Moving is always a challenge, but moving with kids is double the challenge. Preparing for a move is much more complicated when you have children (just think about transferring schools, answering all your kids’ questions and dealing with their move-related anxieties, maintaining your young ones’ routines while taking care of countless moving tasks, etc.) and adjusting after the move is much more difficult too (helping your child get used to the new home, get to know the new surroundings, adapt to the new school, find new friends, etc.). The relocation itself is no exception – you need to keep your kids safe and entertained while moving out of your old place and during the trip to your new home and that’s not easy.
Moving day is the culmination of the moving process, so it’s very important that you can focus on your work (last-minute preparations, meeting the movers and providing them with all the necessary information, overseeing the process, etc.) and have the flexibility to respond to unexpected changes and problems. You won’t be able to keep an eye on your children the whole time and pay them the attention they demand – and if you’re worried about them and/or distracted by them, you won’t be able to concentrate on your move.
You need to find a way to keep your kids happily occupied in a safe place, so you can focus on the urgent matters at hand knowing that your little angles are fine.
Fortunately, you’re not without options:
Get your children out of the house
Older children can usually be trusted to stay out of harm’s way and entertain themselves on their own – they may even be able to help you with the moving preparations. (See also: 5 ways children can help during a move)
Younger kids, however, require constant care and attention – you can’t leave them alone for a long time and can’t expect them to occupy themselves without adult involvement. And since you’ll be busy with moving tasks and your home won’t be the safest environment for children on a moving day, it will be best to get your little ones out of the house.
The ideal option would be to have them stay at another home with someone you trust – a family member or a close friend. Take them to their grandma’s, to their cousins’ house, or to your best friend’s place – depending on who lives nearest, who has free time on the day of your move, and who is willing to look after your children (and who they will be happy to stay with).
If your kids have close friends in the neighborhood and you trust these friends’ parents, it may be a good idea to ask them if you could bring your little ones to their house on the day of your relocation. If the parents agree to watch your children, it will be a great way for the kids to say their goodbyes and play together one more time before your move – and you’ll have peace of mind that your little angels are safe and happy on the Big day.
Good to remember: If you send your kids to stay with someone else on moving day, make sure they have their essential items and their favorite toys (as well as some fun games) with them. If there will be other children in the house where your little ones will be staying, be sure to bring treats for all the kids.
If your move won’t take more than a few hours, you can simply ask a friend or a family member to take your children to their favorite play center, to the cinema, to the zoo, to a nearby park or playground (if the weather permits), etc.
Keep your kids safe in your home
If getting your kids out of the house on moving day isn’t an option, you’ll need to take special measures to ensure their safety and well-being amidst the moving chaos. There will be many people going in and out of the home, hauling large furniture and heavy boxes – if your children get in the way, they may get hurt – or cause someone else to get hurt.
To keep your young ones out of harm’s way, you need to keep them occupied in a safe place away from the moving hassle.
Designate a room – if possible, the kids’ room – where your children won’t be disturbed and will be able to play without interfering with the movers’ work. Be sure to notify your moving helpers that your children are in this room and it’s off limits. (If you’re moving with children, be sure to hire professional movers for your relocation – so that you can move out in the quickest and safest way possible.)
Bring your kids’ most essential items and their favorite toys in the safe room (if they aren’t already there) and leave plenty of snacks and drinks for your little ones.
If you have a pet, take them to the same room where your children will be – they will play together and will be calmer and happier in each other’s company (and your animal friend will, too, be out of the movers’ way).
Bonus tip: If your children are very young (babies, toddlers, preschoolers) and there are no friends or relatives who can take care of them on moving day, it may be best to hire a babysitter – an experienced caregiver will engage your little ones in fun activities, will keep them out of danger, and will tend to their needs, so your kids are safe and happy and you can focus on your move without worrying about them. (See also: Should I hire a babysitter on moving day)
Keep your kids occupied during the move
So, you’ve secured a safe place for your children away from the hectic moving activity. But how are you going to keep them occupied for hours on end, so they stay in their safe room and don’t get into trouble? How to keep kids busy on Moving day?
Here are some ideas you can try, depending on your children’s age and personal preferences:
- A moving day activity kit – Prepare a bundle of fun things your little ones can entertain themselves with on the Big day – markers, crayons, coloring books, sticker books, age-appropriate activity books, playdough, a deck of cards (if your children are old enough to play card games), etc. Some moving companies provide moving day activity packs for children, so ask your chosen movers about this in advance – if they say that they do, let them know how many kits to bring and how old your kids are, so they can choose age-appropriate activities;
- Toys and games – Leave your kids’ favorite toys (dolls, car miniatures, action figures, building blocks, etc.) out of the boxes and give them to your little ones on moving day so they can play while the movers are working. If you have more than one child and if your children are old enough, board games are an excellent option – they will keep your kids occupied for quite some time. To make things extra special, buy your little angels a new toy or a new game – so they get excited and time flies by without them noticing;
- Books – Books are great for passing time on moving day. If your children are old enough to read, buy them a new book (in their favorite genre or from their favorite author) to get lost in. If your kids can’t read yet, give them some cartoon books or a few picture books to look through;
- Movies or computer games – Even if you usually limit your kids’ screen time and avoid setting your little ones in front of the TV, moving day is the right time to make an exception. Watching a new movie or playing a cool game will keep your children entertained for hours on end. Your TV, desk computer, and video game consoles will likely already be packed for moving, but your kids can use a laptop, a tablet, a Nintendo Switch, or other portable electronics;
- Scrapbooks, journals, and other creative projects – Older kids may have hours of fun – and get closure – making a scrapbook about their old home, their old school, and the friends they’ll leave behind; or writing their thoughts and memories in a journal; or making a photo album; etc. There are various creative projects an older child can engage in on Moving day – just make sure you provide the necessary materials (blank notebooks, plenty of photos, stickers, colorful markers, colorful paper, glue, scissors, punchers, etc.);
- Spare packing supplies – It’s best to leave playing with packing materials for after the move, when you have finished unpacking and don’t need all those boxes, bubble wrap, and packing paper anymore, but you’ll likely have some extra cartons and bubble wrap after all of the packing is done. Especially if your kids are too young for art projects, reading, and board games, it may be a good idea to let them play with the leftover packing supplies to keep them busy on the hectic move-out day – let them climb into empty boxes, dive into packing peanuts, pop the bubbles of the bubble wrap, etc.;
- Camping at home – There will be a lot of empty space when all your household items are packed for moving, so you can set up a small tent for your kids in their safe room to camp in on moving day. Give them flashlights to play with, maps of your new area to locate places of interest and trace exploration routes on, snacks and drinks similar to those you would bring on a real camping trip, etc. Provide sleeping bags so your little campers can have rest in their tent – or come up with an imaginative game.
Bonus idea: Let your kids play in the backyard
If the weather is nice, sending your kids to play in the backyard is the best way to keep them entertained on moving day – and keep them out of the way. Give your little ones a ball, suggest games of tag, hopscotch, or hide-and-seek, let them play with the dog, etc. – your children will have a lot of fun and will burn off their excess energy, so they’re not hyperactive at the end of the day when you’ll be too exhausted to deal with it.
Have a fun trip to your new home and make sure your kids enjoy their new life in your new area!
Must-read: How to move house with a baby; How to move house with toddlers; How to move with a school-aged child; How to move with a teenager
