Play a family game
Siblings can miss out on family games for a number of reasons - the child with a disability needs hands-on care; it can be hard to include a child with a disability in games; the children spend most of their free time on a computer or watching TV
Games however help children learn valuable social skills and are a great way for siblings to have fun interactions with their parents. Through board games, some of the skills that children develop are: Paying attention; strategy; taking turns; verbal communication; and learning about luck and winning/losing.
NB Remember that children under 6 will feel the need to win (to have a sense of mastery) or have the rules changed to make it easier for them. Ask older children if the game is a 'winning' game or a 'fun only' game. If your child does not like the idea of losing, play the game for fun. Discuss appropriate rule changes with a sibling for a child who is younger or who is unable to play to the full rules. Ask siblings for ideas on adapting game and decide these aspects of the game together before starting.
Some game ideas
Playing cards, Monopoly, Cranium cadoo, Snakes and ladders, Charades, Twenty questions, Twister, Jengo, Trivial Pursuit, Quizes, Pictionary, Draughts, Pick up sticks, Name that tune (play short clips of music from CDs), Connect 4
Games can be played between the parent and sibling, or between the whole family and could include a sibling's friend.
Ways to involve the child with a disability (in particular, a learning disability)
- Being paired with an adult
- Rolling the dice or moving the counter in a board game
- Doing just miming (as in charades, or Cranium, and being prompted by an adult)
- Dealing out the cards
- Taking part for a few minutes at a time
- Playing with the game pieces – e.g. the counters – which only get used at this time
