Moving with Kids

It can be a stressful time for all involved in a home swap especially children & pets.

That's why we have put together some useful information to help make a home swap fun and safe for children. The main thing is to keep them occupied if they will be there on the home swap day and making sure they are out of harm's way, you may well want them out from under your feet!

It is important to keep the moving experience a positive one, if children can sense any stress with regards the move they may also start to dread the move. It is all about making it fun and involving them as much as possible.

Tell them about the home swap

Don't be tempted to put off the news about the move, in fact the opposite tell them sooner rather than later. This way they have time to adapt to the idea, you could put a positive spin on the move and tell them about new friends, school, garden etc.

Before you home swap

Try not to get too stressed about the move and stay positive, children can pick up on bad feelings so if you are feeling anxious this could rub off onto the children.

Sit them down and answer any questions or worries they might have about the move, they may ask things like why are we moving? When are we moving? Will my toys/pets be coming?

If your children are older try to involve them as much as possible in the packaging, maybe they could be responsible for their own bedrooms, the packaging up of their old room and deciding what goes where in their new room. You could also plan with them their new room layout, for example where furniture will go and what colours to decorate etc.

Children will love to pack their own boxes of toys and personalise them with stickers or pens, as long as you make sure they realise they will see them again the other end and they are not being taken away.

Create a bag of your children's essentials which you can easily access on the day, maybe in the car or on the bus/train with you. This should contain things like nappies, change of clothes, favourite toys & books, comforters and pyjamas, and snacks if they will be with you on the day.

A fun idea if you are moving to a new area could be to arrange a day out prior to the move, so that your children are familiar with the area before the move day. You can point out fun places nearby such as playgrounds, cinemas, parks etc. A good idea if possible would be to access your new home prior to the move so you can show the children their new bedrooms.

One handy hint would be to make sure you put the children's toy boxes on the van last, they will then be to hand at the other end to entertain them whilst you concentrate on the rest of the unloading/unpacking.

If you are moving away from the area make sure children get the chance to say goodbye properly. You could arrange a leaving party with all their friends, make sure they have all of their friends addresses, telephone numbers, emails addresses so they can keep in touch. Some children may like to make a scrapbook of memories including photos of the house, their old bedroom, neighbourhood and friends.

The day of the home swap

If you can it would be best to have a friend or relative looking after the children on the day of the home swap, but this is not always possible. If they will be with you on the day then make sure you explain exactly what will be happening, especially to younger children. Wherever possible designate a specific job to your children (depending on ages of course) this will make them feel important and involved in the process.ie in charge of toys making sure nothing gets left behind and finding a new home for them at the new house. It may be difficult but try to keep to their usual routine as much as possible, for younger children have things like highchairs, changing equipment, favourite toys & books ready to use and to hand.

Give children a chance to explore their new house and get excited before you start unloading or the removal team arrive. Once their bedroom furniture is in place settle them in their room with a box of toys so you can get on with organising the rest of the house and they are happy playing, out from under your feet!

Your first night in your new home should be special for your child (and you), have a pizza or other treat for tea and spend time with them, answer any worries they may have. Concentrate on them rather than the unpacking. Make sure favourite books are handy so you can settle them for the night.

Don't be surprised if your child becomes more clingy after the home swap. Try to stick to the usual routine as much as possible especially around meals & bedtime. Unpack their boxes first making their bedroom the priority so they feel comfortable and happy as soon as possible.