How to Get Kids Settled into Your New Community

Make your new house a home

• Take a tour of the house. After your move is officially complete, take your entire family on a full tour of the house. This will make your children feel more comfortable in their new surroundings, and it is an essential first step to making your new house feel like home.
• Unpack your children's essentials first. While unpacking, remove some of your children's most prized items from packaging first. They will respond positively to seeing familiar objects in this foreign environment. This lets them know that some things aren't changing and gives them a constant to lean on.
  
• Let your children organize their own rooms. It is important that you allow your children to make their rooms comfortable for themselves. Give them a say in arranging the furniture in their rooms, especially their beds and toys/games. That being said, don't give your children the freedom to put everything wherever they want. There still must be rules in your home to maintain order.
• Create a new routine. After your move, you should try to get back into some sort of routine as soon as possible. Once everything is unpacked and organized, you can begin to establish a new routine for your family. Child respond well to routines -- especially regular meal times, bedtime hours and designated activity times.

Get outside

• Explore your new environment. Take a walk around the neighbourhood with your family. Get to know your streets and surroundings. Also, if you own a vehicle, take your entire family on a drive to explore the local attractions. Maybe you can take a family trip to the grocery store, or maybe you can visit a local park to give your children a chance to make new friends. Go out to eat at a local restaurant, take your children to the local library or recreation center. There are probably plenty of activities to do around town, so get involved as soon as you can.
• Meet the neighbours. Speaking of making new friends, you should introduce yourself and your family to your neighbours. Getting to know the people in your neighbourhood is important when it comes to safety and emergencies. Familiarity with neighbours will help your kids feel safe in their new home. Also, your neighbours might have children, too!
• Visit the school. Depending on what time of the year you move, you may be able to tour your children's new school before their first day. Familiarizing your children with their new learning environment before starting school could pay huge dividends. This way, it won't feel like too much of an unknown to them because they will have already seen the classrooms and hallways.