Abstract:

This paper investigates how children understand death and feel about it, and how they should be told about the concept in early childhood. If children witness the death of a beloved in early childhood, they might begin to question the phenomenon. Thus, it is significant to support children suffering the outcomes of a death, and help them develop an understanding about it. Piaget’s theory of cognitive development and related researches indicate that while a true appreciation of death happens at puberty during which abstract thinking improves, children between 0-6 could also be aware of death as a fact. In conclusion, aspects of child development and children’s perception of death should be considered, and an appropriate language should be used to assist children understand death as a reality when it is told in early childhood.

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