A guide to moving house with kids in South Africa

Moving house is stressful enough. Add young kids into the mix, and it becomes an overwhelming prospect. Young children are extra-sensitive to disruption and disorientation, and parents are extra-sensitive to the chaos kids inevitably sprinkle over the relocation process.

If you’re relocating with your family in South Africa, it’s time to think ahead and make your move as child-friendly as possible. We’ve put together a practical guide with tips for moving with kids to help ensure a smooth transition for your family.

• Best time to move with kids in South Africa
• Tips for a stress-free move with kids in South Africa
• How to handle moving day with kids in South Africa
• Settling into your new home with kids in South Africa
• Remove stress from your move with kids
• FAQs about moving with kids in South Africa

Best time to move with kids in South Africa

The best time to move with kids in South Africa is during their school’s summer holidays in December, especially if the move is between cities and they’re also changing schools. This minimises disruption to their schooling and gives them a chance to settle into a new environment during the sunny festive season.

If a December move isn’t possible, plan your move during other school holidays in South Africa, such as the mid-year winter holidays in July or the spring break in October. These are also great times to move, especially if you want to avoid the festive rush without the added stress of mid-term chaos. Your kids will also have some time to adjust before heading back to class.

Upcoming 2025 dates to consider when planning a move with kids

Tips for a stress-free move with kids in South Africa

Make it a family road trip

If your move is long-distance, such as from Johannesburg to Cape Town or Durban, it can be fun and cost-efficient to make it a leisurely family road trip. Driving will save you the cost of delivering your car(s) and whatever you can pack into them.

Driving can save on car delivery costs and give your family time to adjust to the change together. Plan stops along the way to make the journey fun.

Keep in mind that your removal company may deliver your belongings before you arrive, so arrange for family or friends to receive them and help supervise the offloading on the other side.

Plan your school move and enrollment early

Moving to a new city in South Africa means moving your kids to a new school. This means you'll need an action plan to take care of the admin, from submitting all the details for their school enrollment to timing your move perfectly.

If you’re sending your kids to a government school, you’ll need to provide your home address (or at least settle on a suburb). This is because the best state schools will often only enrol learners who live inside their local ‘catchment area’. That said, some schools may enrol a ‘migrant’ learner if the family plans to live in their catchment area but haven’t yet bought or rented a house.

Deadlines for school applications vary between provinces, but they can be as early as April for the following school year. Here are the application portals of the three biggest provincial education departments for more information on the application requirements.

• Western Cape Education Dept
• Gauteng Education Department
• KwaZulu-Natal Education Dept

Choose a family-friendly suburb

For families with kids, the suburb you decide to live in should offer more than just a good school. Safe and interesting spaces to socialise, exercise and be in nature are also important.

Here are some of the most family-friendly suburbs in Cape Town, Durban, Johannesburg or Pretoria:

• Cape Town: Green Point, Newlands, Rondebosch, Muizenberg, Kalk Bay, Hout Bay, Observatory, Pinelands, Tokai

• Durban: Umhlanga, Westville, Hillcrest, Durban North, Pinetown, Amanzimtoti, Kloof

• Joburg: Linden, Parkhurst, Bedfordview, Northcliff, Melrose, Craighall Park, Fourways, Bryanston, Norwood, Melville.

• Pretoria: Moreleta Park, Waterkloof, Garsfontein, Menlo Park, Faerie Glen

Keep your kids informed

Your kids may hate the idea of moving. They may be very excited about it. They may also have both feelings simultaneously.

Talking openly and positively in the months and weeks leading up to moving day can help convert their anxieties into excitement for the move. Encourage ways of thinking about the move in a different light by starting a narrative about all the adventures and exciting new aspects that come with a new home.

Some possible ways to do this:

• Tell your kids that the family pet will love the bigger garden at the new place, for example.

• Suggest that they could recreate their current bedroom layout and decor in their new bedroom.

• Challenge them to draw an illustrated map of the move, showing all the things they’ll miss about the old place, and all the things they’re looking forward to at the new place.

Involve your kids in the moving timeline

Your kids didn’t decide to move house, so it’s not surprising that they may resent the decision at times. You can give them a sense of agency by giving them fun, move-related projects. If kids feel involved, they are more likely to feel good.

• It’s never too early to start packing a special 'Magic Moving Box', containing all their most precious toys and beloved objects—from teddies to spare toothbrushes to toy telescopes. This box can be ‘edited’ until moving day, when it should be packed last. 

• You can also let your child design a floor plan of their future bedroom, rearranging their furniture however they want to. Within reason, of course.

• Depending on their ages and their willingness to part with beloved junk, you could also give them decluttering tasks as move day looms. For example, which old picture books can they donate to a library or charity shop?

• For the practical-minded kid who enjoys getting stuck in, a simple cleaning job, such as scrubbing crayon marks off walls using sugar soap or dishwashing liquid.

Stick to normal routines for as long as possible

In the weeks leading up to your move day, it’s worth leaning into your family routines, even when the admin workload starts to mount. Every cosy continuity will keep them calm.

• Stick to your usual dinner and bathtime rituals.
• It may be worth dropping in a few comforting treats and interesting outings to boost overall morale in the family’s youth wing.
• If the packing process needs to start well ahead of the move, then keep the stack of boxes (packed and unpacked) in a dedicated corner of the home, leaving everything else unchanged. 

How to handle moving day with kids in South Africa

Plan childcare or support in advance

Make sure you organise childcare arrangements well in advance to avoid unnecessary stress in the days leading up to your move. Whether it’s booking them into a nearby childcare facility, arranging a playdate with friends, or calling on grandparents, uncles or aunts to help, having a clear plan will ensure your kids are well cared for while you manage the move. It also means you can focus on the practicalities of moving day without having to attend to the kids.

Moving day checklist

• Confirm childcare or playdate arrangements the day before.
• Pack a Magic Moving Box with their favourite toys and comfort items.
• Keep snacks, water bottles, and extra clothes easily accessible.
• Have a charged tablet or activities ready for entertainment if needed.
• Plan for easy meals (like ordering pizza) for the evening.
• Ensure your child’s overnight bag is packed with essentials.
• Communicate pickup times clearly with caregivers.
• Maintain a positive attitude when dropping your kids off so they feel secure about it.

Keep them entertained during the moving process

If childcare is impossible, then you’ll need to give them an absorbing project or two to ensure they don’t feel ignored or bored during the loading and unloading process.

• Older kids could make a video or photo documentary about the moving day.
• Younger ones could operationalise a parallel move by the family’s stuffed-toy population, who could pile into a pram or pushcart.

Don’t lose your cool if they lose theirs

The last thing you want to deal with during the move is a meltdown. A meltdown will happen at some point, so when it does, be ready to drop everything. Be the grown-up, breathe deeply, and talk them down from a tantrum.

Remember that they’re trying their best, even though in this moment their best feels like their worst.

If you do find yourself snapping at them, patch it up quickly with a hug and an explanation that everyone is feeling a bit overwhelmed, including you.

Settling into your new home with kids in South Africa

Set up familiar spaces for your kids

As excited as they may be, kids will appreciate some familiar cues as soon as they’ve landed in your new home. Here are some ideas to make them feel like nothing's really changed much:

• On arrival at the new place, unpack your kids' Magic Moving Day Box first to help them settle in.
• Their favourite comfort snacks, a beloved TV show, or a proper sit-down meal in the usual family seating arrangement will go a long way towards anchoring them in their new environment.
• Give your child space to be hyper and run around the house before they’re ready to collapse.
• The first night is also perfect for the whole family to familiarise themselves with the new security setup. Test all the locks and automatic gates, memorise alarm codes, and display emergency numbers on the fridge.

Take your kids on outings in your new neighbourhood

Like any big life step, moving house can be followed by a feeling of anticlimax and homesickness. Kids are especially vulnerable to this.

You can ward off the post-move blues on day two and day three by taking them out into the neighbourhood. Pop down to the pool, the park, the library, or the cinema.

They may want to nest at home instead, and that’s great, but you can keep reminding them of the fun to be had in their brand-new hood. Quieter kids may need encouragement from you to get out and about.

Help your kids adjust to the new environment

Keep in mind, your kids may experience an emotional speed bump weeks or months after a big move. This is especially the case if they have to acclimate to a new city or school. Here are some ways you can help them through this:

• Chat to them often about what seems good or not good about the new place.
• Let them moan freely and at length—It’s often a valuable way to adjust.
• Keep the conversation light whenever possible. Humour is often an anchor when you’re feeling up in the air.

Swing by the old place

In a couple of months or a year, it might be good to take your kids on a drive through your old neighbourhood and past your old home. This can treat a nostalgic ache and demystify what may have become a lost paradise in their mind’s eye, by reminding them that the old place is made of bricks, not dreams. A physical trip down memory lane can be a fun way to integrate ‘then’ and ‘now’ in your kids’ imaginations.

Remove stress from your move with kids

A simple way to make your move more kid-friendly is to remove the stress of finding a moving service by using the Wise Move platform. Just enter your delivery request to receive competitive quotes from South Africa’s most reliable home movers, helping you save money and avoid unnecessary hassle. You can easily compare prices, read customer reviews, and check insurance options, allowing you to book your move with confidence. With your logistics taken care of, you can focus on your family and making the journey from A to B as smooth as possible.

FAQs about moving with kids in South Africa

Can I move house with a newborn?

Yes, you can, though it’s best avoided if possible. Very young babies are less aware of their physical environment, so they will not be as disrupted by a move as a toddler, for example. Parents can, however, find a move tough going when they are also looking after a newborn.

What is the impact of moving schools on a child?

Much depends on the reason for the move and the suitability of the new school. A move can be very beneficial for a child, with the challenge of adaptation boosting their social and academic skills and self-image. But it may also bring a period of homesickness or loneliness before new friends are made, which is perfectly normal.

What age is best for a child’s move to a new environment?

For kids younger than nine, moving between cities, countries, and schools is generally easier than for children aged 9 and upwards, when their peer-group friendships become stronger and more emotionally important. But a move can be a positive experience at any age.

How do I make our house move easier for our kids?

The keys to easing the move are advance planning, open communication and involving the child in the process, by giving them fun tasks. Emphasising the adventure of the move will counteract inevitable anxiety and resistance to change.