More Fun with Sisters and Brothers is a preventive intervention program that teaches young children a set of social and emotional competencies that will help them play and interact with their sisters and brothers in a fun and friendly manner. Over the course of four sessions, children learn a set of prosocial skills including: perspective-taking, conflict management, as well as learning to manage
the range of emotions and challenging behaviors that often occur in sibling relationships. The skills taught in the program are geared toward 4- to 8-year-olds, and most children in this age group easily learn the basic steps that lead to harmonious sibling interaction. Learning is made fun with activity books, take-home bedtime stories, games and more. The More Fun With Sisters and Brothers Program was developed by Dr. Laurie Kramer, senior faculty in Human and Community Development and Associate Dean of Academic Programs in the College of ACES. She is the founding Director of the Family Resiliency Center at the University of Illinois. The More Fun With Sisters and Brothers Program design is based on empirical research findings and is the first formal program for enhancing the relationships of young siblings that has received empirical support. Rather than focusing on what children should not do (e.g., refrain from fighting), the More Fun With Sisters and Brothers Program is proactive and teaches children what to do— how to relate positively to one another.
