Advice on moving with children

 - Sooner rather than later. Experts say that the earlier you tell your children they are moving the better but it is easy to assume that the later you tell them the less time they will have to worry. Children need time to get used to the idea of moving house so don't put off telling them. We all know that every child has a natural explorer inside so why not make the whole experience into a huge adventure. Be positive about the move (dread the move and so will they) and welcome any questions they may have. Some questions may be an ideal opportunity to involve the children in the move, you could hand out checklist of tasks that need completing etc. see our Kids stuff page for some more fun ideas.

 - The best thing to do is have relatives or friends to look after your children for most of the day. When moving with young children explain to them exactly what is happening and what to expect on moving day. Let children pack some of their own boxes especially ones with soft toys in and try to make it fun. There are some really good books out there to help children understand the new situation of moving house, some in an amusing and friendly way. See our links on the right hand side.

 - Involved If no-one is able to look after your children, involve them as much as possible in the packing and sorting through things, make them responsible for their own rooms, allowing them to pack and when unloading deciding where to put things in their room. Try to make sure though that they don't unpack any boxes until the majority of their furniture is in place. They wouldn't want a removal man standing on their favourite toy as he struggles across a floor scattered with toys with a wardrobe.

 - Long distance moving You will normally set off to your new home after your removal team. At some point you should overtake them, make it a game to look out for your removal lorry and don't forget to wave as you drive by. If you are traveling a long distance try and keep your children occupied. Long journeys can be very tedious for children but a suggestion to keep them occupied would be to give them a pen and paper so they can draw their new bedroom. If you are really organised you may have already printed a plan out so all they need to do is add their furniture. Not only will this get them excited about their new home but also help the removal men put items in the right place. An excellent website for ideas and games to keep your children happy and quiet on long journeys is www.car-travel-games.co.uk

Most importantly lets make Moving Day FUN