Abstract

Life is full of changes; they happen all the time. Some changes are harder to cope with than others.'

Seeds of Hope Bereavement and Loss Activity Book uses nature to help children understand death, loss and change in a gentle and honest way. Full of creative activities, such as choosing an insect or plant and using it to draw a life cycle, or making a paper memory tree of happy and sad memories, it helps children learn about loss and death, the cycle of life and how to cope with and express feelings of sadness and grief.

This book is ideal for parents and carers, teachers, therapists and counsellors to use with children aged 5+ who have suffered any type of loss or are dealing with change, or who are bereaved.

Understanding the cycle of nature is an essential part of understanding the cycle of life. This creative and imaginative activity book uses the world of nature to explore this. Children and adults are encouraged to discuss the beginning and the end of life in all its forms, to ask questions and seek answers together. A lifetime's experience in this area has taught me that children benefit tremendously from being helped to talk openly about these issues. I highly recommend Caroline Jay and Unity-Joy Dale's wonderful Seeds of Hope Bereavement and Loss Activity Book.
Jenni Thomas OBE, bereavement counsellor
For those teachers at a loss for how to address this most sensitive topic in a sensitive manner, this book offers a wealth of original and creative ideas.
Noel Purdy, Stranmillis University College, Belfast
NAPCE Journal: Pastoral Care in Education
Caroline Jay founded and runs the Seeds of Hope Children's Garden, a national charity which aims to promote the use of nature in helping children manage loss. For twelve years she ran a SANDS (Stillbirth and Neonatal Death charity) group, supporting families after the death of a baby. She is the co-author of 'What Does Dead Mean? A Book for Young Children to Help Explain Death and Dying' published by Jessica Kingsley Publishers.
As a teacher for more than thirty years, I have had in my care many children who have suffered the loss of a parent, sibling or close friend. Death for all of us is devastating but for a child it will create a wealth of emotions that are incomprehensible. For each it is unique. The Seeds of Hope Bereavement and Loss Activity Book gives a wide variety of ideas to help the child explore, recognise and accept their feelings in a concrete, thoughtful and healing way. I would highly recommend it to all those in education, to empower you when needed or as a way of teaching about death and renewal on a regular basis.
Yvonne Cameron, Teacher