This is a great way to help younger siblings learn more about their brother or sister, to spend time with you, and to help them talk about what is going on in their lives. It is also a nice art activity.
Call the scrapbook something like 'My Family'. Have different pages about different family members and include pets too.
Ideas for the sibling's pages
- Photos of sibling and his/her friends
- Some writing or drawing by siblings about hobbies, favourite food, things they like and don't like
- Feelings they have – draw faces to match feelings and write about when they feel that way. Make sure to give each feeling a name e.g. angry, proud.
- Things I find easy to do/things I find hard to do.
- Special and fun things I do with mum/dad/grandparent
- Things I do with my brother/sister – games, hugs, activities etc Ideas for the disabled child pages
Ideas for the disabled child pages
- Photos of brother/sister and his/her friends
- Sibling can write or draw about what things brother or sister likes or dislikes
- Page about their condition – photos from the internet of other children with same condition, some writing about it, you could add in a simple explanation of the disability
- Things he/she finds easy to do and things he/she finds hard to do
Some tips
- Make the art side fun – sticking in pictures from magazines, nice coloured pens, glitter,..
- When a sibling asks for information, ask what they already know, e'g. "What do you think is happening?", "Why do you think he does that?" "What else would you like to know?"
- Always be honest in giving information and do so in a matter of fact way.
- Add a little bit to the scrapbook each day
