Moving home can be a stressful and time-consuming experience, but when you add kids to the mix it can turn into a real challenge. Luckily children can be quite helpful when it comes to tackling some relocation tasks such as sorting and packing. Getting your kids involved in the process will not only keep them occupied, but it will also teach them to take responsibilities. Plus, they will feel more engaged in the idea of moving, which will make the transition less overwhelming. Here are a couple of tips on how to make the move a little smoother, and to get your children in on the fun of relocating to a new home.

Talk

From packing and having a man with a van crew in the house to moving to a completely different place, moves can be very stressful for children. That is why it is important to prepare your kids for the upcoming changes in advance. Calmly break the news and give your children time to process the information. Reassure them that the important things will stay with them and address their worries and fears.

Plan Together

Discussing the move with your kids and letting them take part in the planning is a great way to involve them in the process. First, they will get used to the idea that they will live in a new place. Second, they will not feel excluded. You can talk about what their role in the move is, when the man and van team arrives and other details.

Assign Age-Appropriate Tasks

Distribute the jobs according to age. Younger children will probably find it hard to pack, but they can sort their toys. On the other hand, older kids can handle more responsibilities such as assisting their younger siblings or labelling boxes. Give them more freedom and allow them to make decisions. This way, after completing a task they will feel a great sense of accomplishment and will be more enthusiastic about the house removals.

Be Specific

When you are assigning tasks, try to be specific and clear and give one instruction at a time. For example, “Pack all your belongings” may be an overwhelming statement for your kid, but “Put your toy cars in the container box” is easier to comprehend.

Let Your Kids Handle Their Belongings

Kids can be quite sensitive about their possessions. It’s best if you let them have the last word when it comes to packing their belongings. You can either do it together or leave the entire thing to them.  Your children have probably accumulated a lot of stuff during the years and fitting everything in the moving van may not be efficient. Consider encouraging your kids to sort their belongings and decide what they want to keep. The rest will be disposed of or donated.

Offer Incentives

Children can easily get complacent when faced with tedious tasks such as wrapping with bubble wrap, taping and packing. Implementing a reward system will give them extra motivation to help with the move. For each completed task, your children will get a special treat such as a trip to the movies to see their favourite film!

Make It Fun

Children tend to lose their interest pretty easily. The best way to get them to participate in the move is by making the process more entertaining. Incorporate games into the different chores such as who will pack first. If you are moving house with toddlers and pre-schoolers, you can try role-playing.

Moving house shouldn’t have to be a boring process for children. Encouraging your kids to take part in the house removals tasks will not only provide them with more responsibilities, but it will also make them feel more excited about their new home.