Are you considering adding another child to the family? Here are some things that will help with how to prepare your child for a new sibling. Our oldest had just turned two years old when our twins were born. We did a lot of things to prepare him as much as we possibly could.
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Preparing Twins for a Sibling
If you’re preparing your twins for a sibling, there is a little less work than usual. Yay for that, you deserve a bit of a break!
With twins, they already know how to share, or at least that it’s expected of them, so you just need to let them know that extends to the new baby once they get a bit bigger.
That means the biggest thing to do to prep twins for a sibling is to talk to them about being gentle with the new baby. They’re used to having someone their own size they can play with, fight with, whatever, but a baby is very different.
The resources below will expand on the gentle aspect 🙂
Having your newborn(s) give their big sibling a gift is a really sweet gesture, just as the big sibling can give the baby(ies) a baby toy they no longer play with. I have some newborn to big sibling(s) gift ideas below.
Preparing Children for a Sibling or Two
Our oldest loved Daniel Tiger at the time, which is great because there are many books and episodes of his show that have to do with having a new little sibling.
Daniel Tiger Sibling Episodes on DVD
Daniel Tiger is great at helping teach kids so many different things, including becoming a big brother and being a big helper in the family. This DVD has several episodes within it including: The Tiger Family Grows; Daniel Learns About Being a Big Brother; The Baby is Here; Time for Daniel; There’s Time for Daniel, and Margaret Too; Playtime is Different; and The Playground is Different with Baby. These episodes are all about expecting a new baby sibling.
Big Brother Daniel Book
This book is based on one of the episodes from the DVD above. It’s great to have both so that your child can revisit the story over and over again without the need for technology. They also can page through this book on their own, even if they can’t read yet. This book shows how Daniel is a great helper when his sibling arrives.
Our oldest was so excited to be a big helper in the family, as this book talks about a lot. I think him helping out made him feel more involved with the twins and us as a family.
The Baby is Here
This is another great book about becoming a big brother and how things change once baby arrives. This book is also based on an episode of the show and shows how Daniel welcomes his baby sibling.
Big Enough to Help
This Daniel Tiger book is really great at showing kids that even though they are small, they are big enough to help with some things. It also addresses that they can’t help with everything, such as dangerous things, but for the most part their help is welcomed and important in the family.
Daniel Plays in a Gentle Way
The Daniel Plays in a Gentle Way book helps kids understand that with a new baby sibling in the house, they need to be very careful and gentle to not injure them. It also shows that even though they need to be gentle, they still can interact with their younger sibling.
I Am a Big Brother Book
The I Am a Big Brother book by Caroline Jayne Church is a fun book all about becoming a big brother and how exciting it is.
I’m a Big Sister Book
Most of the books I’ve mentioned above are about being a big brother, just because Daniel Tiger was who we went to for our oldest and because we have all boys. There are plenty of big sister books and resources out there as well! Here is one of them about being a big sister!
Big Brother Shirts
There are so many fun Big Brother shirts out there in all different sizes. Here are some I thought were cute!
We had our twins give our oldest a big brother shirt after they were born and he really appreciated it.
Big Sister Shirts
Not to leave out the big sisters, here are some big sister shirts!
This big sister shirt comes in many different sizes and colors.
Baby Doll
We got our son a baby doll when we found out I was pregnant. He loved this baby doll and took it everywhere. Of course, a few weeks later we learned I was carrying twins so we went back and got another baby doll. Haha! Of course, this was back when Toys R Us was closing down so we couldn’t get an identical one but close enough.
If you happen to be having twins, here is one that may be helpful.
For single pregnancies, here is a baby doll that comes in boy, girl, and also in more than just Caucasian babies which is awesome!!
As a mom of identical twins and a son two years older, I have gained invaluable experience in the realm, and chaos, of parenting. With a Master's Degree and Education Specialist Degree in School Psychology, I spent years as a school psychologist, helping children navigate through their educational and emotional challenges. Now as a stay at home mom and professional blogger, I combine my areas of expertise to help you in your parenting journey.