Memory Book

When someone special is very ill or dies, one of the most important things is to have stories about them. This Memory Book provides a brilliant way for children to capture memories in an accessible and age appropriate way.

This resource encourages children to fill the pages with facts, stories and memories within the different sections. There is a chance to get as creative as possible too, with the use of stickers included providing signposts for significant moments such as ‘favourite places, an exceptional day, tales from a friend’ to help journal about the person in question. As well as stickers like ‘lessons from life’ and ‘three wishes’ that can help a child build their special person’s story to keep in a truly meaningful way.

The Memory Book is split into these different sections:

• My Own Memories
• Our Past Memories
• Memories From Others
• Future Memories

Much of a bereaved child’s work is not only managing the traumatic impact of death and dying, but also realising the relationship with that person is now different and have to find new ways of reconnecting with that person.

The Memory Book has been influenced by Meik Wiking’s Hygge ideas of how to create memories to produce more happy feelings, increase self-esteem and the sense of being loved by another. In addition to that, current neuro scientists, like Dr Rahul Jandial, highlight the importance of memory to stay neurologically fit following trauma.