Even though children do grieve, they may not appear to be grieving if they continue to play and do not visibly show their grief by crying. But it is normal for children to alternate times of mourning with times of play. Just as it is important for adults to express their feelings when grieving, it is important to allow and assist children to express and communicate their feelings at this time. Communication about death, as with ALL communication, is easier when children feel they have our permission to talk about the subject and believe we are sincerely interested in their views and questions. To encourage your child to communicate, you need to listen attentively and answer questions honestly.
Every child is an individual.
Communication about death depends on the child's age and experiences. Very young children may view death as temporary and may be more concerned about separation from their loved ones than about death itself. They can absorb only limited amounts of information. Give brief simple answers, and repeat them as often as necessary. Sometimes it can help if you can respond to a question with another question in order to clarify what they are asking and to fully understand their concerns.