I think it depends on the child's age and the families traditions and beliefs. My youngest son and his neighborhood pals found a badly injured bird outside - probably had flown into a window or something. Anyway, as my son was holding it in his hands the poor thing died. My son was 7 years old. In this instance, my son could feel the difference in the bird when alive and struggling and then dead and growing cold.

So .. I explained that the bird's life/spirit was now gone from the body. We found a box - had just gotten an order of checks and so that box was just right - and my son decorated it. We put flowers in the box and tissue, then the bird then closed it up. The kids said some prayers and then a spot was selected in the back yard for burial. Then a search was on for just the right rock to mark the spot. Then that was it.

Sometimes you are handed a teaching moment and you just have to go with that. I wonder sometimes if having the ritual of picking out a box and all didn't help the whole process.