Moving to a new house is always a challenge. Add children to the mix and it can soon be a nightmare. However, there are plenty of ways to make it manageable, even fun if you go about things the right way.

Here are 8 top tips to help get you and your kids through the big move.

Quite simply, kids hate being told what to do. As soon as you tell your child that they must do something, they will drag their feet and not want to. However, if you position it to them as an exciting new adventure, rather than something they don’t have a choice in, they’re going to be far more willing to go along with it. Tell them all the exciting things the new house has that your current home doesn’t, that way they’ll be even more excited to get going.

1. Let them come to showings with you

I know, letting your kids come on a house viewing with you sounds like a whole new level of stress. However, by making them feel involved, they’ll then be just as excited as you are and will be able to see with their own eyes what is to come. A great tip for this is to give them a designated job such as ‘official house viewing photographer’ or letting them make a Pinterest board to design their new room. This isn’t to say that you should drag them along if they’re not interested, but if they are, it could be the perfect opportunity to get them on side.

2. Spend time in the local neighbourhood

Spending time in the surrounding area and letting your kids explore the parks, playgrounds, shops and restaurants, is another great way of getting them excited to move. If they find a cool new park that they love, they’re going to be much happier about moving to a new area that has something the current area doesn’t.

3. Make packing creative

Letting them paint and draw on the boxes is going to make packing feel much less of a chore for them as well as making the whole process much more enjoyable. Maybe turn it into a competition for the little ones to see who has done the best drawing, every kid loves to compete with their sibling.

4. Unpack toys and their favourite belongings first

It might be a challenge when you first step through the door of your new home to not crack right on with unpacking boxes and getting settled in, but the kids will want to be entertained from the get-go. Unpack their boxes first and make sure they’re entertained with something, that way you can get on with unpacking the rest of the house!

5. Assign them tasks

Assigning them tasks will make them feel much more involved in the move as well as making them feel just as important as the grown-ups. Whether it’s creating a playlist and being DJ for the moving day, making sure all their toys are in boxes or entertaining the family pet for the day, it will keep them occupied and even help you out in the process.

6. Let them camp out in their new bedroom

Allowing them to set up a fort and camp out in their new bedroom will be a great novelty for them. Every kid loves a blanket fort, so crack out the duvets and cushions and give them free rein of their room for the night.

7. Don’t let familiar routines slip

If sitting down for a meal together is a daily routine, don’t let it slip just because you’re busy unpacking. Kids not only need consistency, but they will also appreciate it and feel much more at home seeing that things are still the same within the family. Even if you’re having to use moving boxes as a table, it will be an exciting dinner time for them to say the least.

8. Keep snacks at hand all day

The last thing you want when you’re trying to empty one house and fill another is your kids moaning that they’re hungry and as a result, turning hangry. Keeping snacks at hand means you won’t have to rush out and find the nearest supermarket whilst you’re trying to focus on unpacking as quickly as possible.