Tips for Moving with
Small Children
Any move,
whether cross country or across the street, can be tough for adults but for
small children, it’s often daunting. Leaving the home they’ve grown up in, the
local park they’ve spent many long summer days playing in, and the neighborhood
kids they’ve grown so attached to just might be the first major change in their
young lives. As the parent, you can make the transition seamless and exciting
for your young ones with just a little extra love and care in this potentially
scary and anxious time for a child. Follow these tips to make moving a fun
family adventure:
Get the Kids Excited with a Special
Family Meeting
Showing
your kids your own enthusiasm, even if you’re not excited for a move, can make
a big difference in how they respond. Plan a special, fun way to announce your
exciting news. Consider having a family meeting over pizza, ice cream, or your
children’s favorite treat, to help make the day they find out they’re moving a
happy memory. Let them know why you’re moving, whether it’s for a new job, job
promotion, or to be closer to family, but be prepared to listen to your
children’s concerns and provide them positive reassurance and honest answers.
Research Your New Neighborhood
Get the
kids excited about their new home by researching your new neighborhood. Find
out where the nearest park is, the local library, and fun places, like ice
cream shops. Nowadays with a smartphone, there are tons of free apps that can
help you settle into your new neighborhood. The app called KidScore ranks locations on a 0-100 scale,
and the ranking is solely based on how kid-friendly the places are. This app
ranks restaurants, coffee shops, grocery stores, dentists and activities and
attractions. Introduce your kids to
their new neighborhood by showing them the best parks, their new school, and
other fun things to do.
Involve the Kids in Picking Your New
Home
If you’re
renting, use tools like ForRent to take a virtual tour of potential
homes with your children online. Online tools are great for busy parents. After
all, you can look for apartments in Houston without leaving your couch in
Seattle, or getting your kids dressed. Tour your top choices and let your
children share their favorite things about each place, or what they don’t like,
to find the perfect place to call home. Giving your children some say in
picking the place they’ll call home will help give them a sense of ownership
and excitement about the moving process.
Play Tourist in Your New City
There’s no
better way to get to know a new city then by playing tourist and kids will love
the feeling of being on vacation in their new hometown. Plan an outing with
them around the area. Buy a guidebook or search websites, like Thrillist or Yelp, to look for fun activities,
places, and restaurants to take the family.
Organize a Moving Sale
Get kids
involved in the moving process by planning a moving sale, whether in your yard
or through an online listing site. Let children be involved in what
they want to keep, sell, or donate to help them feel some level of control in
what can be a chaotic time. It can be hard for children to part with old toys
so don’t shy away from a little incentive. Reward children by letting them buy
new toys or decorations for their new room with the money they make at the
moving sale.
Make Plans for their New Room
Make moving
exciting by making plans for your children’s new room together. Let kids figure
out where they want to move furniture and display their favorite toys or
knick-knacks. If you’re buying them new furniture or bedding, let them help
pick out the new items.
Pack a Few Favorite Toys and
Activities in a Special Bag
Let your children have a special bag to keep some of their most favorite
toys or activities in during the move. Keeping their favorite doll, blanket,
truck, or books close and easily accessible will help them feel more secure in
this transitory time as well as keep them entertained on moving day. It will
also give them something to play with before you’ve unpacked all the big boxes
in your new home.
Find Something Familiar
Anyone can
get homesick when they make a big move, especially young children. Finding the
familiar can help make kids (and adults) feel more at home. Try to recreate
some of your children’s favorite activities, like going to the park or library,
to help children understand that they can still enjoy the things they loved
about their old home in a new place. Making connections with people in your new community can also help
children, and adults, feel more comfortable and at ease in their new home. For a
start, you can look up your new city’s parks and recreation department online
to learn more about community groups, city events, and family programs offered
in your new area.
Say Goodbye to Favorite Places
Leaving the
only neighborhood or city a child has lived in can be difficult for all
involved. Talk to your children about their favorite places and plan a few days
to take them to spend some time with the special places they’ll miss.
Say Goodbye to Your Old Home
Last but
not least, say goodbye to your old home with your children. Take time to
walk in each room and outside of the house, saying goodbye with your children
as you walk along. Make a point to say a special goodbye to your children’s
favorite places and things at your old home, like their bedroom, backyard, or a
favorite tree. These things have life to a young child and saying goodbye can
help them have closure.
Involving
children in the process and making them feel their voice matters can help make
a big, sometimes scary, transition into something fun and exciting. With these
tips your kids will be feeling at home in your new place in no time!
