You think moving is hard for you? Imagine what it’s like for your kids! Most children, especially young children, won’t understand at all what is happening. And in the confusion and the chaos of the moving day, it’s easy to see how they might get frustrated and stressed. Frustrated and stressed kids usually get cranky. And neither you nor your state to state movers want to be dealing with cranky children on moving day. The solution is to keep your kids entertained throughout the moving day instead. That way you can distract them from everything that’s going on around them. This will help keep them calm. And when your kids are calm, you will be too.
Why is it important to keep your kids entertained throughout the moving day?
Moving with children is always a bit trickier than moving by yourself or with adult family members only. Even the most well-behaved children will probably find it hard to be still and quiet when you have long distance movers Dallas flitting in and out of the house as you prepare for the move. And if they start randomly roaming around, they can add to the already chaotic feel of the moving day. This can be potentially dangerous for them, you and your movers. Imagine someone carrying a big heavy box out of the house and your toddler running out in front of them! So it’s best for everyone’s safety (as well as mental health) to keep kids occupied with other things instead.
What can you do to keep your kids entertained throughout the moving day?
Kids find joy in all sorts of different things. You’ll know best what works for your children. But we’ve put together a few ideas and tips for inspiration!
Set up a playroom in the house
It’s important to keep your children out of the way of movers, equipment, and boxes while you’re loading the moving truck and finishing up with the preparations. So pick a room that you’ll pack and empty out first, even before your interstate movers Dallas arrive. Then set it up for your kids to play in. Leave them some toys, books, music, and snacks; if you have pets, keep them in that room as well. Ideally, an older sibling or an adult would stay with them. If that’s not possible, check on them regularly. This way your kids can have a bit of fun, avoid the stress of dealing with a move, and stay out of the way of the movers.
Have someone watch your kids while you get ready
Another way to make sure your kids are safe and taken care of while your household movers do their job is to have someone watch them. An older sibling, family member, friend, neighbor or professional childcarer can keep an eye on them in the house, take them out somewhere or have them in their own home. They’ll be out of the way and you can be calm in the knowledge that someone is taking care of them.
Prepare a moving day kit for your kids
Once you’re on the road, you’ll want to keep your kids entertained as you drive to your new home. Since you won’t have access to most of your belongings, you need to plan ahead for this. So prepare a bit of a kit for your kid’s enjoyment. Remember to pack some of their favorite drinks and snacks, any toys and objects they have a special attachment to, and whatever they need for some of their favorite activities. However, if your children are young, make sure to also pack some baby wipes and a change of clothes. Better safe than sorry!
Bring cards and other games with you
There are plenty of things that are light, don’t take up a lot of space and can be taken with you on a trip, but which will keep your kids entertained for hours. A deck of cards, for example, is something you can use for all sorts of games. Playdoh is another thing a lot of children love that is easy to play with on the road. Even some board games are suitable for playing in a car. Bring a couple of different options so your kids don’t get bored!
Rely on technology for help
These days, there’s little you can’t do on your phone or tablet. There are hundreds of apps you can download for your kids to have fun with. You can get all sorts of games on your handheld device, download movies or music, even draw without worrying about the mess. So equip your phone or tablet with these, charge your battery and bring a battery pack if you need to. Modern technology can be your best friend during the move when it comes to entertaining kids!
Books and music are great entertainment too
Of course, people have entertained their kids during relocation long before smartphones became a widely accessible thing. So you can always go old-school as well! Books and music have been the go-to fun for many of us for hundreds of years. So make a playlist, burn a CD or dig up an old cassette; save a few books from your shelves while packing or fill up your ebook reader. These are simple ways to entertain your kids that can last for hours!
Keep your kids entertained throughout the moving day in ways that are suitable to their needs
It’s important to remember that none of these methods will work for every child and every relocation. If you want to keep your kids entertained throughout the moving day, you’ll need to adjust these tips to what your kids want, like and need. If you have very young children, some snacks and stuffed toys may be enough. Teenagers, on the other hand, will probably figure out their own entertainment on their phones and tablets. So talk to your kids about what they enjoy and what they like doing. Then incorporate their likes into your plans for moving day.
