Moving house is a huge upheaval for the whole family. It can be especially tough on kids. They can feel unsettled by all the hustle and bustle of packing. Leaving their friends behind and having to start a new school can be frightening too. Some children are particularly disturbed by having to leave the comforts of their own bedroom to go to a whole new house.
If your kids are having a tough time, why not make moving day more exciting a fun? A few well-chosen games can help children accept the move. They can also start to feel more positive at the prospect of such a big change. Leave the heavy lifting to the professionals, and see if some games can help create a more positive attitude in the kids.
While the new property is still empty, take the kids along to see it. Let them choose which room they would like. Take a tape measure and ask them to find out how big each room is. It’s a good skill to learn for young children. See if they can write down the dimensions for you too.
You can write out a checklist of things to find in your new neighborhood. Attach the sheets to a clipboard. Now you can all go out to tick off everything on the list. For example, near to the apartments where you live could be a dog park, business center, and picnic area. Each community has unique features for your kids to get excited about living near.
For kids that are just learning to tell the time, it might be nice for them to know how many minutes away the facilities are from the new home. How many minutes does it take to walk to the play park? How many minutes to their new school? And to the candy store? This helps them to become more excited about their new community.
Some children worry that their favorite toys might get left behind. If they can’t write yet, why not let them take a picture of their favorite toys? You can then print them out on check sheets to be ticked off when you unpack. Older kids might be keen to inventory an entire box of their belongings. All of these activities help your children take ownership of their move and feel more in control of it.
While you might be keen to lay out their new bedrooms in the same way as the old ones, the room will still feel different to a sensitive child. Why not take the kids shopping for some new things to put in their rooms? A new lamp or a new nameplate on the door is a small addition that help in a big way. A new soft toy can go a long way to providing comfort to a fearful youngster.
Even kids who are comfortable using Google can get involved. They can use the internet to find local clubs and activities to join. Moving day doesn’t have to be dull or traumatic. Happy new home!
