A Children’s Book About Moving Home – Dido The Dragon Moves Home

Dido the Dragon is Moving Home

Hello everyone. My name is Dido.

I am a dragon who lives with his Mum, Dad, my little sister (well not so little, dragons are big you know), and our pet unicorn, Arthur.

We live deep inside a hillside in Wales, a small country that is part of Great Britain.

I am 45 dragon years old (which is 9 human years old) and my little sister, Doris, is 35 dragon years old (7 human years old).

Mum and Dad are REALLY old, but I don’t know how old.

Arthur is 6 unicorn years old, which is 5 human years, and 30 dragon years.

He has a blue mane, a white coat, and a large white horn on his head which makes special silk string.

We found Arthur behind the magic waterfall, which is where all unicorns magically appear in our valley.

He had no mum or dad to look after him, so we brought him home to live with us.

Arthur sleeps on the kitchen floor on a big white cushion with blue stars on it that the wizards made for him.

Doris and I share a bedroom because our cave is quite small.

Mum and Dad have their own bedroom too.

Dad teaches other dragons how to fly, and Mum works at the hospital where all the dragon eggs go when the baby dragons are ready to be born.

Doris and I go to the same school where all the dragons in the area go.

We really like it and have lots of fun there.

Well, apart from when Mrs Dessy, our head teacher, who is very scary and shouts at us when we are naughty.

At our school, we learn how to read and write; we have fire-breathing lessons and do math.

You may not know this, but we dragons love to write, so I keep a little book where I make notes about what has happened during my day.

I have made lots of notes in my little book recently because lots of things have been happening, and I would love to share them with you.

How to Tell a Child You Are Moving Home

Mum and Dad Had Big News

Today was very exciting, sad, and scary, all at the same time.

Mum and Dad told us they had something very important to talk to us about.

Doris and I spent a long time thinking about what they would tell us.

Were we going to spend a day at the seaside, or maybe go to see the Greens, who are our friends who live under the castle in the next valley? That is always fun.

Well, we all sat at the kitchen table, which is not easy as we are big and the kitchen is tiny. Twice Doris fell off her stool, which made me laugh.

Somehow we all squeezed in, but Mum and Dad seemed a little worried. Maybe they thought Doris would fall off her stool again.

The big news was that Dad has a new job at the Dragon National Flying School, which is a long, long way away, so we are going to move home.

I wasn’t sure how I felt. I like living here, but moving to a new home could be a big adventure. Doris cried because she loves our school and all our friends go there.

By the way, did you know that dragon tears are diamonds?

Mum has saved Doris’ tears, and she said Doris can give them to her friends as presents when we leave.

We have lots of fun where we live now, flying through the woods while blowing smoke from our noses (we are too young yet to breathe fire).

We have never lived in another cave, or another part of the country, so I don’t know if we will like it.

Mum and Dad told us why we had to move home and all the good things about where we were moving to, but I don’t think Doris was listening.

Mum said that Doris and I would have our own bedrooms in the new cave, which will be great, but Doris just crossed her arms and looked at the floor.

They showed us pictures of our new home and of the big lake where we can go at the weekends.

Lots of dragons live there because of the flying school, and our aunt lives near there too, so we can visit her more often.

Then Dad got a map out and showed us where we were moving to.

It looks a long way away, maybe two hours of flying time.

We will go to a new school and have lots of new friends and adventures.

Many different creatures go to the new school, so we will learn all about them and how they live.

That is what Mum and Dad said.

Our new school looks really nice in the pictures we saw. Mum and Dad are going to take us to see it soon.

It will be very different for all of us. I think Mum and Dad are a little scared and worried too, but they did not show it.

Our Big Book of Moving Home

Mum and Dad are going to make a special book for us with lots of pictures of our old home, our friends, our school, and all our favourite places so that we will always have something to remind us of our first ever home.

We flew to all our favourite places today and took lots of photos.

We had a picnic by the river, and Mum took pictures of Doris and me, then of us and Dad, then of us all, and I took one of Mum, Dad, and Doris, which I had never done before.

I used the camera all on my own.

Mum and Dad will put the pictures in the big book so we can see them.

This morning, Mum and Dad let me take the camera to school so that I could take photos of all our friends and teachers. That was really good fun.

Doris and I also have some paper that our friends are writing messages on. We will then help Mum and Dad stick the messages in our big book.

Doris and I are allowed to write in the book too, using our special moving-home pencils. If we are happy, sad, scared, or excited about moving home, we will write it there.

Dad has got us a new computer so that we can still speak to our friends on the internet, and he said we can come back here sometimes to visit.

Our school friends can come to stay at our new home in the holidays too, so that might be fun.

Sometimes Doris is still upset, but Mum and Dad are not angry with her. They said it was OK to feel sad about leaving your home and friends. Mum said she will be sad too, but we have lots of nice things to look forward to.

Arthur has his own special pages in the book too.

We will put pictures of us all together in there, pictures of Arthur’s friends, and all his favourite places. We have some funny pictures of him running and flying too, so Mum said we can put those in there.

Talk about it together

What would you want to know if you were told you were moving?

Try this together

Make a memory book together. Add photographs, drawings and notes about favourite people and places.

For parents

Let children react in their own way. Show them pictures and a map, answer questions honestly, and avoid promising that everything will be wonderful straight away.

You may like to read: How to Tell Family and Friends You Are Moving Home – Telling close family and friends you are moving away is never easy, but in this guide, we offer some suggestions that may make the announcement less daunting for you.

What to Do When a Child is Upset About Moving Home

Doris Says She is NOT Going to Move Home!

Doris said today that she was never going to leave this home, or her friends, or ever move away.

She sat on the floor, put her wings over her face and said she was staying right here forever.

Mum and Dad sat on the floor beside her and asked what worried her most.

Doris said she liked living here, all her friends were here, and she liked her school, the fields, and the forests where we lived now.

She did not know anyone in the new school or village, and nobody would talk to her, so she would be lonely.

And she does not think the sweet shop will sell chocolate toads.

Mum listened carefully. “New things can feel frightening,” she said. “Remember when you first tried to fly?”

“You held on to Dad’s tail because you were scared of falling,” I reminded her.

“But now I can fly faster than you!” Doris said, lifting her chin.

“You certainly can,” Dad laughed. “The first time you do something is often the hardest.”

“I was scared on my first day at school too,” I said. “Now I love it.”

“You can miss your old friends and still find new ones,” Mum said. “We’ll help you keep in touch with both.”

Doris looked down at her claws. “But what if they don’t sell chocolate toads in the new sweet shop?”

Dad pretended to look horrified. “Then we shall have to investigate every sweet in the shop until we find something just as good!”

That made Doris laugh, just a little.

She was quiet for a moment.

Then she said, “All right. I’ll go and see what it’s like. But I’m allowed to miss here.”

“Of course you are,” Mum said, giving her a hug.

Talk about it together

What would you miss most about your home or school?

Try this together

Draw two pictures: something you want to remember and something you might like to try in your new neighbourhood.

For parents

A child may not feel ready to move just because adults offer reassurance. Listen first, accept mixed feelings, and keep talking.

You may like to read:

How to Make Friends in Your New Neighbourhood – Making friends and meeting new people is always daunting, especially if you are moving to a part of the country that you are unfamiliar with. This guide offers some useful tips to help you find friends in your new area.

Tips for Moving House with a Teenager – Being a teenager is a stressful and uncertain period of our lives; throw in a home move, and life will become even more ‘interesting’. In this guide, we offer tried and tested ways to help you tell teenagers you are moving home and to help them transition to their new home.

Getting Kids Involved in Moving Home

Dido and Doris Start Packing for Moving Home

Today, Mum, Dad, Doris, and I put all our toys into three big piles on the floor.

We had a big pile of toys we are too old for and don’t play with anymore. Those toys we are going to take to the children’s hospital for the sick children to play with.

There was another pile of toys that were broken which will go in the rubbish bin.

And the last pile was all the toys we wanted to take to our new home.

It was very hard to decide which toys to give away.

But Mum and Dad said that the other children really needed the toys we don’t play with because being in hospital is very boring, so Doris and I put lots of toys in that pile.

Doris has some very old teddies that she does not play with, but she still cried because she loves them and does not want to leave them behind.

Dad said she could keep her favourites. The toys she chose to give away would find new children to love them.

Dad will take those toys to the hospital tomorrow.

All the toys we are taking with us were put into big boxes and some wizards are going to come and take the boxes to our new home.

We then helped Mum and Dad with putting our clothes into three piles.

The clothes that do not fit us will go to other families who have small children so they can wear them.

I had some old jeans that were torn on a tree when I was flying through the woods. Mum cannot repair them so they are going to a special bin in the town where old clothes are put.

Then we put our clothes into boxes, one box for summer clothes, and one box for winter clothes.

Some wizards will come to put the rest of the stuff in boxes, but Mum and Dad said that Doris and I had special things so we could pack our own boxes.

Dad gave us a big pencil each.

It is our own special moving home pencil so we can write on the boxes that have our things in them.

Doris has a green pencil and I have a red pencil.

After Mum had put some sticky tape on the boxes to close them, Doris wrote her name on her box and I wrote my name on mine.

We drew pictures of clothes on the boxes with clothes in them, and toys on the boxes that had toys in them. My pictures were better than Doris’, but I did not say that.

Mum took some photos of the boxes to put in our moving-home book too.

It was a fun day.

When we were finished Dad gave us a big glass of seaweed juice, which is our favourite.

Our bedroom looks quite empty now.

There is nothing on the shelves or in the cupboards. That is a bit sad.

But Mum said if we felt sad, to think how happy the other children will be when they get their new toys and clothes.

That made Doris and me feel better.

My Own Special Moving Day Box

Today I got to pack my own special moving day box.

Mum and Dad said that Doris and I had to have a very special box with all our things in it that we will need on the day we move home.

Mum and Dad have their own box too.

Dad says these boxes will come with us and not with the wizards.

In mine I put a book, two bottles of seaweed juice, some food, my pyjamas, my toothbrush, and my bag of lucky seashells.

I wrote my name in big letters on the box. Then I drew some pictures of trains and planes on the box so everyone could see it was mine.

Doris put her favourite teddy, some food, a bottle of seaweed juice, her pyjamas, toothbrush, her torch which shines pictures on the ceiling, and a snail in her box.

I helped Doris write her name on her box, but she drew her own pictures of flowers and rainbows.

We made Arthur his own special moving day box too.

He has lots of toys, his bed, food, and water in his box.

Arthur only drinks water from the wishing well so we filled lots of bottles for him for the long journey to our new home.

Doris and I wrote Arthur’s name on the box because unicorns do not know how to read or write.

Then we drew a picture of a forest with a castle and some unicorns on it so that Arthur’s box looked as pretty as ours.

Talk about it together

Which toys would you definitely want to take with you?

Try this together

Help your child label and decorate their own packing box. Set aside favourite comfort items.

For parents

Invite children to help with age-appropriate decisions, but never force them to give away treasured belongings.

You may be interested to read:

How to Declutter Before Moving Home – In this guide we go room-by-room decluttering for a cheaper and easier home move. We also look at how to part with sentimental items as well as all your household items and even where you can find professional help to declutter your home.

Week-By-Week Home Moving Checklist – The least stressful home moves are those that are well-planned and organized. So whether you are moving home for the first time or need help in planning your home move, this guide is invaluable.

How to Prepare Your Open First Box – Also known as your moving day essentials box this box contains everything that you may need on moving day and your first night in your new home. Here we offer some suggestions as to what you may consider packing and some things that it is essential to pack.

How to Say Goodbye When Moving Away

Today I Cried

Josh is my best friend.

We talked about me moving away and it made me very sad. I cried because I will really miss him.

I gave him one of my diamond tears which he really liked.

We were talking about all the fun we have in the school holidays, flying over the hills, and playing hide and seek (hide and seek is a very difficult game for dragons to play because we are so big and our tails stick out).

But Josh said he would come to visit me, and I can come to stay with him in the school holidays, which made me feel happier.

We will write to each other and talk on the phone.

I showed him pictures of our new village and he said it looked really nice.

He loves my new bedroom. I told him that I would like blue walls with pictures of the Loch Ness Monster on the curtains.

I really like the Loch Ness Monster. His name is Nessie. He is many hundreds of years old but still plays hide and seek with all the humans who go to see him.

I have never met him but he seems like a fun dragon.

Josh said he has a friend who goes to my new school, and he says the teachers are really nice.

I don’t feel so bad now that Josh has said he will come to visit us in our new home.

I asked mum today if she thought Arthur was sad about moving home.

She said that unicorns are very special creatures, but they liked to be in places that they know, and with people that are their friends.

But all things are new to start with.

Our favourite toys were new once, our favourite hiding places were new to us once. Now they are our favourite things, so it is good to find new things.

Mum said we had to look after each other and help each other so that none of us were scared about the new things we will see and do.

She said to play with Arthur and Doris lots when we get to the new house.

I am the eldest so I have to be big and strong and look after them both.

Mum and Dad said if ever I feel sad or scared about moving home, I should speak to them. That is because they are older and know more things than me so can help me understand.

Talk about it together

Who would you like to stay in touch with after moving?

Try this together

Make a goodbye card, swap contact details with a trusted adult’s help and plan a call with a friend.

For parents

Give children time to say goodbye without insisting they be cheerful. Familiar friendships can remain important after a move.

You may like to read:

How Does Moving Home Affect Children? In this guide, we examine how moving home affects a child’s behavior and development.

Moving With Children Across Country. In this guide, we suggest tips to make moving to another part of the country easier for kids.

Introducing Children to a New Home and Area

Our First Trip to Our New Home

We visited our new home today. WOW. It is so cool.

Dad got lost going there and we ended up flying over an airport. The people on the plane had a big fright when they saw us flying beside them.

Doris and I tried to blow some flames to make the people jump, but we just blew smoke.

We got told off for doing that.

Our new home is next to some big hills. There are lots of fields, a really big forest, and a lake that is so big you cannot see the end of it.

I asked dad if Nessie could come to visit us as Nessie lives in a really big lake too. Dad said maybe.

Doris and I are allowed to choose the colour of the walls in our rooms, and I will have curtains with pictures of Nessie the Loch Ness Monster on.

Dad says the Loch Ness monster is not a monster at all. He just likes being on his own, so he does not live in any of the dragon villages.

There is a garden at our new home so mummy can grow flowers and vegetables.

Nearby is a big lake, and lots of trees, so we have lots of new places to explore and have fun in.

Mum and Dad said that they were told there is a special place in the forest where many, many years ago very old dragons would sit around campfires and sing songs about dragons that were older than the whole world.

Mum and Dad said it was a very special place and they will take us there. That sounds cool.

The village is small, but it has a sweet shop, and a play area with swings, and a slide, so I think we will like living there.

We Went to Our New School Today

Today we went to visit our new school. It is very nice.

The classrooms have lots of pictures on the walls, and there is a big field we can fly around during our play times.

The school hall has a big stage where we can sing songs and dance on special days.

In the dining room are lots of long tables, and the elves will cook our food for us in a large kitchen.

We met our new class teacher, Miss Tanya.

She is a very beautiful princess from a country a long, long way away. She knows lots of special things and has come to teach us how to be good and kind.

She told us all about the lessons we would be doing and will let us draw lots of new pictures for the walls, and we will learn some new games.

Every day we will do exercise in the playground because Miss Tanya said it will make us into big strong dragons.

My desk is near the window. I like that because I can watch the rain when it slides down the window. Doris is in the row in front of me and will sit next to a girl called Nancy.

We met some of the other dragons and creatures at the school who were very friendly.

In our class are goblins, elves, a griffin, a fairy, an ogre (who looks just like Shrek), and of course dragons.

We have to wear a school uniform which is dark blue, but Doris was not happy about that; she wants a red uniform like we wear to school now.

Later though, I saw Doris put on a blue school blazer, and she was looking at herself in the mirror, turning around and around.

Mr Norgus is the headmaster.

He is old, with a very long tail and really big feet.

He has a deep voice and his belly wobbles when he laughs.

I think Doris and I will really like the school. Everybody was really nice to us, even the Ogre.

We are both very excited to make lots of new friends and to be able to tell stories to each other.

Talk about it together

What would you like to see first in a new town or school?

Try this together

Explore the new area on a map and choose one park, library or activity to visit together.

For parents

When possible, visit the new home and school before moving day. Point out familiar routines as well as new opportunities.

You may also like to read: How to Overcome The Fear of Moving. Moving away from friends and family, from all that is familiar and comforting, is a daunting prospect. Discover ways to overcome and cope with the fear of moving home in this essential guide.

Keeping the Kids Safe on Moving Day

Aunt Jessica is Coming

Today Mum and Dad told us that Aunt Jessica is coming to take Doris, me, and Arthur to stay with her.

We will go to stay with her whilst the wizards come and move our things to our new home.

Mum and Dad said it was safer for us to be away from the cave when the wizards come because it can be dangerous for us with lots of heavy things being moved about.

We don’t mind because Aunt Jessica is really fun, so we are looking forward to staying with her.

She lets us do things like get muddy or splash water at each other, things that we normally get told off for doing.

Arthur is allowed to go and play on his own in the forest at Aunt Jessica’s. Lots of unicorns live in the forest, so he can have lots of fun playing with them.

Aunt Jessica is quite a small dragon. She is not old with hard skin like some aunties have.

She is a red dragon like Mum and Dad.

It does not really matter what colour we are; we are all dragons. But secretly, red and green dragons are my favourite.

Aunt Jessica always paints her toenails yellow, and she wears a big yellow scarf with red and blue flowers on it, even when it is not cold.

Sometimes though, her scarf comes undone and falls to the ground when we are flying, so we all have to stop and go find it.

Aunt Jessica can blow really long flames from her nose, and it even happens when she sneezes.

Aunt Jessica’s cave is deep in the woods, and it gets very dark at night.

We can sit in her garden and watch the stars and moon, and sometimes we see the witches flying high in the sky on their broomsticks.

Snow fairies only come out when it is very cold, and there is snow on the ground. Their wings are made of ice and sparkle in the moonlight; they have long white hair and clothes made from unicorn silk, which comes from the horn on the unicorn’s head.

My aunt bought me my deerstalker hat last year for my birthday.

I had never seen one before, but she said all good dragons wear one. I have never seen another dragon who wears this kind of hat, so I think she was teasing me.

It will be really good to live near Aunt Jessica because we can see her more often. She will be able to come to tea and cook for us, which is great because she is a better cook than mum.

Talk about it together

Where could you spend moving day while heavy things are being carried?

Try this together

Together, make a simple moving-day safety plan: who stays with the children, where to meet and whom to ask for help.

For parents

Arrange trusted supervision away from busy loading areas where possible. Plan safe care for pets as well.

You might like to read: How to Stay Safe When Moving Home. Moving home can be dangerous, so find out the best ways to protect yourself and your family on moving day.

Preparing Kids for Moving Day

The Wizards Were Here Today

We are really moving home; it did not seem real until today. It has been very exciting to think about all the new things in our new village and home, but it was just like a game before today.

Today the wizards actually started to put the things from our home in big boxes.

Mum and Dad sat us down and told us what the wizards were going to do, and that we had to keep out of the way because Daddy said it was not safe for Doris and me to be around as the wizards worked.

There were 3 wizards who came with lots of boxes to pack up our things.

It felt like we were going on holiday, with things being folded and then put in boxes, but then more and more things went in the boxes until there was nothing left to pack up.

Doris and I watched as they put things in the boxes as we had finished colouring, and Doris did not want to play a game.

They wrapped all the things that could break in little packages before putting them in boxes.

It was like when we wrap birthday or Christmas presents.

This afternoon Mum took us to the forest so we could fly around until the wizards had finished.

The wizards packed all the things out of each room. Our home looks very strange with no pictures on the wall or things on the shelves.

We had to order food from the takeaway shop tonight as all the cooking pans are in big boxes now.

I like boglo burgers, so I was very happy that the wizards had packed all the pots away.

If we get boglo burgers every day, I want to move home more often!

For parents

You may like to read:

How Much Does it Cost to Hire Packers? Everybody wants to save money on their home moving expenses, but not hiring a professional packing team could be a false economy. Find out why in this essential guide to packing services.

How to Make Moving Home Fun. Moving home does not have to be a time of stress and anxiety; there are lots of ways to have fun moving home. In this guide, we discover fun things to do during each stage of the home move.

We Say Goodbye to Our Friends and Old Home

I don’t know how I feel today. I am very confused.

It is sad because we are leaving, but it is also exciting because we have lots of new things to look forward to.

So it was a happy day and a sad day.

Today was our last day here before we go to stay at Aunt Jessica’s and move away to our new home.

We made necklaces for all our friends and teachers as leaving presents.

We took some silk from Arthur’s horn and tied it around the diamond tears that Doris and I had cried.

Our friends and teachers really liked the necklaces.

All our school friends had got together and taken a big photo of themselves, all in a group. Then they had each written a note to us on the back of the picture.

Mum will put it in our special moving-home book.

We promised to write to our teacher and class to tell them what we were doing in our new school, and we have to send them pictures too.

In the afternoon we took Arthur down to the forest so that he could say goodbye to all his friends.

They ran through the forest for a while, then flew around a bit before we had to come home.

Arthur will miss his friends here, but there are lots of unicorns in the forest where we are moving to, so he won’t get lonely or be sad.

Aunt Jessica is Here and Tomorrow we Leave our Home Forever

Aunt Jessica came today to take us to her home because the wizards will come tomorrow and put all the boxes and furniture in the big lorry.

Mum, Dad, Aunt Jessica, Doris, and I played card games all evening as the TV has been put in a box.

We played snap and ate some food that Aunt Jessica had brought with her.

She is a very good cook, but I wish we could have had another boglo burger again tonight.

We will sleep in our beds in this home for the last time ever tonight.

That is a little sad, but the cave does not look like our home anymore. None of our pictures are on the walls, and all the rooms are empty.

Moving home makes you happy and sad.

We each have our own special moving day box that we packed before and which we will take to Aunt Jessica’s tomorrow.

I hope we are strong enough to fly all that way with them on our backs.

I am very tired tonight, but Doris wants to lie in bed and chat to Aunt Jessica.

I think Doris is very excited about going to Aunt Jessica’s in the morning.

We will get up very early because we have a long way to fly and it will take a long time.

I liked living in this home.

I liked my village and school.

But I just know that there is a big world that I cannot wait to see one day, and this is like my first big adventure.

I wonder if we will even remember what this home looked like in a few years. I hope so.

It is a big day tomorrow. I hope the sun shines.

Talk about it together

How do you think an almost-empty home might feel?

Try this together

Prepare a small comfort bag or box with a favourite toy, book, pyjamas and other essentials.

For parents

Tell children what movers will do and what will happen next. Keep essential items with you, not in the moving truck.

You may also like to read: Tips for Moving Away From Friends and Family. In this guide, we share 10 tips to make moving away from family and friends easier.

Moving Day

Moving Day and Our First Night In Our New Home

Today we left our old home and village.

We all got up very early and had a small breakfast. We did not eat too much because we have to fly a long way today, and our bellies will be too heavy.

Then we said goodbye to our bedroom and the cave for the last time before having some more photos taken of us all by the boxes that have our things in them.

I hope the new family who will come to live here will have as much fun as we did; I think they will.

I felt brave, but I had a little lump in my throat too. Doris held my claw as we said goodbye.

We like the idea of moving to a new home now.

Aunt Jessica, Doris, Arthur, and I then flew off before the wizards arrived.

It was a long journey, but Doris and I were so excited that the time went very quickly.

After the wizards had put all the boxes into the new cave, Mum and Dad came to Aunt Jessica’s. We ate some cake, then we all went back to our new home.

Mum and Dad had put blankets on our beds, and our favourite toys were up on the shelves.

In the evening we all sat together in the family room and watched a film on TV.

For tea we had jam and fish pizzas, with a bottle of melon juice each, which was super nice.

Doris and I were very tired after the journey, so I think we will sleep well tonight.

It will be strange not hearing Doris snore in her sleep because she has her own bedroom next to mine now.

Arthur is so funny. He normally sleeps in the kitchen, but this new home is strange for him too, so he keeps walking from room to room.

Mum and Dad said that Doris and I have to take special care of Arthur because he may be scared of all the new smells and things that he does not recognise.

Maybe he will sleep on the floor of my room until he feels safe in his new home.

We will all take Arthur out for a long walk tomorrow around the village and forest so that he can see his new home and hopefully meet some new friends.

Mum and Dad said it is important that Arthur, Doris, and I know how to find our way back to our new home in case we ever get lost.

Dad has made Arthur a special necklace that has his name and our new address on it in case he does get lost. He can then show it to someone who will help him come home.

It is time for sleep now; we have lots of exploring to do tomorrow.

For parents

You may also like to read: Moving Day Checklist. In this guide, we have not only a moving day checklist but tips to make the day easier and safer.

Today We Met Our New Neighbors

We went to meet our new neighbours today.

Mr and Mrs Grayfin live with their children, Nancy and Tom.

Nancy and Tom go to the same school that Doris and I will go to, and will help us to not get lost at school.

Tom plays on the school ping-pong team, and Nancy is in the school band playing drums.

I want to play ping-pong, and Doris wants to learn to play the trumpet, so I think we will all be good friends.

Mr Grayfin is a brown dragon with a long tail, wings as wide as a bus, and big red eyes.

I think he could easily bang his head on the roof of the cave when he stands up.

Mrs Grayfin is even bigger than Mr Grayfin.

She is a policewoman in the village, and I bet all the bad people are really scared of her.

Doris and I had to look up at the sky to talk to her because she is so tall.

Mum and Dad said we had to be good all the time, or Mrs Grayfin will come and tell us off.

No way will I ever be naughty ever again, not in my whole life.

Mum and Mrs Grayfin talked about the flowers in the garden, which was boring, so Tom, Nancy, Doris, and I went off to find fairies at the bottom of the garden.

We saw none, though.

Jeremy lives in the other cave on our hill.

He is a nice old dragon and made Doris and me laugh because he is so old he cannot breathe fire anymore.

He kept trying to blow fire, but nothing happened.

And his skin is so hard that he can rub an orange on his belly and the orange peel falls off.

He is so much fun.

Jeremy said that he will tell us all the secret and magic places to go in the village. Cool.

There are lots of people in the village that we must meet.

Jeremy said we should have a party so we can all get to meet each other, which would be fun if they are all as nice as Jeremy.

Meeting new people is a bit scary, but at the same time it is fun.

There is lots to talk about because we have all lived a long time, so we have many stories to tell each other.

Mum and Dad said that we should say hello to everyone we meet so that they know we are nice dragons.

Then they will talk to us, and we will get to know more and more people here. That is how you make friends, Mum said.

They said that not all people are good, but that there are more good people in the world than bad, so to be careful, but not to worry.

Mum and Dad said that if ever we are afraid, or there are bad people, that we should run straight to them or to Mrs Grayfin, and they will look after us.

Talk about it together

What would help your very first night in a new home feel safe?

Try this together

Unpack bedding and a favourite toy first, then enjoy a familiar bedtime routine.

For parents

New sounds and smells can be unsettling. Expect adjustment to take time, and update pet identification and supervision plans.

You may also like to read: 5 Great Ways to Befriend Your New Neighbors. In this guide, we suggest 5 ways to make friends in your new neighborhood.

Helping Kids Settle Into a New Home

Today We Made Things With Boxes

All our things are out of boxes now.

The pictures are up on the walls, our clothes are in the wardrobe, the pots and pans are in the kitchen, and our new home looks a little like our old home now.

Dad even has his favourite chair next to the fireplace like he did in our old home.

When Mum and Dad had finished taking the things out of the boxes, they gave Doris and me the empty boxes to play with.

We built a big castle, like the one that was near our old home. That was good fun.

Then Doris and I made a train, but we were too big to sit in it and squashed the boxes.

We made Arthur his own cardboard box home with a door that opened, and Doris and I drew lots of different pictures on the outside, which he really liked.

Then we made a maze for us all to play in.

It was just lots of rows of boxes on the floor that we walked round and round and round. We walked in circles for so long it made us dizzy!

We also made a house, like the ones that humans live in.

It had a door, windows, and even a roof. Arthur got his hoof stuck in the doorway, which was funny.

Mum and Dad took more pictures to go in the big book, which is nearly full now.

When we finished playing, we all took the boxes to a special place in the village.

It is called a recycling centre.

Not sure why it is called recycling because I did not see any bicycles there, nor anyone cycling. Strange.

Mum and Dad said the men take the boxes to make new ones, which saves trees.

I did not know that boxes are made from trees, but it is good that we helped save some trees.

Dad said that trees make the air we breathe clean and are really good for the earth.

I love flying over the top of trees, especially when they change colour after the summer, so I want to look after them and help the earth.

For parents

You may also like to read: What to Do With Cardboard Boxes After Moving. Find out where to donate or sell used moving boxes, discover fun things to make, useful ideas of how to use cardboard in the garden, and where you can recycle your moving boxes.

The Village Had a Party For Us Today

We had so much fun today. All the people in the village had a party so that they could say hello to us.

At first Doris and I were really shy.

We did not know what to say to all the people at first, but they were all very nice.

They asked us our names, how old we were, what we liked doing at school, what games we liked to play, and if we had a pet.

A couple of human wizards had unicorns, so we went to meet them, and we took Arthur too.

They all seemed to like each other.

There were so many people that I cannot remember all of their names.

And there were many creatures that we had never seen before, so it was fun talking to them.

We ate fish, whagalots (which are animals that live in the trees here), choo choo legs (choo choos have 11 legs, so there were lots for all of us), Splingers (which are very fat mice the size of a car), crisps, sweets, and we drank seaweed juice, melon juice, and a green fizzy drink that we did not know what it was.

We were very full when we finished eating.

We played ping-pong, chase, hide and seek, pass the parcel, and a game where we had to draw pictures of our friends and then tell each other about them.

Many of the younger people we met go to our new school.

They all really like it there, and it sounds like they have a lot of fun.

In the village, they have lots of things for us to do.

There are swimming classes, a dance school, a soccer pitch, and a skateboard park.

Many of the kids from our school go to these places, so Mum and Dad said we can go too. That will be super fun.

And now we have met some new school friends, so our first day at school will not seem so bad now.

Talk about it together

What is one fun thing you could make or do with an empty box?

Try this together

Make a cardboard castle, train or little house, then recycle the boxes when finished.

For parents

Small shared activities and meeting neighbours gradually can help a new place begin to feel familiar.

You might like to read: How to Throw a Fun Home Warming Party. From how to plan a housewarming party, to hosting tips, to how to make the clean-up afterward easy. This is a super guide for getting to know your new neighbors and saying thanks to those who helped you move home.

Our New Home Is Great

We have lived in our new home for a few months now, and we really love living here.

Before we moved here, Doris and I were quite scared about whether we would like it, if we would make new friends, or if Arthur would like it here.

We needn’t have been afraid of every new thing, though there were some difficult days.

Like Mum and Dad said, new things can seem a little strange at first, but that is only because we do not know them.

Arthur has a girlfriend now!

She is a pink unicorn that lives on the next hill with her family.

They go on picnics, and we all go out for a fly about together sometimes.

Doris now plays trumpet in the school band.

She got a badge for joining the band, which she wears on her school blazer.

Doris and Nancy play all the time together, and sometimes some of her other friends from school come to our home.

It can be very noisy when they are all here, so Arthur and I go out.

I play ping-pong nearly every day now, which I really like.

And guess what?

I saw another dragon in the village who wears a deerstalker hat, so maybe Aunt Jessica was right after all.

Aunt Jessica visits us lots, and we go see her too. We really like that.

Miss Tanya is a great teacher.

She is very clever but makes all our lessons really fun. She knows so many things; her brain must be really full.

Jeremy has shown us all the secret places in the village.

There are lots of them, but I don’t think they are all secret.

He likes to tease us, so I think he says they are secret when really they are just new to Doris and me.

Dad likes his new job. He is able to spend more time at home with us now, which is great because we can do more things together.

Mum now works at the local hospital helping all the newborn babies.

She likes working there, I think.

I am happy we moved here. Sometimes I still miss Josh, the old cave, and the forest where we used to play. I think I always will.

I told Mum, “I never want to move again. I like it here too much!”

“And if one day we do?” Mum asked. “What would help you feel brave?”

I thought about Doris, Arthur, our memory book and all our new friends. “I suppose I’d know what to do,” I said.

But not yet. For now, I have a ping-pong match to win and a dragon-sized bedtime to catch up on.

Talk about it together

Can you be happy somewhere new and still miss somewhere old?

Try this together

Add a final page to the memory book: “My favourite new things” and “The things I still love about my old home.”

For parents

Settling in is not a race. Keep checking in with children, even once they appear happy and confident.

More help for parents

The story is a starting point for conversations. For practical moving advice, pair it with your existing guides on telling children about a move, moving-day preparation, changing schools, and helping children settle into a new neighbourhood.

One last thought

Dido discovers that feeling sad about leaving does not mean he cannot be happy in a new home. Some children adjust quickly; others need more time. What helps most is knowing they can talk about both the things they miss and the things they are beginning to love.

Enjoyed Dido’s adventure? Revisit a favourite chapter, add another page to your family’s memory book, or download the character colouring pages to keep the story going.

Coloring Pictures for Your Kids

Finally, here are some pictures that your children may like to color in. If you would like me to email them to you, just send a request to pete@moveadvisor.com