Moving to a new apartment can be a difficult time for the whole family. There are lots of plans to be made and things you need to have ready before you can move. In all of the bustle, it can be easy to forget to talk to your child about the move.

Going to a new place to live is hard for a child. Especially if they have never had to move before. Getting used to a new apartment is difficult and can be overwhelming even for adults.

Making your child feel at home in a new place is the best way to make the move easier on them and on you. It can be very scary finding how things work in a new place and knowing how to introduce a child to their environment is a good way to make them feel more at home. Here are five ways to make kids feel more at home in a new apartment. 

1. Focus on What is New About the New Apartment

It is likely that your new apartment will have features and things near it that your old apartment did not. Make sure those cool new things are what you focus on. Focusing on what you are leaving behind is not a good way to make your child excited to go to a new place.

Making your new apartment seem like an amazing upgrade is the best way to get a child excited about a move. If they are waiting to see their great new room or visit all the new close restaurants then they will not be as focused on what they are leaving. Keeping the attention on the great things about your move will keep you and your children excited.

A move is hard because it requires leaving the things and places you are used to. If you make it seem like the new apartment is going to be just as good or better then your children will be more excited about the upcoming move. Keeping everything positive is the best way to keep your children excited.

2. Help Make it Seem Familiar To Your Kids

Sleeping in a new room can be difficult and frightening for a child. They do not know the new noises or the layout of the apartment as well. New sounds and places are weird and frightening.

Make sure you bring things that make the apartment feel safe and like home. If your child has a night light that is familiar to them then make sure that is something you have with you the first night at the new apartment. Bring the bedding and toys they are used to having so their room can immediately feel safe and known. 

A new place is scary enough without having any of the things that make them feel at home. Making sure to bring a few items for the first night to make their room feel familiar is a great way to make your child more comfortable in their new home. 

3. Let Your Kids Decorate The New Apartment

Tell your child before you move that they are going to get to decorate their new space. Let them start looking at new blankets and maybe paint swatches to decide how they want their room to look. If your child is excited to make the new room all theirs then they will be less focused on the room they are leaving.

Getting them to decorate the new room also gives them a project for when you first move in. While you are unpacking and figuring out where everything needs to go your child can be busy decorating their new room. It keeps them entertained and lets them form a relationship with their new home.

Putting up fairy lights or posters to make their new room feel like it is all theirs is one of the best ways to make your child feel comfortable. It adds something exciting to the move and also allows them to do what they need to feel at home. Decorating their own room is a great way to help a kid feel at home in a new place.

4. Explore the New Apartment with Your Kids

If you are moving to an apartment in a new city or a different part of town exploring the area is a great way to help your child feel at home. Knowing where they will be going to school and how to get to the park or to your work will help them make a map of their new home. It also makes the whole area easier to identify if they do get lost.

Exploring the apartment building itself will also help make them feel at home. Is there a dog park they can go to and see puppies? Is there a pool or a cool room with a lounge for them to relax on if they don’t feel like sitting in the apartment? 

Making sure your child knows the layout of your new apartment building will keep them from getting lost and also make the area feel more like home. It is hard to be nervous about a new place when you know where everything is and all the places you can go to have fun. Exploring the building and surrounding area with your child is a great way to help them relax and feel at home.

5. Talk to Your Kids About The New Apartment

Discussing the move with your child is a great way to help them prepare and understand what is happening. If you are moving for a specific reason make sure they know what that reason is and why it requires a move. If they feel included and informed they will accept the move more easily.

A child who feels consulted and included in the decision-making process is more likely to settle into their new home. They will understand why the move was necessary and be on board with the process because they understand. Keeping your child informed and involved in the move will make them feel like they are part of it and like their new home is an important step for the family.

Your child understands what a move is and making sure they understand the purpose behind it will help them. Tell them about the new building and area, make sure they know what to expect. A child who knows what is going on is going to settle much quicker than a child who feels moves for no reason.

Get Your Kids Settled In Your New Apartment

Moving to a new apartment is a big deal for the entire family. The process of moving can be stressful and expensive while the new apartment is strange and new. Making your child feel more comfortable in their new home is the best way to keep the move easy on them.

Prepare them for the move by talking to them about it beforehand. Make sure the new apartment immediately feels like home by bringing a few of their things for the first night. Also, make sure they get excited about the move by making them part of the process and showing them the cool new area.

Making your child feel as comfortable as they can be in their new home is the best way to keep the move smooth and stress-free for all parties. Keeping the move exciting and simple for them is the best way to help them feel like it is not a big deal. Those are just a few of the ways to make your kid feel more at home in a new apartment.