Moving house is a big life event for adults, but it can feel even bigger for children, who often have far less control over the change. The Child Mind Institute notes that keeping routines as steady as possible, even before the new house is unpacked, gives children a real sense of order during an unsettled time.

Whether you are relocating across the country or just a few streets over, the process works best with a plan that includes the whole family, not just the moving boxes. Here is how to make the move to Shirley or Solihull feel exciting rather than overwhelming.

Key Takeaways

• Involving children in age appropriate ways helps them feel some control over a big change.
• Checking school catchment boundaries early avoids last minute stress before term starts.
• Shirley and Solihull offer strong green spaces, good transport links and plenty of family housing stock.
• A house move typically costs well over a thousand pounds once fees and removals are included.
• A property specialist who knows Shirley well can point you toward streets that suit family life best.

Why Moving With Children Takes Extra Planning

Family moves involve more moving parts than a straightforward chain between two adults. School places, familiar routines and a child’s sense of security all need thought before boxes are even packed.

Children often pick up on stress even when parents try to hide it, so calm, early communication tends to work better than a last minute announcement. Explaining the move in simple, honest terms gives children time to process the change.

Working with local Shirley estate & letting agents from the start meant families in the area always had someone who understood the schools, streets and community feel, not just the property listings. That kind of local knowledge matters far more when children are part of the decision.

“After a poor experience with a previous agent, switching brought far more proactive marketing, more viewings, and a much quicker sale.”

Shirley sits roughly three miles south of Solihull town centre and about six miles from Birmingham, which suits families who want suburban space without losing a short commute into the city.

A move planned around a family’s actual routine, rather than around the property chain alone, tends to feel far less chaotic once moving day arrives.

Helping Kids Feel Involved Before Moving Day

Involving children in a house move gives them a sense of control at a time when most decisions are being made for them. Even small choices can make a genuine difference to how they cope.

Age	What They Can Help With	Why It Helps
Toddlers and preschoolers	Packing a few favourite toys into their own labelled box	Builds familiarity with what is coming
Primary school age	Choosing paint colours or decorating their new room	Gives a sense of ownership over the change
Older children and teens	Researching the local area, clubs or transport routes	Builds independence and reduces anxiety

 

🎥 Watch: “Guide to Moving House with Children” walks through ten practical tips covering the weeks before, during and after a family move. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=js0Db1BUcm4

Try to hold familiar routines steady for as long as possible during the packing process. Bedtimes, mealtimes and weekend activities matter more than usual while everything else is in flux.

Let older children help research the new area online, looking at parks, clubs and after school activities they might enjoy. It turns an abstract move into something they can picture and look forward to.

Researching Schools and Catchment Areas

School places are often the single biggest factor shaping when and where a family moves. Catchment boundaries can shift from year to year, so checking current information matters more than relying on last year’s map.

The government’s school performance tables let parents search and compare primary, secondary and special school data for any area of England, including Ofsted ratings and recent results. It is worth checking this alongside any information from the schools themselves.

💡 Pro Tip: Contact shortlisted schools directly to ask about admissions timelines, waiting lists and in year transfers, since these details change and are not always reflected in national data.

If a move is planned around a specific school, visiting during term time, rather than only on an open day, gives a more honest sense of daily life there.

What It Costs to Move Home

A house move brings costs well beyond the sale price itself, and having a rough figure in mind early makes budgeting far less stressful for the whole family.

MoneyHelper, the government backed money guidance service, estimates that buying and selling a home together can cost more than five thousand pounds in fees before counting a deposit or Stamp Duty.

Removal costs typically start from four hundred pounds and can pass one thousand pounds depending on the size of your home and the distance involved. Legal and conveyancing fees usually come to around two thousand pounds, while a home survey ranges from roughly four hundred to fifteen hundred pounds.

📊 Key Stat: Building a little contingency into the budget for unexpected costs, such as extra childcare on moving day itself, helps avoid last minute financial stress.

Getting to Know Shirley and Solihull as a Family

Shirley and Solihull both offer a strong mix of green space, easy commuting and homes suited to family life, which is part of why so many households choose to settle in the area.

Highlight	Detail	Good For
Shirley Park	Local green space with open grounds	Weekend walks and outdoor play
Brueton Park	Larger park with woodland and lake areas	Longer family days out
Stratford Road shopping district	Local high street and independent shops	Everyday errands close to home
NX West Midlands bus links	Regular services into Birmingham, around 34 minutes	Commuting without a second car

 

Housing across Shirley includes a good supply of nineteen twenties and thirties semi detached and detached homes, many with generous gardens, alongside a mix of post war properties suited to growing families.

Solihull town centre adds Edwardian streets, a historic core and strong schooling options, making the wider area attractive whether a family is upsizing or moving closer to grandparents and existing schools.

Settling In After the Move

The weeks after moving day matter as much as the move itself, especially for children adjusting to a new bedroom, school run and neighbourhood.

Child psychologists commonly recommend keeping mealtimes and bedtimes consistent well before every box is unpacked, since a steady routine reassures children while everything else around them changes. The Child Mind Institute’s advice for moving with children covers this in more detail, alongside tips for older children and teenagers.

Unpack a child’s bedroom first where possible, with familiar bedding and a few well loved items visible straight away. A space that feels like theirs, even in a new house, helps enormously in the first few nights.

Signing children up for a local club, sports team or activity gives them a natural way to meet other children quickly, rather than waiting for school alone to build new friendships.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I tell my child we are moving house?

Explain the move early using simple, honest language appropriate to their age. Focus on what will stay the same, such as family routines and belongings, alongside what will be new and exciting about the move.

What age is hardest for children to move house?

Children of any age can find moving difficult, though primary school age children and teenagers often struggle most with leaving established friendships and routines behind. Involving them in decisions tends to ease the transition at any age.

How far in advance should I research schools before moving?

Start researching schools as early as possible, ideally before making an offer on a property, since catchment areas and admission timelines vary and can affect which homes are realistic options.

Is Shirley a good area for families?

Shirley offers green spaces including Shirley Park and Brueton Park, established schools, a local shopping district and strong transport links into Solihull and Birmingham, making it a popular choice for families.

How much does it typically cost to move house in the UK?

Moving costs vary, but combined fees when a sale and purchase happen together commonly exceed five thousand pounds before deposit and Stamp Duty, according to MoneyHelper. Removals alone typically start from around four hundred pounds.

How can I help my child settle into a new home?

Keep familiar routines running as soon as possible, unpack their bedroom early, and help them join a local club or activity so they can start building new friendships quickly.

Final Thoughts

A house move with children rarely goes exactly to plan, and that is fine. Involving them where you can, keeping routines steady, and choosing an area that genuinely suits family life all make the biggest difference.

Between the parks, the schools and a shopping street within easy reach, there is plenty for a family to settle into here. With a little planning, moving day can become the start of a new chapter the whole family looks forward to.

References

MoneyHelper, “Mortgage fees and costs when buying or selling a home,” 2026, https://www.moneyhelper.org.uk/en/homes/buying-a-home/estimate-your-overall-buying-and-moving-costs

Child Mind Institute, “Advice for Moving With Children,” 2026, https://childmind.org/article/advice-for-moving-with-children/

GOV.UK, “Compare the performance of schools and colleges in England,” 2026, https://www.gov.uk/school-performance-tables

Partridge Homes, “Shirley Estate and Letting Agents,” 2026, https://partridge-homes.co.uk/estate-agents/shirley/

Fact Check: All statistics and data points in this article were verified against original sources as of 17 August 2026. Sources are listed in the References section.