Moving with a toddler

[Fourleaf]

We are planning to move house in the summer. We have one DS (18 months). Does anyone have any experience of moving with a toddler? How did they react? Did their sleep, eating habits etc change? Any tips on making it easier on them/coping in general? TIA! :)

We moved to a new house when dd was about 8 months and ds was 2.5... and I have to say that they didn't really react

We took them visiting the new house before the move (as we had the walls repainted and the floors sanded before we moved in), and we obviously discussed the move.

My mother came to give us a help, but other than that we didn't do much and the children were unfazed.

Mind you, they were used at changing places, as we used to visit both our parents in Italy quite often, so they were used to sleep in different beds, etc etc.

We moved country with a 3 year old and a 15 month old. We rented for several months and then moved again. My DDs didn't react much either. 3 year old was excited about new place, but never had a yearning for old house. By the second move, DD2 was 2, and moved into her own room and transitioned from cot to toddler bed, and we didn't have a problem.

We did take them to view both houses prior to moving in. Which they found exciting. And DD1 loved the moving process both times. Especially the unpacking! Very exciting to see toys being unpacked...

So long the kids have normal access to mom and dad during the transition, you will probably not have too many problems.

We had moved 3 times by the time dd1 was 3. The move she found difficult was the last, the moves at 12 & 25 months she seemed much less aware. Things we did to try to make it easier on her were to leave packing up her room until as late as possible and it was the first room we unpacked and got sorted at the other end. I also had a small rucksack we packed together with her favourite things. A tip given to me by someone else was to take the bedclothes she's been using and remake the bed with them so her bed smells familiar rather than freshly washed. Lastly if your move is local to where you are leave her with someone/nursery for the day if you can. Hope it all goes smoothly.

Ds was 22.5 months when we moved here. He didn't really 'react' at all. We also chose the first night here to remove the sides from his cotbed - he slept fine!

Actually the day we moved he loved it - all those boxes! When the moving chaps had their tea break in the back of the van he climbed up in there with his beaker and demanded rich teas too

I moved when my DD was just 2 and she was fine. She loved packing her things, especially seeing her cot and and nursery furniture loaded on the van! When we got to the new place she was so excited she never seemed to miss the old one.
As the others suggested, we packed her stuff last and unpacked and sorted her room first the other end.

Thanks for the reassurance - sounds like I may be worrying too much. Sadly we will have much less space and a much smaller garden so think I am just feeling a bit guilty...
But I'm sure DS will adjust and be fine - thanks for the positive stories :)