Moving can be a difficult process. Even if the parents are doing most of the work, it can be a hard time for kids. It helps to know a few ways to make the moving process easier, even fun.
Pack Their Bedroom Last and Unpack It First
Being at home with all your stuff packed up in boxes can be unsettling for kids. Or it can be boring, not having anything to read or play with. It benefits everyone for your kids to have a feeling of normalcy and routine when possible, so it makes sense to make their things a priority. Pack up their stuff last, and unpack their stuff first, so they can feel settled and have their books and toys to keep them company while you work on the moving process. It’s also a good idea to let them pick some very important things (favorite books or stuffed animals, etc) to keep in a backpack for easy access at all times.
Let Them Choose What to Keep and What to Give Away
For kids as well as parents, a move is a good opportunity to contemplate all the stuff you have and decide if you really need it all or if some would be better enjoyed by someone else. Kids grow out of clothes and shoes and toys pretty quickly. They move to more advanced reading levels and decide they don’t need those “baby books” anymore. A few weeks before the move, set up some keep boxes and a give away box or two, and make sure they know how happy some other kids will be to receive those hand-me-down items.
Let Them Decorate the Moving Boxes
Your moving boxes need to be labeled, and kids like to be creative. They can help the box labeling process. Keep some markers or crayons and let them draw or write on the boxes. To avoid trouble, it may be a good idea to avoid permanent ink, of course. You can write the essential information on the box yourself with a permanent marker to avoid any confusion about where the boxes go. If they’re old enough, the kids can help tape up the boxes too, but of course you want these to be closed securely to avoid any accidents.
Special Toy Boxes
Here’s another idea. You can set up a box for your child to put all his favorite toys into, so he can open it at the new house for instant fun time. You can set up one box for indoor toys as well as a separate box or bag for balls and outdoor toys. This can give them something to look forward to during the drive.
More Box Fun
After you’ve unpacked some boxes, let your kids have some fun with them. They can make forts, or trains, or play hide and seek. They can get in the box and have their sibling slide them around the room.
Audio Books and Playlists
If your move involves a long drive, think ahead about what they’ll want to listen to. Public libraries now have mobile phone apps that let you play audio books, and there are private services such as Audible with a wider selection. You can have them pick out the book, or pick a favorite book from your childhood. You can also create a long playlist of the whole family’s favorite songs. Ask your kids what songs they would love to hear on the trip. With shuffle play, you never know when your favorite song will come up. Streaming services such as Spotify have hours and hours of kids songs that even grownups can enjoy, with many playlists already set up for you. Once the driving is done, they can continue listening to the audio book or music, or move on to more physical play. Give them lots of options to choose from.
Games and Play
Playing games can be a great way to settle into a house. Just playing with your familiar toys in an unfamiliar room or yard can be a nice change of pace for a child. Siblings can play hide-and-seek in the new house or outside. They can also hide an item for their sibling to find, and tell them when they’re getting “hot” or “cold.”
Another game kids can play, even in the car, is 20 Questions, or “I’m Thinking of.” If you’re not familiar with the game, here’s how it goes. Player A secretly picks a thing from a category. It could be an animal, or a Disney character, a food, etc. When she’s ready she says, for instance, “I’m thinking of an animal!” The other player(s) can now ask yes-or-no questions such as “Does it have feathers?” or “Is it bigger than me?” until they can finally guess the answer. With the 20 Questions version, they must find the answer within twenty questions or the non-guesser wins. But with the “I’m Thinking of” variation, they can ask as many questions as they like until they find the answer. A cool thing about this game is that kids can play it when all their things are still packed up. And they can play it with other kids or with their parents.
If you’re getting ready for a move, call Firefighting’s Finest Moving & Storage. We are dedicated to providing efficient, safe, and professional commercial and home moving services, as the moving partner you can rely on. Founded in 2001 by two off-duty firefighters, we’ve grown to serve not only the Dallas/Fort Worth area, but also Houston and Austin as well. A locally-owned-and-operated business, we exceed all state and federal requirements for a moving company and can handle all of your moving needs. Call 844-715-6625 or visit our website for an estimate.
