After three international moves in seven years, I’ve learned that while the process of packing up your life doesn’t necessarily get easier, it does feel more predictable. While there are always curveballs, having a plan—for yourself and for your kids—helps immensely. Here are some tips for keeping your kids occupied and involving them where you can during the moving process.
For our latest move, our four-year-old insisted on being home despite our attempts to send him to a friend’s house. He wound up being the most involved helper, and I think it’s exactly what he needed to process the move. It would have been far more stressful for him to come home to an empty house than to see everything get packed up. Making a plan that fits your kids is key, and these tips can help you get through the stressful time.
Embrace the Chaos: Use the Materials Around You
Moving day is full of potential toys. When you have movers, they are usually happy to share a small amount of packing supplies, and you can also buy a little extra of these things to make it fun. Let your kids go wild with bubble wrap, packing paper, and leftover boxes. After the movers departed, my boys loved jumping on bubble wrap and wrapping themselves in tape (I bought them masking tape to play with, since packing tape isn’t the best for little hands!). You’d be surprised what a little bubble wrap or tape can do!
Let Them Build a Fort
Empty boxes aren’t just for packing. They can be a blank canvas for your kids’ imagination—from box forts to spaceships. We gave our kids some boxes, tape, and scissors, and with a bit of help, they created a space of their own. Once the houses were built, they colored them and played inside for hours, giving us time to focus on getting organized.
Give Them All the Details
Small things that seem obvious to you as an adult might be unknown for them, and this can lead to unexpected meltdowns. We’ve found ourselves in tears over things I assumed they knew. My best advice is to be super clear, using a family calendar to count down the days until the movers come and the day you actually leave. Talk to them about what it actually means to move, and let them ask a bunch of questions – drawing simple pictures also helps them visualize the process. Make sure to cover the following:
- Who is involved (Movers? Family?)
- What will be happening (your things will get put into a lot of boxes)
- How long until they see their favorite things again
Plan Ahead with Simple Crafts
Don’t pack everything! Save aside some simple craft supplies so kids can stay creative even when most of your items are in a box. Things like toilet paper rolls, markers, and stickers are perfect for keeping little hands busy and creative when the house is in a chaotic state.
The Arrival Bag
Often, you arrive at your new home before your belongings do, especially with international moves. Before you leave, pack a small bag with games or toys to play with upon arrival. You can also include their favorite blanket or a special snack that will help the new, empty house feel a little more like home.
Involve Them in the Moving Day
If you don’t have childcare, or if you want to have them involved, have a plan for the moving day itself. Give kids small, relevant tasks to make them feel like they are part of the process. For our most recent move, our four-year-old loved being a part of it—he weighed himself, wielded the tape holder for a while, and even decided to write his own inventory list. Let’s just say he focused on “toys!”, but it was an easy way to get him involved. The movers were even kind enough to let him carry a couple of light boxes and he loved feeling like part of the team.
The Empty House Games
We have embraced the empty house the last few days of our moves—it’s like camping at home. When else can you climb in empty wardrobe shelves or play “keepy uppy” with a balloon unrestricted? Save aside some essentials if needed, like a balloon or the rest of those empty boxes, or use some simple kid game ideas to make these days special instead of overwhelming.
What’s your favorite tip? Let me know in the comments!
