How to keep kids busy on moving day
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No matter if you are moving alone, with a partner, or with a friend, your move needs to be well-planned. But, moving with kids needs to be planned a little more than your “regular” move. Once you learn how to keep kids busy on moving day, everything else will be easy. Big Man’s Moving is here to give you some useful tips and ideas about keeping the kids entertained and calm during this process.
Get them involved
Kids love being involved. So, getting them to do something during the move will mean a lot to them and will keep them busy. They don’t need to have real tasks. If your kids are small, they will be happy to just draw on the boxes. You can also ask them to move some light items, such as clothes, pillows, or anything that is safe. If your kids are teenagers or older, they can probably offer actual help. This is a good activity for the whole family. Have your kids carry the boxes, or pack them. They can help clean up as well. The more hands on deck for this move, the quicker it will go.
Ask your kids to mark and decorate the moving boxes
As we mentioned before, this is a perfect way to keep a small child busy. You can ask them to mark boxes and decorate them in a unique way that will later help you set up the new place. They will feel responsible and will put effort into this. This is what customers that used packing services Clearwater FL has to offer often say they’ve done when moving. This is especially exciting for kids who are artistic and love to play with colors and shapes. Ask them to do any specific design, and they will do it.
Tell them to pack their “moving day kit”
It’s important to present the process of relocating as an adventure to your kids. Otherwise, this will be boring for them and they might get in a mood that will not be helpful. So, tell them a story about this exciting adventure you are all going on together, and tell them they need their special kit. Younger kids will probably grab their favorite toys, snacks, and a favorite t-shirt. Ones that are a bit older will maybe grab a scratch book, journal, or book. In any case, they will hold on to this as their “emergency” kit and will feel important because they have something that belongs to them only.
Make a “first-day” box with them
The first day and night in a new apartment or house might be uncomfortable for your kids. A new environment is always something to adjust to. Both kids and adults need some time to get used to a new bedroom and sleeping arrangement. So, to make this all a bit easier for the kids, make for them, or with them, a “first-day” box. Ask them what they would like to be in the box, get those things, and add a little surprise. Thinking about this will also keep them busy on a moving day. If they don’t feel like helping out, they can do research about what to put in the box.
Play and walk with them outside
If you notice that your kids are getting bored during the move, take a break and go with them outside. This will also help you refresh and get energy for the rest of the move. If you don’t want to go far from your house, you can go play in the backyard or on the balcony. You can use this time to talk to your kids and see how they feel about the move. Tell them about all the cool things they will see there and all the new friends they will make. This will make them excited and eager to speed up the moving process, therefore, they will not be in a bad mood.
If you are moving from a different city in Florida, you can use this time to explain to them how the new city could be similar or different, what they can expect, and ask what they are looking forward to. Best interstate movers Florida offers always advise their customers to make sure kids are familiar with the place they’re moving to. If this is a place you have been to before, ask them if they remember it and how fun it was.
Create a scavenger hunt to keep kids busy on a moving day
Kids love scavenger hunts! You can put certain items in different places, where they are not usually placed and have your kids look for them. You can add a little prize, such as a snack, once they find them. If you have more than one kid, this might cause some competitiveness and running around the house, so if that is something you don’t want, it’s better to pick a different activity. However, if your kids love playing together and don’t cause trouble, this could save the day!
Keep them busy outside the house
If you prefer that your kids are out of the house on a moving day, this is easy to plan. If you are not moving a far distance, your kids could stay with their friends or family where there are other kids or relatives. This is what many parents do in order to keep their kids out of the move in case of any inconvenience, damage, etc. If you are moving far, long distance movers Florida recommend that you have your kids with you, because with settling and adjusting, you might not be in the mood to go all the way back for your kids. That’s why this is a better option for those moving a close distance.
Keep them busy with schoolwork or errands
If your kids are in school, another way to keep them busy on a moving day is to ask them to cover school work they have missed or will be missing. Tell them it is important to catch up because the move might interrupt their flow a bit, so doing any homework, assignments, or reading would be good. This will keep them quiet and in one place, allowing you to be more efficient around the house.
Asking the kids to run errands is also something to consider. This can be related to their school supplies, too. Organize, pack, or sort their books and other items related to school. They can stay busy in their room for hours, while you take care of other areas.
Your kids could be watching movies or playing games
Some people prefer to have their kids in one place and not run around the house or help during the move. This is understandable. Even though involving them can be fun, it will probably take more time to prepare for the move. In this case, you could recommend your kids watch a movie or play video games. You could even tell them you heard about a really cool movie/video game that all the kids are talking about. If you buy it for them it will make them even more excited.
Another interesting idea you could add to this is having them watch a movie that shows the city or town you’re moving to. Many moving companies Tampa offers had customers who showed their kids movies that showed Tampa. They said this made kids very excited to go see this place in person and made them feel special that they will be living in a city from a movie.
Not sure how to keep kids busy on moving day? Try books
Books are always a good and educational option when trying to get your kids busy on a moving day. Have them pick out a few of their favorite books and they can read through them while drinking their favorite juice or hot chocolate. If you have kids who don’t yet read, some of the best moving companies Pinellas County has to offer recommend picture books or photo albums that they can look through and be entertained. Also, kids love seeing photos and videos of themselves, so if you have such a collection, don’t hesitate to let them look at it. They will be entertained more than you can imagine.
Create a contest for your kids
If you have more than one kid, having them participate in a contest is always the best idea. Kids are competitive and they will give it their all when it comes to winning. This can be as simple as a staring contest, but you can always get more creative with it. However, don’t forget to have a prize for the winner, but also one for the second, third, or any other place. You don’t want your moving day to turn into a crying one. A good idea to keep them even more excited is to tell them they will get their prize in the new house. This will keep them excited and guessing, which will make them less rowdy. They will also “bother” you less because they will be impatient to get to the new house and get their prize.
If you are not sure how to keep kids busy on moving day, you can hire some help
We already spoke about the possibility of having your kids outside the house during this period. If you can’t think of ideas on how to keep kids busy on moving day, you can always hire someone to help you. This could be a neighbor, relative or professional nanny. Someone who will keep your kids entertained outside (or inside) the house while you take care of moving preparations. A lot of parents opt for this option and they say that a lot of time and stress was saved by doing so.
Designate a space for the kids
Another fun idea is creating a safe space for your kids inside or around the house. Make sure to create this space before the moving day and notify your movers about it, if you are hiring them. Also, don’t forget to fill out this safe space with your kids’ favorite toys, snacks, some pillows or blankets, and everything else that will keep them entertained and safe. With a lot of young families with kids moving to Bradenton, a number of movers Bradenton FL has to offer say that this technique has saved a lot of families, as well as movers, plenty of time on their moving day.
How to keep kids busy on moving day? Hire movers
If you decide to hire professional movers, you will have a lot more time to keep your kids busy yourself. While movers take care of packing, loading, and moving your stuff, you can be out with your kids enjoying some fun activities. This is usually one of the best options since you will not be stressed out and worrying about your kids at the same time. Instead, you can relax and enjoy family time while a team of professionals handles your move. The best movers St Petersburg FL offers state that all of their customers with kids were so happy that they made this choice.
Now you have some ideas. Hopefully, you can find one, or combine a few and keep your kids entertained. If you are still not sure how to keep kids busy on moving day, you can look up some more ideas online. However, these have been proven to be the most effective and fun for the little ones. We wish you luck with organizing your move and keeping your kids busy!
Why Choose Us?
Big Man’s Moving was a great choice for our recent long distance move! They cared so much about making sure that we were comfortable with the entire process. While I never met Josh, he definitely strives to “do things the right way”. James drove our stuff across the country and we never worried about it once. He was super professional, called us to give updates on his location and brought a good sense of humor to the loading/unloading process. I wish Big Man’s Moving would move to our new city, just in case we ever need them again!