It’s not a great idea to have children around on moving day. There’s so much activity and so many people moving back and forward, it could be risky to have little ones running around. They can inadvertently get in the way and slow your moving team down, or even get hurt.
If it’s not possible to send them off to grandma’s house on moving day, you need to find a way to keep them entertained and safely out of the way. This is where preparation is your best friend – just like everything to do with moving house!
Here are five top tips for keeping kids occupied during your move, and most you can organise in advance:
1. Pack a special easy-access box just for the kids
Just like you would if you were going on holiday, you can pack an emergency children’s box ready for moving day. This will contain everything you need to entertain, distract and placate. For example, it’ll have books, toys, colouring books, wet wipes, snacks and drinks, a change of clothes and a phone or tablet pre-loaded with their favourite TV show. Make sure you clearly label this crucial box and make it as easy-access as possible.
2. Prepare a child-friendly ‘haven’ room
If you can keep the kids in just one room, you can minimise any risks and keep them safely out of the way. You’ll need to completely clear one room, packing it up and moving boxes into another part of the house. Keep only the easy-access kids box you packed earlier, full of things to keep them entertained.
3. Send them out into the garden
If the weather’s nice, a great way to keep kids occupied is to send them out into the garden for a play session or camp out. You can pop up a tent with a portable DVD player or tablet inside, which will keep them happy until the movers have finished their work. Then it’s simply a matter of packing up the tent and leaving.
4. Get the kids involved
If there’s a way to do it safely, you could enlist older children as helpers on moving day. Give them a specific task so that they stay focused. For example, checking the whole house for missed, left-behind items, clearing out their own rooms or small cleaning tasks. You never know, they could turn out to be really helpful! You could even make it more fun, such as creating a game with unused packing materials or decorating moving boxes with stickers.
5. Call for backup
The best option for stressed-out parents on moving day will always be to leave the kids with relatives. If this isn’t an option, one of you may be able to take some time out from supervising the move to take the kids to the park.
Gearing up to move house? Get in touch with the Kiwi Movers team on 020 8877 9682* to discuss your plans and for a quick, tailored quote.
