With more than 40 years of experience helping families move home, we’ve picked up plenty of useful insight into keeping children calm before, during and after a house move.
Moving home is a major life event and, no matter how well you plan or what precautions you put in place, there will usually be something unexpected to deal with. A house move impacts everyone, which means the stress can affect the whole family too.
Aside from all the packing, storing and planning, parents can be left facing some difficult questions. How will your children feel about leaving their old home? How will they adjust to a new school or neighbourhood? What will they think about leaving friends behind, and how quickly will an unfamiliar house begin to feel like home?
There are plenty of things you can do to make the transition easier. Here are some of Ballards’ practical tips for moving house with kids and helping the whole family settle into their new home.
Talk to your children about moving house early
Children need to feel safe, and stability and consistency can be particularly important when something as significant as their home is changing.
Making sure they understand the move is therefore a good place to start. If children do not know what is happening, watching their belongings being packed into boxes and taken away can understandably be unsettling.
Talk about where you are moving to, why you are moving and what they can expect. Where appropriate, show them photographs of the new house, talk about their new bedroom and explore the area together before moving day.
How much you involve them will depend on their age, but giving children time to ask questions and understand what is happening can make the move feel much less daunting.
Security is essential
Children need to feel safe, and stability and consistency is key to ensuring that, which is why making sure that they understand the move is so important. Otherwise, the children watching as their belongings are carted away can be upsetting for them. That’s why we recommend getting the kids stuck in with the process, whether it’s packing a few belongings or watching belongings being taken in and out of the moving vehicle, it all helps towards putting their mind at rest.
Taking a positive outlook towards saying goodbye
By involving the children in the house move, making sure they feel secure as you leave the old house behind and move into your new home, there are a few key tricks you can keep in mind.
A memories album can be a great place to start, as it allows them to have a collection full of pictures and adventures from the old house.
Once you arrive at your new house, set up playdates with children who live nearby so everyone can say hello and play together while getting used to this newfound space. It will help make saying goodbye less painful as well as for the kids to start feeling comfortable right away.
Let The Kids Embrace Their Inner Designers
A simple way to help younger kids better adjust to a new bedroom is by letting them put a mark on their new bedroom – easily done by letting them have input on colour schemes, decorations and furniture – this can help them feel comfy in every single square inch of the space.
Moving house with children of different ages
Children will experience moving house differently depending on their age, so it can help to adapt how you involve them.
Moving with babies and toddlers
Babies and younger children may not understand what a house move means, but they will notice changes to their surroundings and routine.
Try to keep familiar mealtimes, nap times and bedtimes wherever possible. Avoid packing favourite toys, blankets or comforters too early and keep the things they use every day easily accessible.
If possible, having somebody look after younger children while the removal team is loading and unloading can also make moving day easier and safer.
Moving with primary-school children
Primary-school-age children can usually become much more involved in the move.
Encourage them to help pack some of their belongings, label or decorate their boxes and decide what they would like in their new bedroom. Giving them small jobs can make them feel part of the process rather than simply watching their home disappear into boxes.
If they will be changing schools, talk openly about what will happen and, where possible, familiarise them with their new journey to school and local area before their first day.
Moving with teenagers
For teenagers, moving home can mean leaving behind close friendships, school, clubs and a familiar social life.
Give them plenty of notice and involve them in decisions where you can. They may appreciate having more input into their new bedroom, understanding the local area and knowing how they will be able to stay in touch with friends.
Get the kids involved with packing
Getting the kids stuck into the moving process can help put their minds at rest. They do not need to pack an entire room themselves. Something as simple as packing a few belongings, choosing which toys they want to keep with them or decorating their moving boxes can help them understand what is happening.
It is also worth keeping favourite belongings separate from the main packing. Clearly label boxes going into children’s bedrooms so that you can find important items quickly when you arrive.
For younger children in particular, seeing familiar belongings reappear in their new bedroom can make the new house feel like home much sooner.
Pack a moving-day essentials bag
Not everything should disappear into the back of the removal vehicle. Pack a separate bag or box for each child containing the things they are likely to need during the journey, on moving day and during their first night in the new house.
This could include:
- drinks and snacks
- a change of clothes
- pyjamas
- toiletries
- favourite toys or comforters
- books, games or a tablet
- chargers
- school or nursery essentials
- any medication they need
Keep this with you rather than packing it with the rest of your belongings.
Keep children safe on moving day
Security is essential on moving day, particularly with younger children. There will be people moving furniture, doors may need to remain open and there will be regular movement between your home and the removal vehicle. Giving children their own safe space away from the main loading route can make things easier for everyone.
For very young children, arranging for a family member, friend or childcare provider to look after them for part of the day can give you more breathing room while everything is being loaded.
Older children can be involved, but make sure they understand where they can and cannot go while heavy furniture and boxes are being moved.
Take a positive outlook towards saying goodbye
Leaving a familiar home can be difficult, particularly if your children have spent most of their lives there.
By involving them in the house move and making sure they feel secure as you leave the old house behind, there are a few simple ways to make saying goodbye easier.
A memories album can be a great place to start, giving them a collection of photographs and adventures from the old house. You could also create a small memory box, take photographs of their bedroom or revisit some of their favourite places before you leave.
Rather than avoiding the subject, give them the opportunity to say goodbye properly.
Include time for friends
If you’re on the verge of moving, your children may be sad about having to leave local friends behind.
One way you can help them adjust is by taking some of the pressure off their shoulders and remembering that moving does not necessarily mean losing those friendships.
Plan a visit from one or two close friends after the move, arrange video calls or make plans for them to meet again. Knowing that there is already something in the diary can make leaving feel less final.
Once you arrive at your new house, you can also start exploring opportunities to meet children locally through school, clubs, sports and activities.
Let the kids embrace their inner designers
A simple way to help younger children adjust to a new bedroom is by letting them put their own mark on it.
Give them some input into colour schemes, decorations, furniture or where their favourite belongings will go. Even relatively small decisions can help the room feel like their space.
You do not necessarily need to completely redecorate. Choosing new bedding, putting up familiar photographs or deciding where toys should live can all help.
Set up their bedroom as soon as you can
You may be surrounded by boxes when you first arrive, but getting your children’s bedrooms set up early can make the first night much easier.
Build their beds, unpack familiar bedding and make sure favourite toys, night lights and comfort items are easy to find.
There will be plenty of time to unpack less important boxes. Creating one familiar, comfortable room gives children somewhere they can settle while the rest of the house takes shape around them.
Try to maintain familiar routines
When you’re moving with kids, it’s important to stay as calm and in control of the situation as possible.
Children can pick up on the stress around them, so maintaining some of their normal routine can provide a little consistency during a very busy few days.
You may not be able to follow your usual schedule perfectly, but keeping familiar mealtimes, bedtime routines and activities where possible can help.
And if the day does not go completely to plan, do not worry. Moving house is a big change and it can take everyone a little time to settle back into their normal routine.
Explore your new neighbourhood together
Once you have moved, spend some time getting to know the area as a family.
Visit the local park, walk the route to school, find nearby shops or explore activities that your children might enjoy. Giving them places to look forward to visiting can help turn an unfamiliar area into somewhere they recognise.
It also shifts some of the conversation away from everything they have left behind and towards the things they can enjoy in their new home.
Is summer the best time to move house with kids?
For families with school-age children, moving during the summer holidays can have some advantages. There may be less disruption to schooling and more time to unpack and settle before a new term begins.
Summer clubs or time with family can also give parents some breathing room to get on top of planning and packing.
However, the best moving date will depend on your own circumstances. If you are moving during term time, planning ahead with your child’s school and keeping them informed about what is happening can make the transition easier.
Make moving house an adventure
Moving house is the start of something new, which is why it can help to make sure every member of the family has something to feel excited about.
Talk about what they are looking forward to, whether that is their new bedroom, a bigger garden, a new school, being closer to family or simply having somewhere new to explore.
A house move will always involve a lot of organisation, but giving children some ownership of the experience can help the new house begin to feel like home.
How can a removals company make moving with children easier?
One of the easiest ways to reduce the pressure of moving house with children is to make the practical side of the move as organised as possible.
At Ballards Removals, we help families plan their move from the initial pre-move survey through to packing, transportation and unloading at their new home.
Using an experienced removals team means you can spend less time worrying about how everything will get from one house to another and more time helping your family through the move.
Whether you are moving locally, elsewhere in the UK, to Europe or internationally, our team can help you plan the move and choose the level of support you need.
Find out more about our House Removals service.
Frequently asked questions about moving house with kids
Tell them about the move early enough to give them time to understand what is happening and ask questions. Involve them where appropriate, show them the new house or area and talk positively about what they can expect while also allowing them to talk about anything they are worried about.
It depends on their age. Older children may enjoy being involved, but for babies, toddlers and younger children, arranging childcare for at least part of moving day can make things calmer and keep them safely away from furniture and boxes being moved.
Keep an easily accessible bag containing food and drinks, clothes, toiletries, favourite toys, comfort items, entertainment and anything needed for bedtime. Keep medication and other essentials with you rather than loading them onto the removal vehicle.
Set up their bedroom early, unpack familiar belongings and try to maintain normal routines. Exploring the local area, keeping in contact with old friends and getting involved in new clubs or activities can also help the new area begin to feel familiar.
It can be. Moving involves changes to their home, routine, school, friendships and surroundings. Preparing them for the move, involving them in the process and maintaining as much familiarity as possible can make the transition easier.
There is no single best time to move with children, as it will depend on your family, school arrangements and moving dates. For families with school-age children, the summer holidays can be a convenient option because there is less disruption to school and more time to settle into the new home before the next term begins. However, summer is also a popular time for moving, so removal dates can book up quickly. If you are moving during term time, planning ahead with your child’s school and keeping familiar routines in place can help make the transition easier.
