Moving means dealing with everything from choosing the best mover to handling the mountains of work that come with buying and selling a home. By the time you get to moving day, you might just be looking forward to getting everything done and relaxing at the end of a long journey.
If you have kids in tow, you might be overlooking a very important part of the moving process: keeping your children occupied on moving day. Take some of the advice below to make sure your kids are happy and out of your hair during this busy time.
How long is the move?
The length of the trip has a major impact on how to approach keeping your kids occupied. If your move is a quick car trip across the neighborhood or to the next town over, you won’t have to worry much about your kids getting bored or fussy while on the ride to your new home. If you’re making a long car trip or flying across the country, however, you need to account for time in transit. Think through your move to make sure you plan for all of the time between leaving your old home and getting settled in your new one.
While traveling
Time spent in a car, airport or plane can be taxing for children young and old. To keep them from feeling frustrated or upset, make sure you pack a mix of activities that will take up most if not all of the projected time for travel. For younger kids, you can mix creative activities like coloring books, travel-friendly puzzles and toys, as well as light reading with the many options offered by mobile devices. Many older children can choose their own entertainment, your most important job is making sure they understand how long the trip will take and have enough distractions for the journey.
You’ll also want to consider bringing snacks, blankets, pillows, stuffed animals and any other practical or sentimental comfort items needed for a long journey. You can get your children involved by asking them to help you pack those belongings, or, if they’re old enough, to do it themselves.
At the new house
Having a sense of responsibility and simply something to do can go a long way once your family arrives at your new home, especially after a long time spent sitting. As your movers bring your belongings inside, give your kids some duties to fulfill. Young kids might do something more ceremonial than helpful, like putting their toys away – or just playing with them – in their new room. Older kids can start setting up their rooms, put away their clothes and other tasks you think they can handle. Asking your kids to take on some relatively small responsibilities can keep them engaged during a very busy day.
Moving is easier when everyone is on the same page. Reach out to Luigys Movers in San Francisco today to make your move as efficient and organized as possible.
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