Moving house is stressful at the best of times, but when you’re moving with kids it can be even more hectic. To help things go a little more smoothly, moving company AnyVan have put together their tips to help minimise stress on the family. They also have a really fun new range called BoxForts which add a bit of playfulness and creativity to the moving process!
Here are AnyVan’s six tips to help make moving easier for kids:
- Involve children in the move
Let children know they will be moving between a month and two months beforehand, so they have time to think about it, but not to get worried. Show them the local area and point out the new things like the shops, school, playground and parks so they can imagine the fun they will have there. Also visit the house with them before the move, and point out their new room. If you really want to let them have fun with it, consult a moving checklist and let them work to complete items on the list and check them off as they work.
- Give them some control
Let your kids help you choose things like colours of paint, furniture and other decorations. By including them, they will feel excited about the new house, rather than worried.
- If your kids are at school age, don’t move during term time
Starting school half way through a year means they will not only have to catch up with all the schoolwork that the class has undertook, but friendship groups will be more clearly defined. Moving during the summer makes the transition easier.
- Stick to the routine
Continuity is important, so do the things that you did beforehand, such as game nights and family meal times. Also, invite people they are close to, such as family and friends, to come and visit. This way they will feel like they have just changed house, rather than losing their home.
- Make the move fun
Make the move itself fun by playing games with the moving boxes – kids love boxes as they give them a safe place to escape into their imagination.
- Don’t show them you’re stressed
Your kids look to you for emotional cues. So if you are feeling stressed and showing it, this will lead to your children also becoming stressed and thinking that the move is a negative thing. On the other hand, if you’re positive, they’ll have a sense that everything will be okay.
To help children and parents cope with moving house – the cardboard box has been given a makeover by AnyVan.com. The removals company AnyVan.com developed BoxForts, an adaption of a moving box that turns into a cardboard castle, to make moving a smoother experience for children.
These are available in two options, which will be given as a gift with purchase, or as a separate purchase in the new year (available for customers in the UK only)
The first option is a single box which can be transformed into a fort complete with portcullis, towers and accessories through simply folding the cardboard or popping out pieces along pre-designed perforations
Or the second comprises an entire range of boxes which fit together like popular plastic building bricks to make giant forts.
They look like loads of fun! I know my kids would enjoy these, as they even have fun with a plain cardboard box but these are on another level of coolness!
Angus Elphinstone, founder and CEO of AnyVan said: “Our customers flagged that moving with children amplified the stress of moving house. At AnyVan we want to innovate and find ways to help the process and make it memorable and mementos. By taking the simple brown cardboard boxes every one associates with moving house and transforming them into a Fort, we aimed to inject fun into proceedings, providing a way to keep kids entertained and allow parents to focus on the task at hand. Being a parent now myself has definitely spurred on this idea; my little one loves his BoxFort!”
For more information on go to www.anyvan.com/boxforts
Anna Marikar, mum of four and seasoned blogger, has spent over a decade sharing her parenting journey and passion for kid-friendly crafts and free printables.
Her easy-to-follow craft ideas and practical parenting advice have transformed In The Playroom into a cherished resource for parents.
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