Resources for Children
When someone dies, children may want to ask questions, make something, read together or simply have someone nearby. Choose a starting point that fits your child today.
Activities Together
Try drawing, making or remembering together. A child can decide how much to share.
Invite your child to choose a color for how today feels. They can tell you about it or just draw.
Words for Talking About Death
Find examples of clear, everyday language to use when a child asks a question.
If a child asks whether it’s wrong to feel relieved, angry, or happy, give them room to name what they feel. You can start with, “I’m glad you told me.”
Meet Other Children
Learn what a peer group evening is like and how a family can get started.
It’s Not Fair!
Ashley loved Friday nights at Grandma Pat’s house. After both of her grandmas died, she brought her questions to group.
Read the full story
Our daughter Ashley had extra special relationships with both of her grandmas. We spent a lot of time at Grandma Pat’s house on Friday nights, Sundays after church and holidays. Then in April of 2010, Grandma Pat died. She had been sick for some time and we all knew that she would be going to Heaven. Still, when she died, it was very hard on Ashley to understand why Grandma had to leave us.
We had heard wonderful things about Ele’s Place and knew it would be a great place to help the family with our grief and sadness. When we called, we felt like the staff really cared, that our family mattered, and that this was not just a job to them. So, we started attending weekly group sessions.
Suddenly, two months later, Ashley’s other Grandma Sandy died. Ashley’s first words to us were “Now I have no Grandmas left to love me, and it’s not fair!”
It’s difficult to understand death as an adult, let alone as a child. Ele’s Place helped Ashley to know that she was not alone, and provided answers to a lot of her questions about death. She felt very safe and secure with her caring group facilitators after getting to know them.
When we think about how many lives Ele’s Place has touched and helped, it makes us smile. Keep doing what you’re doing, Ele’s Place!