7 Awesome Ways You Can Involve Your Children in the Moving Process
Few things are as stressful for the whole family as moving. That’s true for every environment, but it seems to be extra stressful if you’re living in a bustling, busy environment of a huge city like LA. Furthermore, if the LA movers you hire don’t know the city like the back of their hand (and few companies do; Oz Moving is a shining example of one that does), your family will be going through a hard time.
Of course, there are ways you can mitigate the stress and actually make the move fun. Lots of people out there think that having kids around will make the move extra stressful, but it doesn’t have to be that way. That is, if you approach it the right way. After all, not only can the kids make the move go smoothly, but they can also help you and reduce the workload a bit.
7 Awesome Ways You Can Involve Your Children in the Moving Process
So, how can you involve the kids in the moving process properly? Well, that’s what we’re here to find out. In this article, you will learn about 7 different moving ideas that will get your young ones to join you while you pack, clean, and prepare everything for your life in a brand new home.
Letting the Kids Join: List of Ideas
Idea #1: Let Them Clean With You
Cleaning the home is an important part of moving. After all, just like you, the new owners who bought your property will want to move into a clean house. So, once you finish packing, you will need to do some sweeping, mopping, vacuuming, etc. And instead of having your kids run around the messy home and stress you out further, have them help you.
Interestingly, even the younger kids, like toddlers, will enjoy the idea of cleaning alongside you. Just give them a rag and a spray bottle and let them wipe floors. It’s not difficult to do, and they’ll enjoy spritzing water everywhere. And no, getting your kids to help you clean is not a bad thing or exploitation, as some people today would suggest. In fact, it might actually benefit your kids in the long run.
Idea #2: Camping Indoors
A slight digression: during the lockdowns and curfews, there were lots of people who spent their time inside with their families creatively. One of the best ideas that we’ve heard so far was pitching a tent indoors and having a ‘camping trip’ without actually going outside. It’s not a new idea, but it’s incredibly creative and it will bring you and your kids closer together than ever before.
Of course, there’s also a practical side to indoor camping during the move. After all, most of your things will be in boxes, so spending some time in a minimalist environment and having your kids involved is absolutely ingenious.
Idea #3: Decorating the Moving Boxes
Kids are incredibly creative and their minds keep evolving even during stressful events like moving. So, the best way to develop that creativity is to have them decorate your moving boxes. All you need is some arts & crafts material, like crayons, markers, glitter, wrapping paper, stamps, etc. In fact, you can let your kids decorate the boxes for their own things. It will keep them occupied while you’re busy doing other stuff around the home.
Idea #4: What to Keep, What to Give Away
People often sell or donate old things during the move. It reduces the load, plus it’s a better alternative to throwing stuff away. Now, when it comes to kids’ stuff, such as toys, clothes, and books, don’t just get rid of old things on your own. Instead, sit down with your kids and discuss what they want to keep and what they want to give away. You can donate clothes and books to any Goodwill across California. Furthermore, there are also some incredible places that will take old toys.
Idea #5: Unpacking — The Moving Game
Packing is one thing, unpacking another. However, even the most boring unpacking session can be made into an interesting event if you know how to approach it. For example, before you start packing, let your child know that you will be placing some special packages in specific boxes. If they manage to find the package in a box during unpacking, they get to keep it. You can even add other rules to the game and spice it up. That way the child will take some unpacking load off your back and, more importantly, they will have fun doing so.
Idea #6: Throw a Goodbye Party
Usually, adults throw Moving Parties or Goodbye Parties for themselves. Of course, nothing is stopping you from doing that with your kids. In fact, it might even be better to do it with them, for several reasons.
The first key reason behind a Goodbye Party is to take some of the edge off. After all, packing and sorting through things is incredibly difficult. The next reason is to give your kids a chance to say goodbye to their old home properly. They are moving to a new location, so it would be nice if the last day they spend in the old home is a memorable one. Finally, it’s a perfect opportunity to bond with your kids over old memories and discuss their future.
Idea #7: Go for an Adventure Walk
Once you’ve moved, you will need to learn about your new place of residence. The best way to do it is to turn it into an adventure walk. Take your kids out and learn about the neighborhood by walking around and sightseeing. That way you will learn about the nearby shops, parks, playgrounds, restaurants, and other areas where people (and kids) might gather. Moreover, it will help your child get used to the new town.
Involving Children in the Moving Process: Final Thoughts
Unfortunately, there are too many parents out there who simply ignore or berate their kids during the moving process. We all understand that it’s stressful and difficult. But unless we can keep our kids healthy and happy during this period, they might develop anxiety or outright trauma. Hopefully, these seven ideas will help you with your move without sacrificing your little ones’ safety and sanity.
