Memory Boxes
A box full of mementos can help comfort kids as they remember a loved one.
- Watch the video together, then create your own memory box just like Jesse’s. Help children find special things that remind them of their loved one who died, such as photos, drawings, items of clothing, or books the person used to read to them. Put these things into a box (it can be as simple as an empty cardboard box).
- Decorate the box with stickers, crayons, markers, or pictures. Whenever they like, kids can look at the items in the box to remember times they shared with their loved one, and special things about the person that they always want to keep in their heart. Together, find a safe place to keep the box.
When Kids Need Special-Special Comfort
In the midst of big changes, comfort items such as small stuffed animals and blankets can provide a sense of continuity in a child’s life.
Remembering
For children and adults, it’s important to celebrate the lives of our loved ones who have died.
Grief and Change Caused by COVID-19
It’s okay to have feelings of grief when we experience changes big and small.
Helping Children Through Grief Related To COVID-19
There are ways to help families talk about death, express their feelings, and grieve together.
Open Ended Art
Doing open-ended art activities together helps adults and children relax and connect.
Showing and Sharing Feelings
Naming a big feeling can help children begin to understand it, and later regulate it.
Coloring to Calm Down
Coloring can help both children and grown-ups feel more calm and grounded.
