Activities for Children and Young People
Sharing an activity together with a child or young person can be a supportive way of talking about bereavement and connecting as a family. Stories and activities can help a child or young person understand and come to terms with a situation and find ways which help them to cope and feel better over time. Reading, drawing or making things together as a family can be a helpful way to connect and support each other.
Resources and books for children and young people (separated into age-groups)
Click here to view a child-friendly video about bereavement which may offer children and young people a gentle introduction to their grief and understanding of their loss.
PDF with activities to support grieving children (different age groups)
There are lots of lovely ideas for children of all ages to try – every child is different and may find comfort in different ways – lots of things to try here at Youth Light
The little book of loss (primary age children) (An illustrated booklet with helpful key messages for children – a good one to read together)
The Smart Grief Guide (an interactive website for secondary age children helping them explore all the different feelings they might be experiencing)
Websites for Young People
Sometimes a young person might want time and space to find out things on their own. Offering them space to do this but to come back to you knowing they can talk about anything with you can be helpful.
Hope Again: Hope Again is the youth website of Cruse Bereavement Care
Help2MakeSense: A website for young people with podcasts, advice pages and articles from a young person’s perspective.
Seasons for Growth
Seasons for Growth is a programme about loss and change which professionals can be trained to deliver directly to children and young people. If you are a trained companion there are more resources available on the Seasons for Growth website.
Saying Goodbye and Funerals
Due to social distancing requirements, some children and young people may not be able to attend the funeral of a loved one during this pandemic. Some suggestions about other ways to say goodbye can be found below
Nelson’s Journey – Guidance for families around funerals
Quaker Social Action – Coronavirus – organising a meaningful funeral
All links and information are correct at time of writing. No responsibility can be taken for the content of external links.
