more and help them all keep occupied together. They’re also outdoor games for kids that need very little equipment or set-up

Take A T-Shirt Walk

Perfect for younger kids, get both children into the same T-shirt (a large, adult T-shirt will work best) - with their heads through the neck hole, and both pairs of arms in the sleeves. Have the siblings complete a walk around the house, or doing an egg and spoon race - or even an obstacle course around the garden. Activities like this are a great way to get siblings to work as a team, and because it's such great fun there are very few opportunities for sibling rivalry to ruin the activity.

Pillow Sumo Wrestling

One of the most fun bonding activities siblings can play together - it won't be hard to convince them to get involved with this pillow sumo wrestling game. To make a sumo outfit, each child will need a large t-shirt, two pillows and a belt (or some rope or string). Stuff a pillow into the front and back of the t-shirt, and secure them in place using the belt or string.

Clear an area, removing sharp objects and big bits of furniture, then let the kids expend some of their energy in the wrestling ring!

Become An movie character

This activity works well for families of any size and for kids of any age, from three up. Simply have the siblings take turns to call out the name of an character, and then act out how that animal walks and talks. Whoever is in charge should should "Change" before moving on to the next person.

Paint A Portrait

Siblings will have hours of fun painting one another using this fun and easy method. Working in pairs, get each sibling to take it in turns to hold a sheet of clear plastic in front of their face, whilst the other sibling paints their portrait directly onto the clear plastic. Art activities for siblings can get competitive, or they can be difficult to do if there is a significant age gap -  but this is a quick and enjoyable way to paint a portrait - taking it in turns to be the 'model' and the 'artist'. Follow the tutorial by Homegrown Friends for more details, and why not try making a 'print' of the paintings? Simply press a piece of plain paper onto the plastic sheet whilst the paint is still wet, and peel off to reveal your art print.