From Mufasa in The Lion King to the loss of Bambi’s mother, death is never far from a children’s film.
Yet for many parents, figuring out the right time — and language — to explain the cycle of life can be extremely challenging, especially when it comes after a death that’s closer to home than the other side of a screen.
So, how do you talk to young kids about death?
In a special episode of Play School, airing Monday 19 August on ABC, Australia’s longest-running children’s program is tackling that very question.
The episode, Beginnings and Endings, explores the joys and sorrows that come with the various stages of life — from buying a puppy to the death of a grandparent.
It’s the first time in Play School’s 53-year history that the show will explicitly talk about death and grief with its preschool-aged audience.
You can watch the episode on ABC IView here.
You can read the full article by Siobhan Hegarty here.
Image: In an episode, Little Ted’s goldfish Swish dies, and his friends gather around him for support.(ABC TV)