The Hare-Shaped Hole

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We believe in providing resources that support children’s emotional well-being. Our grief worksheets, coupled with these tips and recommended reading, aim to bring a gentle guidance to children navigating the complex journey of grief. What do our grief worksheets for kids look like Hurtle and Bertle were a pair, they had always been a pair. One was a turtle and one was a hare but they didn’t matter to the pair, best friends forever hey were always together until … unexpectedly … there was an end. Make their hole out of playdough. How big is it? Bertle’s was ‘Hare shaped’ what shape is theirs? Can they make the shape?

Then another character appears called Gerda the kindly bear and she waits until he is ready and she cuddles him and lets him feel all his feelings. She then encourages Bertle to fill the hare shaped hole with all the wonderful memories of Hertle. Bertle gradually starts to feel better. Knowing what these stages are and how the pupil is experiencing them will give a better understanding of themselves and their unique experience. It will hopefully help them meet their own needs during the grieving process. Also knowing that they feel the emotions that they are feeling will normalize them and help them understand that it is ok. They are normal and there is hope, acceptance and healing for the future. Our grief worksheets for kids offer a series of engaging and therapeutic activities. From drawing exercises to writing prompts, these worksheets provide a safe space for children to explore their emotions and share their thoughts about loss. The Hare-Shaped Holeis a beautiful, touching, and poignant picture book which gently explores themes of grief and loss.A beautiful, gentle, rhyming exploration of grief and mourning." - Joe Coelho, Waterstones Children's Laureate

LoveReading4Kids exists because books change lives, and buying books through LoveReading4Kids means you get to change the lives of future generations, with 25% of the cover price donated to schools in need. Join our community to get personalised book suggestions, extracts straight to your inbox, 10% off RRPs, and to change children’s lives. Renata’s wren encounter proves magical, one most children could only wish to experience outside of this lovely story. Draw or paint their special person, the person that helped them when their person or pet had gone. Just like Gerda did for Bertle. What sort of characteristics did that person have? How did that person make them feel? Can they make the facial expression or give a name to the feeling? Prompts could be ‘safe, cared for, relieved, comfortable, supported etc’ Hello Yellow - 80 Books to Help Children Nurture Good Mental Health and Support With Anxiety and Wellbeing - John Dougherty was born in Larne, Northern Ireland. He studied psychology at university and then tried his hand at a number of jobs including YMCA hostel worker, factory machine operator, and unsuccessful singer-songwriter, before becoming a primary school teacher.Print out the picture of Gerda and ask the child to fill Gerda with colours that represent kindness, caring, support and safety’. They can use playdough, paints or coloured pens. Remind the child that Gerda helped Bertle to feel safe and supported. Hertle and Bertle were always a pair, though one was a turtle and one was a hare. They were utterly buddies, and best friends forever, and whenever you looked, you would find them together... until quite unexpectedly... the end came. Bertle eventually starts to talk to Gerda about Hertle. Is it a good thing to talk about the person or pet that has gone? Please note I have used the term ‘person or pet that has gone’ rather than using lost. I think lost can make a pupil think that ‘THEY lost them’. Please adapt when talking to the pupil as necessary. Much of my work is around the notion of continuing bonds, that rather than finding closure, or leaving the loss behind (which is usually the most distressing aspect of grief – of time passing, and memories fading, we find ways of connecting to the person we have lost, through memory books, writing, bringing them into our lives in a new way whilst they are not there physically any more. ‘ Then speak out those memories! Speak them out loud! Let the emptiness know that you’re grateful and proud…..

Remember, it’s okay to seek help, and it’s certainly okay to grieve. We’re here to help every step of the way. Did you feel despair when your person or pet disappeared? What did you do? Is it good to cry? Do you think letting out your feelings is good? Do you feel better after a good cry?Draw some cloud shapes to represent memories and ask the child to draw their memories of the person or pet that has gone. What body signs do they get when they feel despair? Use the fans to choose phrases and draw a body shape for pupils to add words or phrases to how they feel inside. They could also use colours or playdough for this and just talk about those sensations. They could even make those sensations with playdough. Rough, smooth, spikey, hard, soft, knotty, wobbly etc This sensations mat will also be helpful. This is not just the perfect book for children adapting to loss, or children supporting a friend (over a death, change in a friendship or divorce) but for adults too – I will be recommending it to both and it will be sitting on my desk to remind me, for many years to come.