The Best Sympathy Gifts For Children
Gifts you can give children who are suffering a loss of a family member of friend. Give your deepest sympathy with a great gift or a beautiful inspirational poem to help your child through this time of sorrow.
Gifts for mourning children are best offered as a means to make life a little easier for a special youngster who has recently lost someone close to them.
With this in mind, we’re going to share with you not just 10+ considerate gift ideas for bereaved children, but also some advice for assisting youngsters who are grieving over the loss of a loved one.
See also: 49 Brilliant Gifts For Kids That Aren’t Toys
This post may contain affiliate links. Full privacy policy and disclosure here.
Allowing Kids To Grieve
When it comes to death and dying, even very young children know more than we generally give them credit for. I was one of those kids who lost a parent at the young age of 5, and I remember it all 30 years later.
Whether a child just lost a beloved pet or have recently endured the life-changing death of a parent, grandparent, sibling, or friend, the anguish they’re feeling is very genuine and may be all-consuming (and downright bewildering), especially if it’s their first major loss.
So right now, more than anything, you want to better understand the grieving child in your life so that you may better assist them work through their difficult feelings.
So, while you consider what to get the grieving youngster in your life, attempt to put yourself in their shoes.
Thoughtful Gifts for Grieving Children
The purpose here isn’t just to give your child a toy or something else to distract them from their grief; rather, these the best gift choices should have actual value and can help your child heal from their loss in this difficult time.
QuotebookJournal
This Quotebook Journal is a great gift for grieving children so they can write down their thoughts and feelings as a therapeutic outlet. This particular quotebook is made with beautiful moleskin, and is a wonderful way for a grieving child to connect to their inner self.
Memory Bear
Mementos & Monograms is an Etsy store that will utilise the clothes of a deceased family members to make a one-of-a-kind teddy bear memorial gift. This memory bear is a great way to give an everlasting souvenir with a special meaning for the grieving child in your life, and it’s a gift they’ll cherish beyond their time of sorrow.
Grief Journal
The Angel Catcher for Kids Journal provides a therapeutic outlet for kids who appreciate that type of thing through easy question-and-answer prompts and other creative techniques. It is essential the perfect gift!
You may also buy the adult version for yourself if you’re experienced the loss of child.
Memory Necklace
A memory necklace is a thoughtful sympathy gift with a place for a small photo like this is a great idea for kids who want to keep their loved one close to their hearts. Its a sweet gesture and kids will treasure it forever. You can always engrave some important words on a special necklace as well.
Sympathy Gift Basket
Gift baskets are a wonderful gift for grieving kids who have lost a family member that help provide thoughts of comfort.
You might put together a condolence gift basket on your own. Fill it with items you know your child would enjoy, and you might just be able to brighten their day a little so make sure a poem card included.
Here are a few suggestions of gifts for heartfelt condolences:
- Food/snacks/treats
- Books, hot chocolate, and mugs
- Writing/drawing equipment and a journal
- Games with cards
- art materials
Memorial Quilt
On days when the pain is still raw, a quilt is ideal for snuggling with to help ease that pain and provide heartfelt sympathies. You can make your own, or hire a local company to make it for you. Use the clothes of the person you lost to make it very special.
Alternatively you can give your child an angel blanket like this that has beautiful angel’s wings and special words to get them through the grieving process.
Keepsake Box
A great way to help your child grieve is by giving them a keepsake box. It’s the ideal condolence gift for tweens and adolescents who want a specific location to store photographs, cards, inherited jewellery or trinkets, and so on.
You can use a keepsake box to fill with items the deceased loved, and then add it to the casket at the funeral home.
Books
Grieving kids will appreciate books as gifts as a unique children’s sympathy gift. One of my particular faves is The Fall of Freddie the Leaf, which depicts the “death” of Freddie, a leaf who gradually realises that life as he knows it would cease one day.
Memorial Seed Packs
For everyone, getting out in nature can be quite soothing. This is particularly true for a youngster who has just experienced a loss.
These memorial seed packets, which are engraved with the name of their dead loved one, include ready-to-plant wildflower seeds and feature a cardinal picture.
Do Something Special
Take your child to a place that was meaningful to the person who has died. Did Grandma like going to the beach? Go! Together, write her name in the sand on the beach and watch as the waves gently drag it out to sea. Uncle John was a movie buff, right? Make the anniversary of his death a joyous event by going to the movies every year. That would have been fantastic for him.
See also: Best Candy Jokes For Kids
Make a balloon release on your own. Although many funeral homes provide these services, you may simply recreate the experience yourself for a fraction of the cost. It’s also something that kids can participate in that is actually significant.
Memorial candles, wind chimes, and even a comforting angel plush throw are all things that can add to giving out the warmest condolences for a grieving child.
How To Help Your Grieving Child
Give them time and space
Every child is unique and sometimes the only thing they need is space. Some people will take longer to return to normalcy than others, depending on their age and developmental maturity.
This implies that when it comes to condolence presents, people might not react the way you imagined they would. That’s OK. Keep in mind that they are going through a lot and are probably unsure of how to feel or behave.
So give the present and leave them to their own devices. You might be able to get some flowers that do the same day delivery service and give them a special gift at a later time after they’ve had some space.
Don’t bother them by asking how they like it or if they’ve utilised or exhibited it. Give them your present, make them know you care, explain why you gave it to them, chat to them if they want to (or listen if they don’t), and then give them your gift.
Ensure that your child is eating and sleeping well
No one, especially a little youngster, can go through sorrow if they are malnourished or sleep deprived.
If they’re having trouble eating, offer to take them to their favourite restaurant to distract them for a bit. Allow them to sleep with you, or you with them, if they are having problems sleeping.
Of course, if you discover that your child’s eating or sleeping patterns have drastically changed, there’s nothing wrong with seeking expert help.
If they’re already having difficulties sleeping or eating, avoid stimulating goods (like video games) or junk food and candy as a nice condolence gift. Consider how they’re doing in regard to what you’re giving and how your present could harm them.
Keep up with routines
Everyday routines provide stability for children, allowing them to know what to expect next if they’re puzzled about what’s going on.
As a result, create your present in the tradition of the past. Did you take them out every week for ice cream? Continue to do so. Did the departed loved one take them out every week for ice cream? Now that their loved one has passed away, see if you can commemorate (rather than replace) their memory by taking the child out for ice cream.