1. Cuddle up together and read Something Small, in which Elmo’s cousin Jesse has recently lost her daddy.
  1. After you read, talk about the small things children remember about their loved one. It might be his hair, her smile, his favorite shirt, or a favorite game they played together.
  1. Invite children to draw on small slips of paper. They can use crayons or markers to draw pictures of the “small things” they remember about their loved one (such as her eyes, his favorite sandwich, his hands, her favorite flower). They can also dictate to you what to write on their drawing.
  1. Together, place the slips of paper in different places, such as in children’s backpacks, on top of a dresser, or next to their bed. Throughout the day, the tiny drawings will remind children of their loved one, and may offer some small comfort.