Pet Loss: When Birds Fly Away
Ages 2–7 PBSMax 60 min
Big Bird's pet bird Radar goes missing and is presumed dead. The episode handles the grief of pet loss with remarkable honesty for young children, including adults' own sadness.
Episodes to watch 2
Daniel Learns About Death / A Sad Goodbye
Ages 2–6 PeacockPBS 28 min
When Daniel's fish dies, his family helps him understand what death means and that it's okay to feel sad. A gentle, age-appropriate introduction to death and grief for the youngest viewers.
Books to read 4
Lifetimes: The Beautiful Way to Explain Death to Children
Ages 3–8
A gentle, honest book that explains death as a natural part of all living things, with the concept of 'beginnings and endings and living in between.' A clinical favorite for introducing death before or after a loss.
The Tenth Good Thing About Barney
Ages 3–8
When a boy's cat Barney dies, his mother asks him to think of ten good things about Barney for the funeral. A beautifully honest book about grief, memory, and finding meaning after a pet's death.
Badger's Parting Gifts
Ages 4–8
When the wise and beloved Badger dies, his friends grieve together and remember the gifts — skills, memories, and love — he left behind. A classic of the bibliotherapy canon for grandparent loss.
When Dinosaurs Die: A Guide to Understanding Death
Ages 3–8
Using friendly dinosaur characters, this book explains death honestly — what it means, why it happens, what feelings are normal, and how families grieve. A go-to clinical recommendation for death education.