Getting Kids Excited for a Move

Published: October 16, 2015

Most children have a hard time accepting change, and whether it’s to a new state or just around the blog, moving to a new home can be very hard on kids. Ease your child’s transition into your new home with these tips:

Document the Journey
Start by taking pictures of your old home so that kids have a tangible memory they can relish. Assign them the job of paparazzi and let them go around the house and take pictures of their favorite things about their old home. Have them repeat this process with the new home, and be sure to document the moving process as well. Kids tend to be much more excited about the move when they feel like they’re an active part of it.

Have Family Night with Your Old Home
Before you start packing and moving, take a night to say goodbye to your old home. Let your kids pick out a movie and order food from their favorite restaurant or make their favorite meal. Have a family night in the living room so they can associate positive memories with the moving process.

Start a Countdown
Work with your kids to design a countdown calendar for the move. Assign different tasks for different days leading up to the move so that your children ease into the move and have enough time to process the transition. Plus, they’ll love being able to interact with the countdown calendar!

Make a Packing Playlist
Work with your kids to develop a packing playlist. Have them pick out their favorite songs and play those songs while you’re helping them pack up their room. If they start getting emotional, use the music as an excuse to have a dance party and help them work out their emotions. If they associate moving with fun, they’ll be more excited about the whole process.

Turn Packing and Purging into a Game
Kids accumulate a lot of stuff, but often have a hard time giving it up (even if they haven’t played with that doll or toy in months). Grab big cardboard boxes marked “donate” and “keep,” and have a competition between your kids on who can donate the most of their old toys. If you only have 1 child, give them an incentive, like a new toy for every donation box they fill up. Alternatively, inform your child that you’re having a garage sale and whatever money they make from the toys they sell can be used on a shopping spree at a toy store.

What are your tips for making moving more fun for kids?