Taking your child with you on a long-distance move can be challenging, especially if they are young or have particular needs that you can’t quickly meet while en route. But don’t worry—some strategies can help enhance your child’s safety and keep them busy during the move. Here are six tips for keeping your child active and safe during a long-distance move.
- Use Color Coded Boxes for Child’s Play Toys
If you have kids, it’s hard to pack away their toys; it feels like you’re losing one of your best friends. Well, there is hope! Use color-coded boxes to tell each toy or book which room it belongs in when you move into your new home. For example, pack everything from bedtime in yellow boxes to bathing supplies in blue boxes, etc.
Children can easily pick up where they left off with their favorite books or games by having color-coded packages. You can talk to a moving company about using special containers to stack multiple boxes on top of each other without taking up too much space. It will save time and money by allowing you to use fewer boxes overall.
- Keep Kids Busy With Road Games
The best way to keep your child busy during a long-distance move is to play road games. These are fun games that passengers can play in a moving vehicle, ensuring kids remain entertained while you also make a great time on your drive.
You may consider a road game like Jeopardy, where players try to answer questions from categories like U.S. History or Science! Or, how about a game of I Spy? This classic car ride favorite can help pass hours of travel time with ease. There are many other ways to keep children occupied in a car: puzzles, card games, music tapes (or CDs), books on tape, etc.!
- Stop Every few Hours for Stretching and Using Restroom
Don’t just keep your kid in their car seat or strapped into their booster seat for hours. Make sure your child gets out of their restraints to stretch every few hours. They might complain, but it’s much safer than not. And make sure the child uses bathroom facilities at least every hour or two. It will help avoid potty accidents during transit that could put you in a bind while driving.
You can also have your child walk around during the stopover to keep blood flowing through the legs. The stopover can also help children with motion sickness get acclimated to moving vehicles before getting in one for an extended period.
- Keep Entertainment Handy
Before taking a long trip, take stock of what forms of entertainment your family prefers and prepare accordingly. If everyone likes movies, bring along plenty of flash disks or download some video content onto tablets or smartphones; if everyone wants music, bring along some MP3 players. Quality entertainment for kids will help with fun diversions during long trips.
You might also consider educational audio or video content for younger children. Even if your child’s a seasoned traveler, it can still be tough on them to travel for extended hours without breaking the boredom.
- Keep Snacks on Hand
Kids can become bored between packing, traveling, and unpacking if there’s nothing to do. To combat boredom during a long-distance move, keep plenty of small snacks. These will fill your child up without you having to stop at every gas station on your way.
Snacking helps prevent fidgeting and keeps kids from getting antsy in their car seats or backpacks. Keep it healthy by filling bags with pretzels, granola bars, or fruit slices instead of chips or candy. Remember, hunger can affect your child’s mood and may cause bitterness. If they are not hungry, they’ll be less likely to act out.
- Dress Them Appropriately According to Weather
If you’re moving with kids, make sure you dress them appropriately. Dress them in warm layers to keep them safe from frostbite if it’s cold out. If it’s hot out, bundle them up to avoid heat exhaustion. It is easy to get distracted when packing up your home; keep children safe by watching their clothing.
Another key is choosing lightweight clothes so you don’t weigh them down. Dressing your child in the right gear will keep them comfortable and safe. Ensure they have enough layers to stay warm and avoid overheating during the long-distance move.
Conclusion
Keeping your children safe, comfortable, and entertained can be difficult when on a long-distance move. However, you can ensure that your family’s relocation is as smooth as possible with some effort and strategy. You’ll have to use friendly packaging for children so they can quickly locate any item they need. The process of moving will take a lot of time and energy, so it’s essential to keep everyone happy with snacks and entertainment while on the move. By following these tips, you can ensure that everyone in your family has an enjoyable experience during their next move.
