Traveling with school-age children during a Permanent Change of Station move presents an opportunity to explore as a family. The kids are old enough to understand what a PCS is and they can talk about their emotions in the process. This helps parents guide children to appreciate the previous duty station and develop a positive mindset for the new one.
To ensure a smooth transition, focus on the key strategies of involving children in the planning process to give them a sense of control, packing essential items such as school supplies and favorite toys, and organizing travel-friendly activities to keep them entertained. It is also important to inform both the departing school and the gaining school about the move. With smart preparation, a PCS move with kids can be a positive experience for the whole family.
School Resources
There are many resources to help turn a PCS move into an adventure. First off, notify the local school liaison at the departing duty station. If you live near a military base, the school liaison (SLO) can help you develop a checklist for disenrolling your child from their current school and help prepare for enrollment at the new location. If the school or district does not have a school liaison, contact the administration of the local school district at your new location.
Not all schools are familiar with the educational requirements in different states. Be sure to keep all records of your child’s academic standing including courses they have completed and standardized test scores. This helps you prove which grade and level your child will be ready for at the new duty station.
Plan Fun Stops Along the Way
Planning stops that offer educational experiences will give your whole family activities to look forward to along the journey. With school age kids, build in field trips to explore local historic sites, fun sightseeing stops, national parks, and museums. The kids can take part in this to help them feel engaged and excited about the move.
Military families can visit all the national parks with the free annual military pass. Veteran families and Gold Star families can gain free access as well with the lifetime pass.
In addition, many museums around the country participate in the Blue Star Museums program. This allows military families to enter any participating museum for free. Free activities for kids along the PCS route make great waypoints for breaking up a PCS road trip. If you homeschool, these activities can count as schoolwork even when you are on the road.
Include items that pack and store easily like coloring supplies and travel games. You will have an easy answer for the kids when they ask, “Are we there yet?” Engaging their minds and hands with simple activities in the car can make the trip more peaceful for everyone.
Keep Your Vehicle Organized
For a longer journey, organize the car for road trip success. The local Dollar Store may be a great place to look for small workbooks, crayons and games for a car trip. Make a point to stock up on the kids’ favorite snacks too. Snacks help lengthen the time between meal stops which allows more miles to be covered at a time.
Keep special activity packs, books, electronics and drinks at each child’s seat with an organizer. These strap to the back of each seat and provide kids space to store their road trip essentials so less mess piles up on the floor.
Two key items to include are earplugs and a blanket. These change the whole road trip experience. Ear plugs allow each person to quiet the vehicle noise, and the blanket provides comfort when each child needs it.
Keys to A Successful PCS with School Age Kids
A successful PCS with kids starts with a plan for comfort, fun, and most of all flexibility. Adults can stress out a bit with a military transition, so it is normal for kids to feel stronger emotions too.
Smart planning for a PCS move with kids can help support positive emotional response. Embrace the adventure of using the military move to explore new locations and gain quality time together as a family.