If a child is old enough to experience loss, they’re old enough to learn about loss in gentle, honest, and in age-appropriate ways. Teaching children about death and grief gives them emotional foundations they will build upon for the rest of their lives. When we help kids understand what they’re feeling instead of shielding them from it, they build resilience, compassion, and capacity to navigate future challenges.
Children experience grief differently than adults. Think back to your first loss and how it impacted you. What did you understand, or not understand at that time? Children may not have the words for their loss, but they will express their loss through behavior changes or questioning. Providing them with safe, simple outlets for grief, like creative activities, conversation, movement, or time with a trusted adult, helps them process what’s happening inside.
If you are experiencing a loss along with a child, it’s ok for them to see the sadness of their caregivers. We’ve provided some resources for family support below.
One of our core values is accessibility: in green funeral options and in grief support. Below are free and low-cost resources available to grieving children, teens, and their families in Los Angeles.
Grief support groups give children a safe space to express feelings they may not yet have the words for. Children often feel less alone in these groups, and the emotions they feel are normalized. Grief groups are guided by trained facilitators to teach healthy coping skills and encourage emotional expression.
Family Support
📍 West Los Angeles and Woodland Hills
Ages: 4.5 - 18 (plus parents & guardians)
Cost: Sliding Scale
Meeting Frequency: Thursday evenings, every other week
Organized by age, these groups support children who have experienced the death of a parent, sibling, or someone close within the last two years. Through grief-related art projects, writing exercises, and play activities, trained group leaders help participants express feelings and move through their grieving process.
School-Based Grief Support Group
📍 Los Angeles, Culver City, Santa Monica/Malibu, Inglewood, Compton, Glendale and Hawthorne Unified School Districts as well as their Charter and Magnet schools
Ages: 4.5 - 18
Cost: Free
Meeting Frequency: Once a week for 10 weeks during the school day
Offered directly on school campuses, these free groups provide a safe space for children who have experienced the death of a family member or close friend. Students are identified by school personnel and invited to participate in the 10-week program, where they can share feelings with peers who understand their loss.
School-Based Grief Support Group
📍 Long Beach
Ages: 18 and Under
Cost: Free
Meeting Frequency: once a week for 8 weeks during the normal school day for 60-70 minutes
These peer-support groups are facilitated by trained volunteers and interns and include 8–12 students identified by school personnel. Programs focus on normalizing grief, honoring loved ones who have died, and building a supportive community within the school.
Grief camps are often structured similarly to traditional summer camps, but focus on helping kids navigate a loss through emotional support, connection, and play. Camps help reduce isolation through being surrounded by peers who “get it” Trained counselors help children understand and express their emotions through guided activities.
Camp Erin L.A. from Our House Grief Support Center
📍Los Angeles
Ages: 6-17
Cost: Free
Frequency: One weekend day in August
Camp Erin holds classic camp activities infused with grief support. For many campers, it’s the first time they feel comfortable speaking openly about their grief and are supported without judgment or stigma.
📍Lake Hughes
Ages: students entering 4th through 12th grade
Cost: Free
Frequency: One week in August
Experience Camps support children and teens who have lost a parent, sibling, or primary caregiver. Campers form deep connections with peers who understand their loss, break through feelings of isolation, and enjoy a full week of camp fun while learning coping skills and building resilience.
Pollen provides comprehensive end-of-life support services for families, including guidance for children navigating grief. Their curated collection of children’s grief literature helps young people understand loss through stories and age-appropriate language.
Children’s Hospital Los Angeles support groups: search their offerings by age and need
Psychology Today. : search “grief” + age group + your ZIP code to find additional therapists and support groups
Grieving children can grow through loss rather than feel defined or stifled by it. These resources offer a starting point for families seeking guidance and serve as reminders that help is available, community exists, and healing is possible.
We’re a green funeral home out to rewrite how society approaches life’s final chapter –transforming it into something more meaningful, more personal and more connected to the world around us.
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