Moving House With Children

Explain the move early and honestly

Children often cope better with change than adults expect, provided they are given time to process it. As soon as a move is confirmed, explain in simple terms what is happening, roughly when, and what will stay the same, such as their school, their toys or a favourite routine.

If the new area is unfamiliar, visit together before the move if you can. Finding the local park, the nearest shop and the route to the new school in advance turns an abstract idea into something they can picture.

• Tell them as soon as the move is confirmed, not at the last minute
• Be honest about what will change and what will stay the same
• Visit the new area together if the distance allows
• Answer questions directly rather than brushing them off

Give them some control

Much of the anxiety children feel about moving comes from a lack of control over a process adults are managing around them. Small opportunities to make decisions help enormously.

• Let them choose and decorate a box of their own things
• Ask their opinion on paint colours or furniture layout for their new room
• Let them choose which items they carry personally rather than pack
• Involve them in planning their new room before moving day

Pack their room sensibly

Treat their bedroom as a special case rather than packing it the same way as the rest of the house. The aim is to minimise the time their familiar things are out of reach.

• Pack their room last, close to moving day itself
• Unpack their room first at the new house
• Keep a few favourite toys or comforters out of boxes entirely
• Label their boxes clearly so they go straight to the right room

Planning moving day itself

The loading and unloading hours are rarely interesting for children and can be genuinely stressful for younger ones around a lot of activity and strangers in the house.

• Arrange for younger children to spend the day with a grandparent or friend
• Give older children a real, specific job to do
• Pack a bag of their own with snacks, drinks and something to keep them occupied
• Plan something they enjoy for the evening once the move is done

Settling into a new school

A new school is often the part of the move children worry about most. If possible, arrange a visit before their first day, meet the teacher and find out about the uniform and routine in advance.

• Visit the school before the first day if you can
• Check uniform, PE kit and equipment needs in advance
• Encourage keeping in touch with old friends in the early weeks
• Ask the school about settling in support for new pupils

The first fortnight in the new home

Keeping ordinary routines steady while everything else changes gives children something predictable to hold on to. Bedtimes, mealtimes and familiar rituals matter more than having every box unpacked.