Moving With Under-7s Is Its Own Event
Moving with young children is its own logistical exercise. The children sense the upheaval, the routine wobbles and your usual buffer of patience is already being used up packing boxes. Here is a realistic guide that works for most UK families.
Tell Them — In the Right Way, at the Right Time
How and when you tell your children matters more than the move itself.
- Under 3 — Tell them a week or two before. Keep it simple: "We are going to a new house." Do not overload with detail.
- 3 to 5 — Tell them 3 to 4 weeks before. Use the new postcode on Google Street View, walk past the house if local.
- 5 to 7 — Tell them 4 to 6 weeks before. Involve them in small decisions — paint colour, where toys go.
For children of any age: keep mentioning the positives of the new place (garden, bedroom, nearby park) without dismissing their worries about leaving the old one.
School and Nursery
If you are moving area:
- Apply for the new school as early as possible — places fill, especially mid-year
- Tell the current school once your move date is firm
- Ask for a school visit before the move if possible
- For nurseries, hand in notice per their contract (usually 4 weeks)
- Update your child benefit and Universal Credit addresses
If your move is mid-term, talk to the new school about a phased start.
Packing With Children Around
Realistic tactics:
- Pack while they are at nursery, school or asleep
- Let them pack their own "special box" of favourite things — they carry this themselves
- Keep 5 to 10 favourite toys and books out until the last 2 days
- Pack their clothes last; they will need familiar pyjamas
- Do not dismantle the cot or main bed until the morning of the move
For the room-by-room packing order, see our packing room by room guide.
Babies and Toddlers: A Few Specifics
- Keep the same brand of nappies and wipes for the first month — change one thing at a time
- Pack a clearly labelled "baby essentials" bag with formula, bottles, a few outfits, sleep sack, dummy
- Keep their car seat with you, not on the van
- For breastfeeding mums, plan quiet feeding spots at both ends — packing chaos is the worst time to try expressing
- Schedule the move around their nap if possible — exhausted toddlers struggle in unfamiliar places
Moving Day: Childcare Is the Single Best Decision
If you can, have someone else look after the children on moving day. Options:
- Grandparents or close family
- A trusted childminder
- A friend willing to do a long playdate
- Nursery for an extra day if mid-week
If childcare is not possible:
- Have one adult fully dedicated to the children — not also trying to project-manage
- Set up a "kids' zone" at the old house in one room, with snacks, tablet, drinks
- At the new house, set up the same zone first thing — even if it is just a duvet on the floor with toys
What to Pack in a Children's First-Night Box
Separate from your general first-night box:
- 2 days of clothes per child
- Pyjamas
- Favourite cuddly toys (the irreplaceable ones)
- Comfort blanket
- Nightlight
- Books for bedtime
- Toothbrushes
- Snacks and drink bottles
- Tablets and chargers if used
- Calpol or basic medicine cabinet
This box travels in your car, not on the van.
The First Few Nights
Children settle faster when their bedroom feels familiar. Prioritise:
- Setting up their bed with their usual bedding
- Same sleep routine — bath, story, lights out
- Same cuddly toys in the same position
- Nightlight on if they use one
- Door open or closed as they prefer
Expect 1 to 2 weeks of disrupted sleep. It usually settles.
Routines in the First Week
- Keep meal times the same
- Walk to the new park or playground in the first few days
- Drive past the new school a few times before the first day
- Do not introduce too much new at once — same shows, same snacks, same routines
Settling in Older Children (5 to 7)
A few things help with the bigger emotions:
- Let them choose where furniture goes in their room
- Help them write to old friends or set up video calls
- Find a local activity quickly — swimming, football, dance — for social re-anchoring
- Acknowledge the sad bits ("It is okay to miss your old room")
Quick Checklist
- Tell children at the age-appropriate time
- Apply for new school early
- Childcare on moving day if at all possible
- Children's first-night box in your car
- Bedroom set up first at the new house
- Keep routine stable for the first 2 weeks
- Expect some disrupted sleep — it passes
Need a Family-Friendly Move?
Use our calculator to budget for a move that includes a packing service — collapsing 3 weeks of evening packing into one day is often worth every penny when there are small people in the mix.