Best ideas to keep kids busy during a move to Clapham, or even from Clapham to Switzerland.

Stress levels of moving house rank higher than getting divorced, having a baby, starting a new job or getting married. Plenty of studies out there back up these stress stats. The stress relates to financing the move, moving to an unknown environment and the upheaval of change in general. Believe it or not, these factors play more of a role in the stress of moving than actually packing up a house – that is, if you are not using the efficient packing service offered by Dumond.

If you have decided to pack up your house yourself, remember to tackle this part of your move with confidence, as it is merely physical work rather than a stressful experience. It would be best if you also kept your young children busy, happy and safe in amongst the chaos of packing without feeling you have a challenge on your hands. It needs planning, and we at Dumond would like to assist you with some simple guidelines. Talking of planning for a minute, we can prepare a free survey and moving plan unique to your needs, together with a competitive quote.

Moving on (excuse the pun), if your children are under the age of about 7, it would be ideal if you could arrange for them to spend a few days with a family member – grandparent, aunt or uncle, or perhaps a close friend with whom they are very familiar. Your young child will then be able to spend quality time with a particular family member or friend. If this is not possible, it would be worth considering hiring a babysitter to relieve you while you pack, clean and deal with last-minute unforeseen chores.

Children love to be involved, so get them to sort and pack their own 'moving day toys and activities' box: books, jigsaws, colouring crayons and books, a small selection of lego, skipping rope, a favourite doll or dinky cars, board games, etc. You are allowed to cheat and give your kids an overdose of screen time on moving day if this is possible/appropriate!!

They can also pack a small overnight bag for the first night in their new home: pyjamas, wash bag, favourite toy, blanket or pillow. A change of clothes for the following day is always helpful.

Identify a moving day room where children can play and rest when they are not helping. Encourage outdoor play if weather and safety permit. If possible, keep a small tricycle or push-car in the garden till the last minute so children can have a bit of energetic play. Supply your children with their favourite snacks and drinks to help themselves on moving day.

Allow your children to play with some spare packing material, creating their own box house or racing car.

Show your children how to seal and label boxes appropriately with their own big fat coki pen and roll of tape & scissors. Make sure boxes are numbered, contents broadly identified, and the room they came from colour coded to assist the removal staff. Ask them to keep a written list of all the boxes, so you have an inventory when the moving van arrives at the new house. Our company can supply material for packing without you needing to use damaged or unsuitable boxes from the supermarket!!

Older children are quite capable of packing up their own rooms. Ask them to sort as they go and not pack items they no longer wear, use, play with etc. These items can then be donated to a needy charity or sold.

If your children are old enough, ask them to be responsible for looking after the family pet. To make sure they have a bowl of water available, take them out into the garden for a leg stretch and loo break and be in charge of packing their food, sleeping basket, etc.

When you arrive at your new home, let your children explore the whole house and garden area before asking them to do anything. This is an exciting time for them, and it is important they feel they can search every nook and cranny of their new home. Allow them to revel in this adventure. It will also give the moving company time to offload and bring heavy furniture items into the house with the children safely busy elsewhere.

Allow your children to unpack one of their own specially selected boxes into their room before you rush to sort out the kitchen boxes. Take time and interest in their rooms first, so your child feels 'at home' pretty soon after arrival. Once they have a few of their things in place, they may be willing to help you with the rest of the house.

You will be amazed at your children's resilience and cooperation if you consider their needs in planning your move to your new home. Good luck.

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