Resources for Planning Children's Grief Awareness Events: Plus Printable Butterflies

I have been hosting Children's Grief Awareness Day at school ever since I was an intern and I am shocked to find that I have not written about it on this blog since 2009!

Below I will share what I am doing this year for Children's Grief Awareness and share some pictures of what I have done in the past. I also share lots of resources you can access for free to plan Children's Grief Awareness events at your school!


This year we will host events and activities leading up to Children's Grief Awareness Day, Thursday, November 20th. The purpose of Children's Grief Awareness Day is to show support to students and members of our school community who may be experiencing grief and loss. 

The holiday season can be a particularly difficult time for students, families, and staff who are grieving. Student members of our #bethekindkid group will assist with creating displays and facilitating the events this week. 

View this video from The Highmark Caring Place to learn more about Children’s Grief Awareness Day: What is Children's Grief Awareness Day? (We will be showing this video to students at a school-wide assembly this week and remind them of the events we have planned.)


Click for a Template Version that you can edit!


Click for a Template Version that you can edit!

Events we are hosting this week include: 
Monday, November 17th and Tuesday, November 18th – Butterfly Making & Support Workshops -Decorate a Butterfly & Learn Ways to Help a Friend

During students' study hall periods, they 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 will sign up via a Google Form and will then receive a digital pass to attend the event.

Students from our #BeTheKindKid group will help facilitate these events. 


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

Thursday, November 20th – BLUE OUT for Children’s Grief Awareness Day – We are encouraging students and staff to wear BLUE on Thursday to raise awareness and show support. 

For more information about Children's Grief Awareness Day and the resources available from the Highmark Caring Place, visit: https://www.childrensgriefawarenessday.org/cgad2/index.shtml

There are a TON of free resources available on the Children's Grief Awareness Day website including:
This year we are having students write messages on blank butterflies and giving them the opportunity to decorate them with watercolor paint, markers, crayons, or colored pencils.

Here are the supplies I am using:
I will also be using the Highmark Caring Place resources I shared above.

Below are some pictures from previous Children's Grief Awareness Days...


If you live near a Highmark Caring Place, they provide you with resources to use to organize Children's Grief Awareness Events at your school.


In the past I have set up a table during lunch to have students decorate butterflies. We used the Emerson machine at one of our elementary schools to make the butterflies on construction paper.


This is an example of how we displayed the butterflies in the past.


Last year, we purchased die cut butterflies on Amazon and had students write on them with a sharpie. We then displayed them for our Wall of Support.


Sharing the Caring Place Resources again here:

For more information about Children's Grief Awareness Day and the resources available from the Highmark Caring Place, visit: https://www.childrensgriefawarenessday.org/cgad2/index.shtml

There are a TON of free resources available on the Children's Grief Awareness Day website including:

Connect with Danielle!

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

If you use this idea, I would love to see it in action! Tag me or share with me!

Need a speaker for your school counseling group? 

Book Danielle for an in-person or virtual workshop for your local, state, or national school counseling conference here: http://bit.ly/drsworkshop.

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