3 Top Tips for Moving with Small Children

3-top-tips-for-moving-with-children

Our Top 3 Tips for Moving Home with Small Children

Moving to a new home can be fun and overwhelming, especially for children who have adapted to their current environment. The move requires a change in routine and could come with excitement mixed with emotional meltdowns. If you follow these top tips for moving with small children, your move doesn’t have to be chaotic — instead, it can be a positive and memorable adventure.

moving-home-with-children-tips

1. Talk About the Move

Whether you’re moving locally or abroad, your child may not understand the logistics behind it but they do feel the emotional weight of change. Start talking about the move months before it happens to prepare them for the change. Conversations in a safe and welcoming environment help children express their emotions. The conversation shouldn’t feel overwhelming, it should be comforting, using reassuring and straightforward language to explain what’s happening and why.
 
Frame the move as an exciting adventure while being realistic about it. Actively listening to your child and addressing their concerns helps them feel understood. If your child is moving away from their best friend, offer solutions early in the conversations, like the friend can visit for holidays. Phrase positively that they’re not losing a friend — they will make more friends.

family-moving-new-home-moving-with-children
Talk to your kids about the move and listen to their fears or any questions they might have about moving.

2. Involve Your Child in the Process

Let your child pack their toy box and give them small tasks to make them feel part of the move. Some adolescents and one out of 12 children struggle with anxiety that’s caused by various triggers. Children in control of situations are less likely to experience anxiety about the unknown. Include your child in the house-hunting process, then let them choose their room and discuss how to customise it. It gives them something to look forward to, improves decision-making skills, boosts self-confidence, and makes them feel included in the next part of their journey.
 
Declutter items together as a family. This helps children decide which toys to keep, throw away, or donate. It also teaches them about letting go and helps them focus on their future. Children mimic parents, so if your child realises you’re donating unwanted items, it becomes easier for them to do the same. Only carrying items that you’ll use eases the moving and unpacking process.

kids-moving-home
Get your child involved with the move to help aid the moving process

3. Create a Moving Timeline

Once you’ve addressed your child’s mental and physical involvement, set a moving timeline so everyone is aware of what they’re expected to do to ensure a smooth transition. A moving timeline reduces stress, increases organisational skills, addresses financial planning, and prevents wasted effort. Before you share the timeline, ensure all your financial obligations are in order, because about 46% of moves get delayed because of incorrect financial planning.
 
Once your move is financially secure, share the timeline with your child to prepare them and yourself for the upcoming days. For little ones, create a visual timeline with blocks so they can count down the days and see what’s happening every day leading up to the big move. Your timeline should include a checklist like packing and unpacking dates, notifying the school, gathering necessary documentation, and setting a moving date. It should also include time to spend as a family while allowing your child to say goodbye in their own way.

moving-home-with-small-children-guide
Make Moving Home a Breeze with Purdie Worldwide

The Moving Journey is the Foundation to Your New Journey

Moving is an adjustment for everyone, but the journey can be seamless with the proper planning, patience and creativity. Help your children transition by preparing them emotionally, sticking to comforting routines and involving them in the process. By addressing the move with kindness, you’ll help your child adjust, adapt and thrive in this new chapter while learning to embrace change positively and let go of the past. After all, a move is more than boxes, it’s changing lives and dynamics.

Get a Moving Quote

Related Posts

Scroll to Top