10 Activities to Explore & Manage Grief

Grief is a personal and often overwhelming experience that affects everyone differently. Whether you're a child, teen, or adult, finding ways to process and express grief is essential to healing. While grief can’t be rushed or “fixed,” there are healthy, creative, and supportive ways to move through it. This article offers a collection of meaningful activities designed to help you explore emotions, remember your loved ones, and begin to process your loss in a gentle, intentional way.

What does processing grief mean?

Processing grief means actively engaging with the thoughts, emotions, and experiences that arise after a loss, rather than avoiding or suppressing them. When you think of how to process grief, it can look different for every individual. It involves recognizing the pain of loss, making space for feelings like sadness, anger, guilt, or confusion, and finding ways to express and make sense of those emotions over time. Through activities like journaling, creating art, talking with others, or joining support groups, individuals begin to integrate the reality of the loss into their lives, reshape their identity without the person who died, and gradually rebuild a sense of meaning and connection. The grief process is not about “getting over” the loss, but learning to live with it in a way that honors both the pain and the love that remains.

1. Build a memory box

A memory box is a decorated container filled with meaningful items, photos, and mementos that remind someone of a loved one who has died. It offers a tangible way to honor and stay connected to the person who passed away, creating a safe space to hold memories and emotions.

How to do it:

1. Choose a container.: Use a shoebox, small wooden box, or any container you like. It can be plain or already decorated.

2. Decorate the outside.: Personalize it with paint, stickers, drawings, meaningful words, or the person's name.

3. Select items to include.: Gather small objects, photos, letters, souvenirs, or anything that reminds you of the person.

4. Write a note or letter.: Include a written message, memory, or poem to place inside the box.

5. Add items over time.: The memory box doesn't have to be finished in one sitting. You can add to it as new memories come up.

6. Use it as needed.: When you're feeling sad, nostalgic, or want to remember, open the box and look through the contents.

Memory boxes help manage grief by offering a safe, concrete way to preserve and revisit memories. They provide comfort and emotional grounding, especially when the pain of loss feels overwhelming or abstract. Creating and interacting with the box allows mourners to process their feelings, celebrate their relationship with the person who died, and keep that bond alive in a healthy, healing way. For children, it can also make grief more understandable and approachable through touch and creativity.

2. Create a feelings collage

A feelings collage is a creative way to express emotions using images, words, and colors. It allows individuals to visually represent their grief experience without needing to articulate every feeling in words. This is an excellent option when seeking grief activities for kids since it can help them both be creative and identify their emotions.

How to do it:

1. Gather materials.: You'll need paper or poster board, scissors, glue, magazines, newspapers, or printed images.

2. Look for images and words.: Flip through magazines or online sources and cut out anything that reflects your current feelings — faces, colors, words, or scenes.

3. Arrange your selections.: Lay out the images and words on your paper before gluing them down, arranging them in a way that feels meaningful.

4. Glue everything in place.: Once you're satisfied with the layout, glue each piece onto the paper.

5. Add any final touches.: Use markers or pens to write your own words, draw, or add symbols.

6. Reflect or share.: Spend a few minutes looking at your collage and notice what it communicates. You can also share it with a trusted person or therapist.

This activity gives form to abstract or overwhelming emotions. By using visual elements, people can explore grief without relying on verbal explanation. It's especially helpful for children, teens, or anyone who struggles to talk about feelings, providing validation and insight into what they’re carrying inside.

3. Write letters

Writing a letter to the person who died is a powerful tool for emotional expression and ongoing connection. It offers a way to say what was left unsaid and explore feelings of loss, love, regret, or gratitude.

How to do it:

1. Choose your writing method.: Use paper, a journal, a computer, or even audio or video recording.

2. Address the person.: Begin your letter with a greeting like “Dear [Name]” or “Hi, Mom.”

3. Express your thoughts and feelings.: You can write about memories, ask questions, share updates from your life, or express your grief.

4. Be honest and open.: There’s no right or wrong way to write. Allow your emotions to flow naturally.

5. Decide what to do with the letter.: Keep it, reread it, place it in a memory box, bury it, burn it, or read it aloud in a special place.

Letter writing helps process unfinished business and emotions that may feel unresolved. It creates space for reflection, healing, and a continued sense of connection. The act of writing itself can bring clarity, comfort, and emotional release.

4. Start a grief journal

What it is: A grief journal is a private space to explore your feelings, memories, and questions about loss through guided prompts. When it comes to grief activities for adults, journaling is an excellent option since it’s essentially free to start and can help you think through your feelings in a very detailed way. It helps you track your emotional journey and make sense of your experience over time.

How to do it:

1. Get a journal or notebook. Choose something you feel comfortable writing in.

2. Pick a prompt to start with.: A journal prompt can help you start writing if you aren’t sure what you want to write about.

3. Write freely.: Set a timer for 5–15 minutes and let your thoughts flow without editing or censoring.

4. Repeat regularly.: Use a new prompt each day or week to explore different aspects of your grief.

5. Revisit past entries if helpful.: Reflecting on your earlier writing can show how your grief evolves.

Journaling allows you to externalize your grief, reducing emotional buildup and helping make sense of intense feelings. It promotes emotional regulation, self-compassion, and healing by giving your experience a safe place to unfold.

5. Practice meditation or guided visualization

A guided visualization is a calming, meditative experience that uses imagery to help you feel grounded, comforted, or connected. These meditations often involve imagining a peaceful setting or a symbolic encounter with the person who died.

How to do it:

1. Find a quiet space.: Sit or lie down comfortably without distractions.

2. Choose a guided script or audio.: You can find recordings online, use a meditation app, or read a script aloud.

3. Close your eyes and breathe deeply.: Focus on your breath and let your body relax.

4. Follow the imagery.: Allow the guided words to take you through a calming scene (like a beach, forest, or memory).

5. Reflect gently afterward.: Notice how you feel and journal or rest afterward if needed.

Meditation and visualization support grief by calming the nervous system, reducing stress, and creating moments of inner peace. When grief feels overwhelming, these practices help access emotional safety and, at times, a continuing sense of connection.

6. Engage in artistic projects

This activity involves using art materials to express what grief feels like without needing to talk. It’s about representing your experience visually through shapes, colors, or abstract images. This is another great option for those seeking children's grief activities since it lets them be artistic, expressive, and less reliant on verbalizing difficult feelings.

How to do it:

1. Gather materials.: Use paper, pencils, markers, crayons, watercolors — whatever you have on hand.

2. Choose a focus.: You might draw “What grief looks like,” “My heart today,” or “A memory I miss.”

3. Draw freely.: Let go of the idea of perfection. Focus on what you feel rather than what it looks like.

4. Add words if you want.: Label feelings, memories, or symbols if that helps.

5. Reflect afterward.: Look at your artwork and ask, “What does this show me about my grief today?”

Creating art allows for emotional release, especially for feelings that are difficult to verbalize, which is part of why art therapy and grief go so well together. It builds self-awareness, reduces emotional tension, and helps people — especially children and teens — process grief in a gentle, intuitive way.

7. Take a walk

A grief walk is a mindful, intentional walk taken alone or with someone, used as time to reflect, remember, or find peace. Nature often supports emotional healing by offering quiet, rhythm, and grounding.

How to do it:

1. Choose a safe, quiet route.: A park, trail, or calm neighborhood is ideal.

2. Set an intention.: You might walk to reflect, remember, talk to the person in your mind, or just be still inside.

3. Walk at your own pace.: No need to rush — let your body and breath guide you.

4. Notice your surroundings.: Use your senses to observe trees, sky, birds, or sounds.

5. Pause if emotions come up.: Take deep breaths or sit and rest. Let your feelings come and go naturally.

Movement and nature help regulate the body’s stress response. Walking offers rhythm and calm that support reflection and emotional processing. It also creates a sense of movement — both physically and metaphorically — through grief.

8. Use an emotion wheel

An emotion wheel is a visual tool that shows a variety of feeling words grouped by category. This is an excellent choice for those looking for grief activities for teens as it helps to build emotional intelligence at a difficult age. It helps people identify and name emotions more accurately, especially when grief brings complex or conflicting feelings.

How to do it:

1. Find or print an emotion wheel.: You can find one online or use a feelings chart.

2. Look at the center of the wheel.: Start with a basic feeling (like sadness, anger, fear) and move outward to more specific emotions.

3. Pick a few emotions that fit.: Circle or point to the ones that resonate most right now.

4. Say them out loud or write them down.: Naming them strengthens awareness and communication.

5. Repeat regularly.: Daily or weekly check-ins help track how grief evolves over time.

Identifying emotions helps reduce confusion, validate inner experiences, and foster self-compassion. For kids and teens especially, this tool builds emotional literacy and helps them express themselves more clearly.

9. Start a ritual or ceremony

A ritual or ceremony is a symbolic action that honors a person’s memory or marks a moment of grief. It can be spiritual, cultural, or personal — and is powerful even in its simplest form.

How to do it:

1. Decide on a meaningful action.: Example include: lighting a candle, reading a poem, playing a favorite song, or planting something.

2. Choose a special time or date.: This could be an anniversary, birthday, or random moment when you feel the need.

3. Invite others if desired.: Ceremonies can be shared with loved ones or done privately.

4. Perform the ritual slowly and mindfully.: Focus your attention and let the meaning guide you.

5. Take time to reflect afterward.: Sit with your feelings, journal, or talk about the experience.

Rituals create space for remembrance, grief, and connection. They help contain intense emotions and offer comfort through symbolic meaning. Repeating rituals over time supports healing and a continued bond with the person who died.

10. Join a grief support group

A grief support group is a structured space where people who have experienced a loss gather to share their stories, listen to others, and receive support. Led by a facilitator or therapist, these groups help normalize grief and reduce the sense of isolation that often comes with loss.

How to do it:

1. Find a local or online group.: Look through community centers, hospices, counseling clinics, or websites like GriefShare, The Dougy Center, or local mental health organizations.

2. Check if it’s the right fit.: Some groups are based on age, type of loss (e.g., parent, child, spouse), or faith perspective. Choose one that matches your needs and comfort level.

3. Register or reach out.: Many groups require advance sign-up. Contact the facilitator or organization with questions.

4. Attend with an open mind.: You can share as much or as little as you’re comfortable with. Listening is just as valuable as speaking.

5. Participate regularly.: Consistency helps build trust, connection, and a sense of community within the group.

Joining a grief support group allows you to connect with others who truly understand what you're going through. It provides validation, emotional safety, and the chance to learn coping strategies from people at different points in their grief journey. The shared experience helps reduce feelings of loneliness and offers hope that healing is possible over time.

If you’ve recently experienced a loss and are looking for a meaningful way to honor and remember your loved one, creating a memorial website with Ever Loved can be a beautiful and thoughtful option. It’s easy to set up, free to use, and offers a central space to collect and share cherished memories, photos, and stories. Create a memorial website