Moving to a new home can be a stressful experience for us grown-ups, so it’s not difficult to imagine the impact that it can have on young children. However with plenty of forward planning and empathy for the big feelings that such a major event can bring about, preparing your children for a house move can make it a much more enjoyable process for all the family.

Tips on preparing children to move house

Before moving day:

• Tell them early and make sure they’re involved

If your child is old enough to understand what’s happening, tell them as soon as possible that you’re thinking of moving house, and explain what this will mean for them. Let them be part of the process where practically possible; take them along to estate agents, look at houses for sale online together, or attend family-friendly events such as showhome launches at new-build home developments, which will make house hunting a fun and memorable experience for your little ones.

• Don’t leave decluttering to the last minute

Sorting through your belongings and selling, donating, or disposing of anything you don’t want to take with you to your next home is a normal part of the moving process, but it can be upsetting for younger children. Start decluttering their toys and clothes early, doing a small amount at time rather than a big ‘clear out’, and make sure to involve the child so that they have a say and can understand what is happening to their belongings.

• Take them to see their new home

Before moving day, aim to take your children inside their new home at least once, so they can explore it and view their new bedroom. You can also make multiple trips to the home to see it from the outside, normalising the journey there and familiarising little ones with their new neighbourhood. Even if you aren’t moving far from your current home, spend time in the area around your new property and show your children their local park or play areas, the cafés you’ll visit, and their new nursery or school if applicable; where it isn’t feasible for you to physically visit your new home, you can show your children the interior photos or videos from your estate agent or housebuilder, and use online maps to take a virtual tour of the area together.

• Use books and TV shows to help explain what’s happening

It can be difficult for younger children especially to understand what’s happening when moving home, so reading age-appropriate story books and watching TV shows or online videos about the topic with your child can be helpful in the lead up to completion day. Building on this, talk through what will happen on moving day with your children, including who will be involved (such as removal workers, or family and friends) and the order of events throughout the day so there are no surprises.

• Capture memories of your home to look back on

Before you start the process of packing to move house, take lots of photographs of your current home, particularly your children’s bedrooms and not forgetting the outside, and have them printed for an album or photobook so you can look back on them together after you’ve moved and reminisce about the happy times you shared there.

• Validate their feelings and understand they’re normal

In the preceding weeks to moving home, and even many weeks or months afterwards, children may display some tumultuous emotions and tricky behaviour as they process what is happening. While this can be difficult on you as a parent or caregiver it’s important to remember that this is to be expected, and to validate your children’s feelings as they arise and encourage them to discuss any thoughts or questions they have with you; don’t forget to let them know that you share many of their emotions about moving home too, so they know that how they feel is normal, and try to keep your own stress at bay so they don’t pick up on any negative emotions.

On moving day:

• Make a separate box with all of their special belongings

Making a moving day box with all the essentials you’ll need straight away in your new home – such as your kettle and mugs, toilet roll and a change of clothes – is a great idea, and you should make sure to pack a separate box for your child too, and keep it with you on the day. This should include all of their most comforting items, such as favourite books and toys, utensils, bedding, and pyjamas for their first night in their new home, so you can set their room up first. Don’t forget to pack plenty of snacks in their moving day box too, so that heightened emotions aren’t further exacerbated by hungry tummies.

• Keep your children with you

Moving day can be busy and stressful, and so you may initially want to have a trusted friend or relative take your children on the day so that they are unaware of what’s happening. However, this could be counterproductive; your children will leave one home, and come back to another, which can be understandably confusing and upsetting. Instead, consider asking your trusted adult to look after your children at your current home, keeping them occupied at a safe distance (and with trips to the park where needed) so they can still see what is happening and you can all travel to your new family home together.

• Stay in your normal routine

With so many changes happening over the course of your moving day, try to keep your children in their usual routine as much as possible in terms of naps, meals, and bedtimes. This will help to retain predictability and help your children (and you!) to stay regulated.

After moving into your new home:

• Keep familiar furniture and décor where possible

A house move is already a drastic change for young children, and so it’s important to retain reassuring familiarity in their surroundings in your next family home. So long as it’s practical, take their current bedroom furniture and soft furnishings like curtains to your next home rather than buying everything new, and allow them to fully settle in before you decorate your new home. When it’s finally time to create their dream children’s bedroom, let them have a say in choosing the décor, from looking through magazines and pictures for inspiration to shopping for paint, wallpaper, and furnishings.

• Introduce yourselves to neighbouring families

Getting to know your neighbours is one of the most exciting parts of moving to a new home, and for children it’s an opportunity to make new friends and playmates. Introduce yourself to your neighbours in person and invite those with children on a trip to the local park so that the kids can get to know one another at their own pace. If you’re moving to a new-build home development, you’re in a great position to make friends as you’ll be joining a community from its very beginning, and sharing this exciting experience with your new neighbours.

• Keep in touch with old friends and neighbours

If you’ve relocated as part of your new house move, arrange playdates or even set up video calls with your children’s friends who they may no longer see regularly, so they can stay in touch and keep hold of some of the things they loved about your old family home.

When it’s time for you to start looking for your next family home, visit the Bellway website to discover the reasons why buying new could be the right choice for you – from not having to worry about expensive and inconvenient renovations after you’ve moved in, to saving money on your monthly bills in an energy-efficient new-build home. Then, explore your nearest exciting Bellway developments and find out about our buying schemes and incentives that could help to make your dream new home even more affordable.

We have many more articles to help you navigate the home-buying process, including our ultimate house viewing checklist to help you ensure that your next property ticks all your boxes, and tips on speeding up your home move so that your family can be settling in sooner.