Moving is a big deal for kids. While you might be looking forward to a fresh start, your child might feel like their whole world is being turned upside down. Saying goodbye to friends, starting at a new school, and figuring out a new routine can be overwhelming.
The good news? With a little patience and the right approach, you can help them settle in, make new friends, and even find things to be excited about. If you're looking for ways to make the transition easier, ease their worries and, anxiety, and help them feel at home faster, these practical and fun tips will give you a great place to start.
Before the Move: How to Prepare Your Child
Moving doesn’t have to feel like a big, scary mystery—it can be an awesome new adventure! With a little excitement, a few fun ideas, and some special ways to say goodbye, you can help your child feel confident, prepared, and maybe even a little excited about what’s ahead!
1. Talk About the Move Early and Keep It Positive
Give your child plenty of time to process the change. Explain why you’re moving and highlight the exciting parts, like a bigger backyard, a cool new playground, or fun activities nearby. Let them express their emotions—whether they’re sad, nervous, or excited—and reassure them that it’s okay to feel all those things.
2. Read Books About Moving
Many children’s books tackle the challenges of moving, helping kids understand their emotions while showing them that they aren’t alone. Stories like Alexander, Who’s Not (Do You Hear Me? I Mean It!) Going to Move or The Berenstain Bears’ Moving Day can spark conversations about what to expect.
3. Visit or Research the New Place Together
If possible, take a trip to your new town before moving day. Visit their future school, explore parks, check out a local ice cream shop, and find fun spots that will make them excited. If a visit isn’t possible, explore together online—look up pictures, take virtual tours, and watch YouTube videos about your new city. The more familiar it feels, the less scary it will be.
4. Give Them Some Control Over the Move
Moving can feel overwhelming for kids, so giving them some control makes a big difference. Let them help pack their room, choose a new paint color, or pick decorations for their new space. Giving them ownership over parts of the move helps them feel included rather than just dragged along.
5. Help Them Say Goodbye in a Meaningful Way
Leaving friends behind is tough, so make goodbyes special. Plan a farewell playdate, create a memory book with photos and messages, or host a going-away party. Set up video call dates with close friends so they know they can stay in touch.
💡 Before the big move, give your child a way to hold onto their friendships forever! Have their family and friends fill out and sign a My Friends and I friendship book and surprise them with it on moving day. Let them know that all their friends are coming with them—right inside their book! Pair it with an address book filled with their friends’ emails, phone numbers, and addresses so they can send letters, chat on the phone, or even plan future visits. It’s like packing up their friendships and bringing them along for the ride!6. Keep Routines as Normal as Possible
With so much change happening, keeping familiar routines—mealtimes, bedtime stories, and favorite weekend activities—provides comfort and stability. Even on moving day, try to stick to normal routines as much as possible.
After the Move: Helping Your Child Adjust
New place, new routines, new everything—adjusting takes time! But with a little patience and some fun strategies, your child will be feeling at home, making friends, and finding their groove before you know it.
7. Make Their New Room Feel Like Home Right Away
Unpacking can take time, but setting up your child’s bedroom first gives them a cozy, familiar space where they can feel comfortable. Let them arrange their favorite things, put up decorations, and create a sense of home as soon as possible.
8. Get Involved in Activities to Help Them Make Friends
One of the best ways to help your child adjust is to sign them up for activities where they’ll meet other kids. Sports teams, dance classes, STEM clubs, and art workshops all provide opportunities for building friendships naturally.
9. Spend Time at Playgrounds, Libraries, and Community Centers
Parks and playgrounds are natural gathering spots for kids, and going at the same time each week increases their chances of seeing familiar faces. Libraries often host story times, book clubs, and events, while community centers offer kids’ programs and classes. These are great ways to introduce your child to local friends in a fun, relaxed setting.
10. Find Local Parent and Kid Groups
Many parents are also looking for friends for their kids! Check Facebook groups, Nextdoor, or Meetup for local parent-kid meetups. If nothing exists, start your own by posting, "Looking for playdate buddies for my 6-year-old in [Your City]!"
11. Encourage Small Social Steps at School
Making friends at school can be intimidating, so encourage your child to take small social steps. Sitting next to someone new at lunch, joining a group activity, or asking a classmate a simple question like, “What’s your favorite game?” can be easy ways to start conversations.
💡 Give your child a fun and easy way to break the ice and make new friends fast! Have them bring their My Friends and I friendship book to school and invite their new classmates to fill it out. With fun questions like “What’s your favorite game?”, “What’s your favorite food?”, and “What are your favorite activities?”, they’ll quickly learn all about their peers. Who knows? They might find out that someone loves the same video game, plays the same sport, or even lives right down the street! A simple book could be the start of some amazing new friendships.
Fun and Clever Ways to Make New Friends After Moving
Making friends is like having a secret superpower—it’s all about knowing a few clever tricks! With the right moves, your child can turn shyness into confidence, spark conversations out of nowhere, and make new friends feel like they’ve known them forever.
12. Turn Making Friends Into a Game
Challenge your child to find three classmates who like the same color as them or ask a new friend what their favorite snack is. Turning it into a fun "friendship mission" takes the pressure off and makes meeting new people more exciting.
13. Pack a Shareable Snack
A small extra snack—like fruit snacks, pretzels, or stickers—can be a simple way to break the ice. A friendly “Want to trade?” can lead to new friendships at lunch.
14. Host a Casual Playdate
If your child mentions a new friend, be proactive and suggest a low-pressure playdate. A quick trip to the park, an ice cream outing, or a short backyard hangout can help kids bond outside of school.
15. Try the “Cool Trick” Approach
If your child has a special skill—like solving a Rubik’s Cube, doing a magic trick, or drawing cartoon characters—encourage them to share it. Other kids love being amazed, and it can help your child stand out in a fun way.
16. Use Pets as an Icebreaker
Walking a dog in the neighborhood, visiting a dog park, or even bringing a stuffed animal to school can be great conversation starters. Pets naturally attract attention and make it easier to start a conversation.
17. Teach Them a Few Jokes
Kids love to laugh! Knowing a couple of silly jokes—like "Why did the scarecrow win an award? Because he was outstanding in his field!"—can help them break the ice and make others smile.
18. Encourage Them to Be a Helper
Kids who offer to help—whether it’s handing out classroom supplies, helping a classmate, or organizing books—often make friends faster. Teachers notice and may even pair them with friendly students to make the transition smoother.
19. Say Yes to Invitations
Encourage your child to accept invitations when classmates ask them to play. Even if they feel shy, saying “yes” leads to more opportunities to bond with potential friends.
20. The “Mysterious Note” Game
Write fun questions on slips of paper and put them in your child's backpack. When they meet new kids, they can use the questions as icebreakers. Examples: “If you could have any superpower, what would it be?” “Would you rather eat only pizza forever or only ice cream forever?” “What’s the best joke you know?” This helps shy kids start conversations without feeling awkward.
21. The Playground “Secret Mission”
Next time your child goes to a playground, give them a "mission" to complete—like finding another kid wearing blue shoes or asking someone to play tag. When kids are focused on a fun challenge, making friends feels like an adventure instead of a scary task.
22. Let Them Wear a Conversation Starter
Kids love to talk about things they recognize—so wearing a cool T-shirt with a popular character, band, or sports team can spark conversations. If your child loves Minecraft, Star Wars, or a local sports team, wearing related gear to school might help them connect with other fans.
23. Create a Friendship Scavenger Hunt
Help your child make a list of fun “friendship goals” for the first month, like: Find someone who has the same favorite color, learn three new classmates’ names, sit with a different person at lunch each week, invite someone new to play a game at recess. This keeps them focused on building relationships step by step, rather than feeling overwhelmed by the idea of making one perfect best friend right away.
25. The Volunteer Shortcut to Friendship
Many kids make their best friends while working toward a common goal, like volunteering. Look for family-friendly community service projects, beach cleanups, or food bank events where your child can meet like-minded kids while giving back. Volunteering also builds confidence and helps kids feel more connected to their new community.
25. The Playground Trick: Bring the “Cool” Toy
One of the best ways to get kids to join in at a park or playground is to bring a fun, shareable toy that others will want to play with. Frisbees, soccer balls, bubbles, sidewalk chalk, or even remote-controlled cars make it easier for kids to engage with new playmates without needing to start a conversation first.
Friendships take time, but with patience, encouragement, and a little creativity, your child will soon feel right at home. And who knows? This move might just lead to the best friendships yet!
Photo by cottonbro studio