i was a nanny to a girl who was 3mts old when i started, as she grew she developed an uncle niece bond with my partner, when she was 9 years old he passed away, i found this helped her understand about death and not coming back and all the questions this guy is asking and feelings he is trying to understand. the balloon is great as they can write anything they want, and if you make a point of not reading it they feel the note is really just between the deceased and them self so it feels really special and keeps the bond thee even when the person is not. this in turn helps later to understand about keeping loved ones in your heart.