So will you be looking towards a move that includes kids in your near future? No worries! Moving is generally never that bad on younger kids, and it can often mean that they’re able to have some serious fun along the way. Not only are they getting a new place and a new room, but they’ll be getting a new neighborhood, new friends—possibly even an entire new school full of friends to meet.
More important, though, is that they’ll soon be hitting the road and embarking on a pretty fun and different adventure.
From road trips and car games to pit stops (and maybe even a few mini vacation spots), moving to a new place means that the future is full of exciting new things to do. Give our guide ahead a look for a procured selection of kid’s moving tips, activities, and things to watch out for along the way.
Keeping Things Safe
Moving with a kid can be difficult enough on its own, but what about moving when you have two or more small children in tow? Safety is often a concern for new parents or even for first time movers. Follow along with some of the tips ahead for some important factors to watch out for when moving with kids and how to remedy them.
- Avoid Sharp Edges
One of the simplest things to watch out for can be the most easily dangerous. Sharp edges of moving equipment, large furniture, and the like will most likely be all over the place during your move. Not only that, but they will be in unpredictable locations that your child won’t be used to, increasing their risk of accidentally bumping their head during the process or the worse. If all else fails, buffer sharp objects with some sort of protective padding.
- Keep Construction Zones Quarantined
Areas in your home that are being rapidly dismantled will often give rise to something of a ‘construction zone’ during the height of your move. From stray nails on the wall from dismantled paintings to sharp tacks lining the floors of rooms with recently removed carpet installations, there’s no telling what sorts of construction situations your move will give rise to. Most moves will generally involve their share of at least a few. It will be important that you keep these rooms properly barricaded and child free during the process—plan ahead to do so.
- Safely Seal your Boxes
Beyond the realm of things that can pose significant danger to children when left lying around, you’ll also want to take into consideration those items that have already been packed up as well. After all, what’s to stop a toddler from ripping into a box filled to the brim with an assortment of kitchen cutlery simply because you’ve folded the top of it shut?
Moving with kids comes with its own set of unique challenges, and this is certainly one of them. A roll of reliable duct tape can save you a surprising amount of headache, in addition to large Tupperware containers that can be locked or zip tied. Be sure to also keep a close eye out on any box cutters or similar tools you might be using to facilitate safely sealed moving along the way, as they can pose an equally precarious set of risks themselves.
- Move Power Tools, Appliances Separately
Objects such as electric drills, chainsaws, and even toasters can provide ample risk to an unsupervised younger child if you’re not careful. Because of this, it will prove to be very important for you to keep a close eye on these types of objects throughout your move and ensure that they’re being moved carefully. Definitely do not leave these types of items out in the open during the moving process, and be sure to seal them up securely when moving them as previously mentioned.
- Do Constant Clean Sweeps
The challenge of keeping everything on proper lockdown during a move is often hard enough on its own, and this is only amplified by the challenge of making sure that young kids aren’t wandering into rooms that have recently been dismantled and potentially walking onto a stray nail or getting scuffed on abrasive surfaces.
A good rule of thumb is to keep a closer eye on your kid than the moving zones themselves, but it never hurts to make clean sweeps around recently rearranged rooms and make sure that nothing potentially dangerous has been left out in the open—you can never be too safe.
Keeping Spirits Up
It will be important to keep in mind that at this point in your move, you have managed to make it through the worst of things. Everything from your new place to all of the arduous packing will have gotten underway, so at this point, you’ll want to focus on making fun a priority—both for yourself and your kids. Effective ways to keep spirits up along the way can include road games, making brief pit stops to see unlikely sights and landmarks, and more. Giving everyone in the car something positive to talk and joke about along the way tends to help foster an environment that makes things go a lot faster while you’re getting there.
- Road Games
Passing the time during a long road trip can be hard. One of the easiest ways to make it easier to bear can be to come up with one or two fun games to play while your kids are stuck in the car. It doesn’t always have to be a game on a smartphone or a handheld gaming console, either!
Some of the all-time greats when it comes to go to road games are games like “punch buggy”—have everyone choose a type or color of car and then you get points whenever you can point one out. Just remember, it’s usually only fun when you can get everyone in the car to participate!
- Packing your Favorites
Your kid’s favorite stuff is their favorite stuff for a reason. A great idea for making the trip easier and more fun can be to pack a small box or container with some of your most favorite items, toys, or devices to keep in the car with you during the trip. Trust us when we say you’ll be glad you did!
- Pulling Over for Breaks
You and your kids will likely both be sick and tired of moving by the time you’re on the road headed towards the new place. It’s important to avoid overworking yourself with the notion that you need to avoid wasting time. Try and remember along the way that you’re through the worst of it and that it’s time to relax! With that said, find a few cool or uncommon places to stop along the way. Doing so can make a whirlwind difference and can often make a stressful situation a pleasant, fun memory instead for your children.