Death can be a scary experience for a child or teenager. The finality of most grieving rituals, including funerals and wakes, may not soothe away your youth's grief over losing someone she loved. She may need more time to grieve and find closure in the situation. Since children and youth are more hands-on learners, activities that support grieving youth can be put into place to help youth vocalize their grief, understand it and then move on when they are ready.
Spiritual Activities
Depending on your religion, you might have a variety of spiritual activities that your child or teen can become a part of. Praying for the deceased, setting up a memorial, using chants or meditation can all help your child accept his grief and pain, says HelpGuide.org. It can help him to vocalize his fears and find a way to stay close to the spirit of the deceased. Talking to a clergyman can also help your child come to grips and find solace in talking to an understanding person who shares his beliefs.
Memory Box
Making a memory box can give your child or teen something tangible to remember the deceased by. Collect things from nature or a craft store to help decorate a shoe box or wooden craft box, suggests Hope Hospice. Once the box has been created, the youth can fill it with items that preserve the memory of the deceased--favorite objects, saved mementos and other small items. When she feels upset or sad because of the loss, the box can allow her to remember the better times.
Field Trip
A grieving child or teen may take solace in being able to figuratively "visit" the deceased. While a cemetery may be upsetting for smaller children, visiting a spot that the deceased once enjoyed can bring about the same feeling of peace and visitation. A lake, a park or vacation spot is made special when the trip is dedicated to the deceased, and it can make your youth feel like he's going to visit someone that he misses very much.
Grief Camp
The Moyor Foundation sponsors Camp Erin, a summer camp that caters to children and youth from age 6 to 17 that have dealt with a loss and are in the process of grieving. A camp experience can help your child or teen connect with other youthdealing with grief, as well as participate in activities that help them work through grief, including group therapy and crafts. Youth learn healthy coping strategies while working with counselors that are dedicated to the health of their youth.
Grief Letter
Your child or teen may be upset that she never got the proper chance to say goodbye to the deceased. Because of this, writing a letter to the deceased can help her find closure in saying goodbye, suggests the Utah State University Extension Service. If your child is too young to write, help her draw a picture or write a few key words down. You could then bring the letter to the cemetery or, if you're religious, attach it to a helium balloon to send it up in the sky toward heaven.
