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Moving house is a big deal for adults and an even bigger one for children, who usually have the least say in it. Drawing on research and on what removalists see first hand on moving day, this guide covers how much to tell kids and when, how to give them a real role on the day, and how to help them settle into a new home, school and circle of friends.
Moving day looks very different depending on your height.
For adults it is a logistics problem: keys, trucks, timings, the fridge that will not fit through the door. For children it is something stranger. The house they know is being taken apart around them by people they have never met, and nobody has quite explained where their bed is going.
As removalists, we spend our working lives inside other families’ moving days. We see the toddler clinging to a favourite blanket while the lounge disappears into a truck, and the teenager who has not taken their headphones off since breakfast. We also see the families where the kids are laughing, carrying cushions and directing traffic. The difference is rarely luck. It usually comes down to a handful of things the parents did in the weeks before.
What the research says
Most children cope with a move perfectly well, but it is worth taking seriously. A large US study following more than 19,000 children found that each additional move was linked to small dips in reading, maths and social skills, and that these small effects can add up over multiple moves. The researchers pointed to short-term support from parents and schools straight after a move as a buffer.
Teenagers deserve particular attention. A 2024 study of more than 2,000 Dutch adolescents found that it was not moving itself so much as how unpleasant the move felt to the young person that predicted lasting emotional difficulties. That is encouraging, because how a move feels is something parents can influence.
How much to tell them, and when
A good rule of thumb is that the older the child, the earlier they should know.
- Toddlers and preschoolers do not need weeks of warning, which can simply stretch out the worry. A week or two is plenty. Keep it concrete: “We are moving to a new house, and your bed and toys are coming with us.”
- Primary school children do better with a few weeks’ notice and some real information. Show them photos of the new house, look at the new street on a map, and find the nearest park or pool together.
- Teenagers should hear about it as early as you can reasonably tell them. Their friendships are their world, and finding out late can feel like a decision made behind their back. Where you can, give them genuine choices, even small ones like which bedroom or what colour the walls will be.
Whatever their age, be honest about the hard parts. “You will miss your friends, and that is okay” lands far better than insisting everything will be wonderful. Children can tell when they are being sold something.
Give them a real job on the day
The children who struggle most on moving day are often the ones with nothing to do. They are underfoot, told to wait, and watching their belongings vanish into a truck.
Give them a proper role instead:
- The “open first” box. Let each child pack a box with the things they cannot sleep without: pyjamas, a favourite toy, a night light, their pillow. They decorate it, label it, and it travels with them in the car rather than in the truck.
- Inspector duties. A younger child can be in charge of checking every cupboard is empty before you leave. It is useful, and they take it very seriously.
- Room supervisor. At the new house, an older child can tell the crew where things go in their own room. Being asked for their opinion helps them feel ownership of a space that does not feel like theirs yet.
One safety note from the people carrying the heavy things. On moving day, doors are propped open, ramps are down and large furniture is moving through hallways. For babies, toddlers and pets, the safest option is often a grandparent’s house or a trusted friend for the busiest few hours, followed by a grand arrival once the beds are in.
Set up their room first
If you only take one tip from this article, make it this one. Before you unpack the kitchen, before you hunt for the kettle, get the children’s rooms set up.
A familiar bed, their own doona, their books on a shelf and their things on the walls turn an unfamiliar house into somewhere they recognise. It gives them a safe base while everything else is still in boxes, and it makes the first night far easier for everyone.
You can plan for this with your movers. Whether you are booking removalists brisbane or searching for removalists cairns ahead of a move up north, ask the crew to load the children’s rooms last, so those rooms come off the truck first. It is a small request, and a good crew will happily plan the load around it.
Try to keep the rest of the routine as normal as possible for the first week too. Same bedtime, same dinner rituals, same bedtime story. When everything else has changed, the familiar parts matter more.
After the boxes are gone
The move itself is over in a day. Settling in takes much longer, and this is the part families often underestimate.
School. Talk to the new school before the first day and ask whether your child can visit, meet their teacher, or be paired with a buddy for the first couple of weeks. If you can, avoid a first day that falls on a Friday, when a new face can feel stranded all weekend.
Friendships. Help your child keep in touch with old friends through video calls or letters, but also make an early effort locally. Sport, swimming lessons, scouts and the local library are some of the fastest ways for children to find their people.
Exploring together. Make the new area feel like theirs. Find the best playground, the good ice cream shop and the walk to school. Children settle faster in places they have a personal map of.
When to ask for help
It is normal for children to be unsettled for a few weeks. Tears at bedtime, clinginess, irritability or a dip at school are all common and usually fade as routines take hold.
If those signs are still there after a couple of months, or if your child seems withdrawn, anxious or unhappy most of the time, speak to your GP or the school’s wellbeing staff. Getting support early is far better than waiting it out.
The bottom line
Children do not need a perfect move. They need to understand what is happening, to have some part to play in it, and to find their own space ready for them at the other end. Get those three things right and most kids will be showing their new friends around the street before the last box is unpacked.
Kyle Campos is a director of R2G Transport & Storage, a fully insured and AFRA accredited removals and storage company operating from Cairns and Brisbane since 2014. His crews move families across Queensland and interstate every week, and see first hand how much the small decisions parents make before moving day shape how children cope with it. The team’s advice for parents focuses on planning, safety and helping every member of the family settle into their new home.
