It may not be obvious, but children can struggle to express their feelings. As a child’s brain develops, it’s important for adults and parents to learn skills to help children handle a wide range of emotions, especially in one long-overlooked area that is finally getting more attention: childhood bereavement.  

 November is Children’s Grief Awareness Month, and Explore & More – The Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Children’s Museum is participating in Healing with Play, a nationwide initiative led by children’s museums in partnership with the Association of Children’s Museums, Knology, and the New York Life Foundation to illuminate the needs of grieving children and the importance of support and resources for their grief journey. According to Judi’s House/JAG Institute, a leader in providing resources for grieving children and families, an estimated 1 in 11 children in the United States will experience the death of a parent or sibling before age 18.

As part of Healing with Play, Explore & More will host special programming on November 21, 2026, featuring the New York Life Foundation and WNY Compassion Connection. The day will focus on how play can be a powerful tool in bereavement. Play is children’s natural language, offering a safe outlet for emotions they may not yet have words to express. Through play, children can act out scenarios, process change, and begin to make sense of difficult concepts, including death. It also serves as a powerful tool for emotional regulation, helping them release stress and regain a sense of control during times of grief and uncertainty. By providing a supportive environment, children’s museums can help strengthen resilience in children and families facing loss while advancing the field’s commitment to trauma-informed practices and programming. 

 Please visit www.exploreandmore.org/healingwithplay for more information, including museum hours.