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How to make a moving house story for your toddler

A guide · about fifteen minutes

To a small child, moving can look like everything they know going into boxes. A short story helps it make sense: this is our house, this is what happens on moving day, this is your new room, and your things come too. Make it from your own photos and read it in your voice, and they can go through it on their own as many times as they need.

What goes in it

  1. "This is our house." The front door.
  2. "This is your room." Their room as it is now.
  3. "Soon we're going to live in a new house." A photo of the new one, if you have it.
  4. "We put everything in boxes, even your toys." The boxes, with their toys going in.
  5. "A big van takes the boxes." The van, or any van.
  6. "This is your new room." The new room, even empty.
  7. "We unpack your toys and your bed. Teddy comes too." Their favourite thing, in the new room.
  8. "Our new house. Home." All of you at the new door, once you can take it.

Make it

Tap + on the shelf, choose Tile by tile, set the tiles to match your pages, and tap Start. Tap each tile's picture and then Add a photo (TapTales Plus). Then tap each tile's microphone and say that page. The words fill themselves in as you speak. There's more on each step in the memory book guide.

TapTales' New story sheet: All at once, or Tile by tile set to six tiles, with a Start button.
Tap +, then Tile by tile.
The Pick a picture panel over a tile, with Add a photo at the top and emoji below it: animals, then outdoor things.
Tap a tile's picture, then Add a photo.
Grandma's Garden in the editor, recording as Mom: the first tile, with a photo of sunflowers and its words, is listening, with a red stop button.
Tap a tile's microphone and say that page.

Tips

  • Say what stays the same. Same bed, same teddy, same bedtime story, same people.
  • Say who's where on moving day. "Grandpa looks after you while the van comes." Be specific.
  • Keep the old house in it. It's all right to miss it. A page for saying goodbye to each room helps some children.
  • Update it after the move. Swap the empty new room for the finished one. Tap its picture and choose a different photo, and your recording stays.

Questions

How far ahead should we start? A week or two before is enough for most toddlers. Read it with them first, then let them read it themselves.

We don't have photos of the new house yet. Leave those tiles on the picture TapTales chose, and swap in a photo when you have one. The recording doesn't change.

What does it cost? Recording your own voice is free for three stories. Photos on the tiles are part of TapTales Plus. See pricing.

More guides

Make one in TapTales