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How a Dolls’ House Can Make Moving Less Stressful for Children

Melissa and Doug Dolls House

How can you make moving house easier? I have yet to meet anyone who has reported a smooth and stress free move, but you never know it might just be possible. We moved house last week and when I say last week I really mean week. We started packing up our old house on Saturday and finally completed our sale and relinquished the keys to our old house on Friday. What a palaver! Late on Wednesday afternoon when one of our wonderful team of removal men brought the thirty fifth box of books up the steps and into the new place, I couldn’t help thinking it would have been a lot easier if we were simply moving a wooden dolls’ house rather than a home filled with many years’ worth of (what seemed like at the time) treasured possessions.

Le Toy Van Appleby House Wouldn't it be wonderful to move into Appleby House?

 

Moving home must be awfully unsettling for children who need to feel that they have somewhere safe to call home. Children love the sanctuary that their family home provides and kids can be resistant to any change that threatens to disrupt the certainty that a happy home can provide. When the world outside can feel too big and more than a little intimidating, being able to come home to where they are safe and warm is very reassuring and gives children the confidence to deal with the world at large at their own speed.

Le Toy Van Doll Family

Parents faced with telling their children that they will be moving to a new house could use a dolls’ house to make breaking the news less difficult and more fun for children. Talking about how the toy house can move from one location to another without changing the people and the furniture inside could make a move less frightening. If you have remembered to save the boxes your dolls’ house furniture came in then the kids could even get involved in packing up! The whole process of moving home can be rehearsed and role played using your children’s toy house, furniture and wooden doll family. Turning this potentially stressful experience into an enjoyable game could certainly make moving day a little easier for the grownups, although the real thing may not be quite as straightforward as moving a fold and go dolls’ house.

Melissa and Doug Fold and Go Dolls' House If only we could fold and go!

 

The worst thing about moving out of our house was clearing out the loft. If only we had followed the example of our dolls’ house makers and left the attic space clear of clutter, although access via a removable roof will only ever be a pipe dream. On the other hand, I was very grateful for my better half’s preference for minimalist furnishings when the time came to fill the removal van. I would even go as far to say that we had less furniture than in the average dolls’ house furniture set! And while moving house is also a chance to declutter, persuading children that it’s time to send some old toys to the charity shop might prove something of a challenge.

Le Toy Van Deluxe Starter Furniture Set Now that is a LOT of furniture to load and unload!

 

More detailed advice on moving house with children can be found at Netdoctor.

 

 

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