Moving to a new place can be full of anxiety for most of the people but it can be traumatic to the kids. The thoughts of leaving their beloved home and friends for a known place could be quite overwhelming. To not let things go overboard and help the kids with the transition, you might need some ideas. Going through the blog can open the windows of the mind and let more of such ideas flood it. You can also adapt to the already present ones as you like. So here we go.

While preparing for the move

#1. Talk

While removals in seems to be a normal thing to do, most people are so anxious about the move that they unconsciously avoid talking about it. However, talking and communicating fears and anxiety brings down the wall and strengthen the bond. Wondering what you can talk about, here are some cues:

• Fears, both yours and kids’
• How change is going to make lives better
• New place with their parks, movie halls, malls, water/amusement parks
• Available activities for kids like classes for dance, drama, singing, musical instrument, sports
• Nearby places to hike, swim, tour, ride, trek, etc.
• Ways kids can make moving fun

#2. Ask help

Make a list of the things your kids can help you with and share it with them to invite their thoughts on the same. What could be included to such a list?

• Packing and labeling
• Cleaning and organizing,
• Unpacking and setting up your new home
• Planning for the new rooms

#3. Let them decide

Letting then take small decisions to make kids more confident, positive and be happy to live with the outcome. What could these decisions be about?

• Sort their things (books, stuffed toys, games puzzles and clothes)
• What they would keep in their new place
• What they are better to part with
• If they want to sell or donate or throw altogether

#4. Inspire inner artist

Art liberates and both younger and older kids as well as you can benefit from it acts as a therapy. So what can you let them do:

• Let them color/ decorate
• Artistically label their boxes and personalize them
• Give them a physical map to the new place/house and ask them to recreate it

Tip: If you have younger kids, stick to non-fragile items.

#5. Get closure

Even packing for days is not affirming to the mind that keeps on disliking the idea of change. Getting closure is thus vital to start afresh, more so, for your kids. What you can encourage them to do:

• Verbally express their love for the house
• Letting them ride around the place on their scooters
• Play one final game of the games that you enjoyed among the family (e.g. Hide and seek)
• Convey good-byes to the people around

During the move

#6. Induce road excitement

Irrespective of the distance between the old and new home, you can have certain tasks to fill in the time and make the rid fun.

• Get inventive about lyrics (simple & silly) and make them expressive of the events
• Create road-song lists full of favorites of all
• Instruments to play
• Plan games for the journey (solving verbal riddles, magic-box, magnet chess,singing songs by ending-letters or words, Hangman, Tic-Tac-Toe, and the License Plate)

After a move

#7. Game up unpacking

As simple as it may seem, it’s a huge task. So take it ahead step by step, and yet better in a fun way.

• Plan for the decor
• Take pictures before and after
• Game up, like who opens more boxes (remember to not include ‘fragile’ marked ones), who works the neatest, who fills the drawers fastest, etc)
• Order pizza for break and gifts for the winner of the above games.

#8. Create a memorable time

The idea of having to do a lot of work can be intimidating. So replace the unpalatable feeling with new memories, like:

• Camp out on the living room floor
• Order special take out
• Tell scary stories
• Enjoy snacks
• Watch kids’ favorite movies together (on a laptop as TV is out of the question)

#9. Invite decor ideas

House in general but their room in particular. This makes them more accommodating to the new place. They would be more relaxed even if facing the anxiety of going to the new school and making new friends. Let them:

• Choose the wall color/theme
• Furniture placement
• Drawer assignment: stickers, posters, markings

#10. Make introductions

The obvious next step to setting up in the new place is the introductions. How many of them, you can decide from below:

• Neighborhood kids
• Weekend/fleece market
• Community centers
• Zoo
• Parks
• Library

These ten things can make moving a not-so-stressed affair for kids and thus for you too. Hope the blog helps!

About the Author: This content is posted by Elena Gilbert, content strategist and blogger at leading Removal Companies in Pinner, i.e. FV Removals. She loves to share her knowledge and experience related to the field of moving house, business place and packing.