Are We There Yet? Ways to Keep Your Kids Entertained While Moving

Moving involves a lot of planning and hard work. And when you have children, you have another task on your plate: entertaining your kids during the entire process. At times, moving with kids may seem impossible, but you can reduce stress by taking the move one step at a time.

Use these strategies to keep your kids entertained through the moving process.

Packing

You may have trouble finding time to pack your belongings while taking care of your kids. Young children want to touch everything they can see and unpack everything you’ve already loaded.

Try out these tips as you pack different areas of your home:

• In the kitchen:

  When loading your kitchen, give your kids some pots and pans if they are still young. Most children enjoy stacking and banging kitchenware together. If you need a quieter option, use plastic bowls and cups instead.

• In the kid’s room:

  Many times, children will want to play with all of the toys that you are trying to pack. When it comes time to pack their rooms, make packing a game. Stand a few feet away from a box and try to toss toys into the container.

• In your bedroom:

  Clean out your clothes first, so the wardrobe is empty. Allow your child to play in the open wardrobe with a few scarves or hats.

• In the bathroom:

  This area has tons of appliances that your little ones may try to grab. To keep them entertained while you pack, fill the tub with water and toys. This trick will allow you to keep an eye on them and still pack at the same time.

Try to take a break of just play time in between packing each room. Otherwise, your child may get irritable and refuse to play with toys as you pack. Include snacks during breaks, and play for at least half an hour.

If you decide to hire a moving company, you can focus solely on taking care of your little one. As the movers pack your things, go on a walk or say goodbye to neighbours.

Driving

Once your belongings are on their way to your new home, you can focus on keeping your kids entertained during the drive. If your new home is nearby, traveling will be quick and easy. However, long drives could pose a challenge for your kids.

Keep your kids happy during the drive with these activities:

• Playing games:

  Most children love games that challenge their creativity and imaginations. You can keep your child entertained for hours by coming up with simple games that require thinking and creativity, such as ‘I Spy’.

• Colouring:

  Another way to stimulate your children’s creativity is by allowing them to colour while on the road. Keep colouring utensils in a sealable tupperware container to avoid losing or spilling crayons all over the car.

• Watching movies:

  Although movies are less interactive than other choices, they can keep your child busy for at least an hour. Movies can also help kids fall asleep during nap time.

• Telling stories:

  Make up stories for your children. If they’re old enough, let them add a few elements to the story.

You can make the drive easier with snacks as well. Bring plenty of food to avoid siblings fighting over proportions. You should also stop for food and toilet breaks every so often to give your kids a chance to get up and stretch their legs.

Unpacking

When you get to your new home, you’ll probably want to start unpacking right away. Before you unload all of your children’s toys, let them play with the empty boxes. With a little imagination, a cardboard box can become a:

• Dollhouse
• Fort
• Lemonade Stand
• Maze
• Puppet Theatre

You may need to take turns unpacking with another person so at least one of you can help your kids with constructing each project.

If you start to feel overwhelmed during the moving process, consider hiring a moving company to pack, move, and unpack your belongings. As these professionals take care of the heavy labour, you can focus on making sure the moving process goes smoothly for your family.

As we all know, moving home is stressful, that is why you need to take care in choosing your removalist.

The right removalist will alleviate much of that stress from you.

A good removalist will know how to minimise risks, take care with your belongings and have the skill to transport them safely to your new property.

The company representative providing the quotation should be willing to visit your home and be able to give you a price promptly.