Butterfly Painting for Children's Grief Awareness Day



Last year for Children's Grief Awareness Day, we hosted a new event: Butterfly Painting! Students seemed to really enjoy this event, so we are hosting it again this year. I was going for a slowed down art therapy vibe and I feel that this event achieved that. Below I will share information about how we hosted this event. Children's Grief Awareness Day is hosted the Thursday before Thanksgiving each year. For more resources and information about Children's Grief Awareness Day, check out my full CGAD post here: Resources for Planning Children's Grief Awareness Day Events.

This post is timely because we are sending out the description of this event tomorrow (along with the other Children's Grief Awareness Day events we are hosting). Below is the event description that will be shared with students, families, and staff:

Tuesday, November 17th and Wednesday, November 18th – Decorate a Butterfly & Learn Ways to Help a Friend – During tutorial periods, students will have an opportunity to decorate a butterfly in memory of a loved one or in support of someone who is grieving. We will also provide tips and information for how to support a friend who is grieving.Students must fill out this Google Form using their own QV MAIL Address to receive a pass for this event: Butterfly Making and Support Workshop for Children’s Grief Awareness. Students must fill out this Google Form using their own QV MAIL Address to receive a pass for this event: Butterfly Making & Support Workshop for Children’s Grief Awareness. Students who sign up for this event will participate in this project in the School Counseling Office during their tutorial period on Tuesday, November 17th (A-Day) or Wednesday, November 18th (B-Day).

To sign up, students complete a Google Form that includes their email address, name, and day they are available to attend the event.


At the Butterfly Painting event, I provide students with a variety of butterfly prints on half-sheets of cardstock. Students can then choose to paint their butterfly with watercolor paint or decorate with markers. I also provide students with sharpies in case they want to write any messages on their butterflies.


The picture above shows how I set up the table last year. I put a variety of butterfly prints and supplies all over the table. I also had a few boxes of tissues on the table. In the background I projected information about grief and how to support a friend who is grieving.

Below is a list of the supplies I used:

Click to access CGAD Butterfly Pages to print for students to paint, color, and decorate!

After students completed the butterflies, I gave them the option to take the butterfly with them or display them on the windows of the school counseling office suite. I hung up the butterflies like a clothesline with string and mini clips. This year I am trying to think of some other ways to hang them up... maybe painter's tape? This will be a last minute decision!

Check out my full post about Resources for Children's Grief Awareness Day for even more ideas of how to host Children's Grief Awareness events at your school!



Connect with Danielle!

If you have questions, connect with me on on Instagram, Facebook, BlueSky, LinkedIn or email me at danielle@schcounselor.com.

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