Children’s Grief Awareness Day is November 18, 2021
Children’s Grief Awareness Day is an international movement and is recognized locally by wearing blue. The day was designed to help children and teens that are bereaved to know they are not alone. Created in 2008, Children’s Grief Awareness Day is observed every year on the third Thursday in November. This time of year is particularly appropriate to support grieving children everywhere, as the holiday season can be especially difficult.
Children’s Grief Awareness Day seeks to bring attention to the fact that community support can make all the difference in the life of a grieving child.
Hospice Calgary is committed to helping every grieving child or teen in Calgary and Area.
Children’s Grief Centre has partnered with the Calgary Public Library to bring you a reading list to support the grieving child or youth in your life, see that list here.
Our team will be recognizing Children’s Grief Awareness Day by wearing blue and offering a platform on social media using the #CGADHope and #childgriefday hashtags.
Children’s Grief Awareness Day began as a way to help others understand the impact of death on children and their need for support. Wear BLUE on November 18 to show your support to the grieving children around us.
Let every grieving child and teen know they’re not alone
- Wear BLUE on November 18th for Children’s Grief Awareness Day
- Download and print our Children’s Grief Awareness Day poster
- Add a Children’s Grief Awareness Day photo frame to your profile on Facebook
- Download the Children’s Grief Awareness Day butterfly colouring page
- Create a luminary in honour of your person. Show us a picture of it lit on November 18th
- Share your own story and remember to use the hashtags #CGADHope #childgriefday #YoureNotAlone and mention us @childrensgriefca or @hospicecalgary
- Join the conversation on social media to show your support. Below are some messages you can copy and share. If you are wearing blue, be sure to share a photo of that too:
Today is Children’s Grief Awareness Day. Join the conversation and raise awareness! #CGADHope #childgriefday #grief #yyc #YoureNotAlone
Want to learn more about supporting a child or teen in #yyc facing grief due to death? Visit hospicecalgary.ca, they can help. #CGADHope #childgriefday #grief #mentalhealth #yyc #YoureNotAlone
No child or teen should have to feel alone when someone close to them dies. #CGADHope #childgriefday #grief #mentalhealth #YoureNotAlone
Know a child or teen in #yyc that is grieving? Tell them #theyrenotalone and @childrensgrief is here to help: 403-263-4525. #childgriefday
Suggested Books for Children
View the full children bibliography
Suggested Books for Teens
View the full teen bibliography
Additional Resources
We have gathered the following resources for you. Visit our Resources page for more.

For Children
Supporting Children
- Canadian Alliance for Grieving Children and Youth
- Children's Grief Centre Brochure
- Child & Teen Grief after a Suicide
- How Children Grieve and Ways We Can Help
- Informing a Child of a Death
- Preparing Emotionally for Disasters or Emergencies
- Psychological First Aid After a Disaster
- Recovery after a Disaster or Emergency
- Responding to a Disaster or Emergency
- Sleep Disturbances
- Talking To Children about Life-Threatening Illness
- When Bad Things Happen
- When Grief Goes to School
- When the Holidays Hurt
- Lost for Words - Advice for Children About How to Cope with Grief
Suggested Books for Children
- Ida, Always by Caron Levis
- In My Heart: A Book of Feelings by Jo Witek
- Life is Like the Wild by Shona Innes
- Tear Soup: A Recipe for Healing After Loss by Pat Schwiebert, Chuck DeKlyen
- The Invisible String by Patricia Karst
- The Next Place by Warren Hanson
- Wherever You Are: My Love Will Find You by Nancy Tillman





For Teens
Supporting Teens
- Canadian Alliance for Grieving Children and Youth
- Children's Grief Centre Brochure
- Child & Teen Grief after a Suicide
- How Teens Grieve and Ways We Can Help
- Informing a Child of a Death
- Preparing Emotionally for Disasters or Emergencies
- Psychological First Aid After a Disaster
- Recovery after a Disaster or Emergency
- Responding to a Disaster or Emergency
- Sleep Disturbances
- Talking To Teens about Life-Threatening Illness
- When Bad Things Happen
- When Grief Goes to School
- When the Holidays Hurt
Suggested Books for Teens
- Someone I Loved Died by Suicide by Doreen T. Cammarata
- The Grieving Teen: A Guide for Teenagers and their Friends by Helen Fitzgerald
- The Invisible String by Patricia Karst
- The Next Place by Warren Hanson
- When a Friend Dies: A Book for Teens about Grieving and Healing by Marilyn Grootman
- Wherever You Are: My Love Will Find You by Nancy Tillman





For Families
- Canadian Alliance for Grieving Children and Youth
- Children's Grief Centre Brochure
- Child & Teen Grief after a Suicide
- Family Conversations about MAID
- Helping Your Child or Teen Recover from a Disaster or Emergency
- How Children Grieve and Ways We Can Help
- How Teens Grieve and Ways We Can Help
- Informing a Child of a Death
- MyGrief.ca
- Preparing Emotionally for Disasters or Emergencies
- Psychological First Aid After a Disaster
- Recovery after a Disaster or Emergency
- Responding to a Disaster or Emergency
- Should My Child Attend the Funeral?
- Sleep Disturbances
- Talking To Children about Life-Threatening Illness
- Talking to Teens about Life-Threatening Illness
- When Bad Things Happen
- When Grief Goes to School
- When the Holidays Hurt
- Video: Each member of a family grieves differently (French)
Special Event & Holidays
- Help for the Holidays
- The Year I Ran Away From Christmas
- When Bad Things Happen
- When Grief Goes to School
- When the Holidays Hurt
Suggested Books for Families
- Healing A Teen's Heart: 100 Practical Ideas For Families, Friends and Caregivers by Alan Wolfelt
- Help Me Say Goodbye: Activities for Helping Kids Cope when Someone Special Dies by Janis Silverman
- Helping Children Grieve by Theresa Huntley
- I Miss You: A First Look at Death by Pat Thomas
- Never Too Young To Know: Death in Children's Lives by Phyllis Silverman
- Waterbugs and Dragonflies: Explaining Death to Children by Doris Stickney
- When Someone Very Special Dies: Children Can Learn to Cope with Grief by Marge Eaton Heegaard
View the full bibliography