When a child loses a beloved pet, the grief can show up in small, surprising ways. One minute they seem fine, and the next they are crying because they found a toy under the couch, or because they forgot and called your pet’s name out of habit. A pet memory box gives those moments somewhere gentle to land. It turns a scattered set of reminders into one safe place your child can visit when they want to remember, and step away from when they need a break.
This guide walks you through making a pet loss memory box printable set you can use right away: a label, simple memory prompts, photo and drawing pages, and a “favorite things” worksheet. You’ll also find age-appropriate options for kids who want to draw instead of write, ideas for what to include, and ways to use the box during grief waves without forcing sadness.
Why a memory box helps when a pet dies
Adults often grieve with words, but children often grieve with play, repetition, and short bursts of feeling. They may ask the same questions over and over, or return to the same story, not because they aren’t listening, but because they are trying to make the loss make sense. Many kids benefit when grief is given a simple structure: a ritual, a predictable place for memories, and permission to feel what they feel without being rushed. Guidance for supporting grieving children often emphasizes honest language, steady routines, and opportunities for expression that match a child’s developmental stage.
A memorial box for pet doesn’t “solve” grief, and it doesn’t need to. It simply gives your child a container for love that no longer has an everyday home. Instead of deciding whether to throw things away or keep everything forever, the box offers a middle path: choose a few meaningful items now, and leave the rest for later. That can lower the pressure on everyone in the first tender days.
If you’d like more background on why memory boxes can feel grounding, you can also read Funeral.com’s journal guide on making a memory box for your pet, which explores how a dedicated “memory place” can soften the suddenness of reminders.
Before you start: a gentle invitation, not an assignment
It helps to frame this as an invitation: “If you ever want to make something to remember them, we can do it together.” Kids do best when they have choice, especially after a loss that they did not choose. Some children will want to begin right away. Others will avoid the topic for days or weeks and then suddenly ask to put something in the box. Both responses can be normal.
If your child asks questions about death, lean toward clear, concrete language. Many child grief resources recommend avoiding vague phrases that can confuse younger kids, and instead using simple explanations that match what your child can understand. If you’re looking for age-by-age language examples, CHOC’s guide on talking to children about death can be a helpful reference point as you choose your words.
One more gentle rule: the memory box is not a test of how much your child misses the pet. A child can love deeply and still not want to talk today. The goal is to make space, not to pull feelings out.
Choose a box that matches your child’s style
Your pet memory box template can live in almost any container: a shoebox wrapped in paper, a craft box from a dollar store, a small plastic bin with a lid, or a wooden keepsake chest. What matters most is that it feels like it belongs to the memory, not like it was grabbed in a panic. Some kids want a bright box with stickers and drawings. Others prefer something simple and private, tucked in a closet.
If your child would enjoy choosing a dedicated keepsake container, you can browse options that are made for pet remembrance and can hold photos, tags, and small mementos alongside other memorial items. For families who also received ashes after cremation, some boxes and chests can be part keepsake storage and part memorial space, especially when paired with an urn in a quiet corner of the home.
For additional kid-friendly craft ideas that pair well with a memory box, Funeral.com’s guide on helping kids create a pet memorial offers simple rituals and creative projects you can adapt based on your child’s age.
What to include in a pet memory box
Think of the box as a small “story of your pet,” not a storage unit for everything. A few items are usually enough to spark rich memories. You might include a collar or tag (or a copy if the original feels too hard to part with), a favorite toy, a photo, a small blanket square, a tuft of fur sealed in a small bag, a paw print impression, adoption papers, a vet “all clear” note from a happy time, or a note from each family member about one thing they loved.
Kids often like items that involve the senses: the jingle of a tag, the texture of a toy, a photo where your pet is making “that face.” If you’re including anything delicate, like fur or a fabric piece with scent, consider placing it inside a small envelope or zip bag first so it stays clean and doesn’t break down as quickly.
If your family chose cremation, you may also be thinking about what to do with ashes. Some families keep ashes in pet urns for ashes, some scatter them in a meaningful place, and some keep a tiny symbolic portion in a smaller keepsake while the main urn stays in a shared memorial spot. If you want a clear explanation of cremation types and what you receive back, Funeral.com’s guide to pet cremation options can help you understand the difference between communal, partitioned, and private cremation.
Free printable template set
You can print the following pages as-is, or copy them into a document and add extra space. If your child is younger, let them draw in the blanks. If your child is older, invite them to write, collage, or do a mix of both. These pages are meant to be used over time, not all at once.
Printable: Pet Memory Box Label
MEMORY BOX FOR: ________________________________
My pet’s name: _________________________________
Type of pet (dog/cat/rabbit/etc.): __________________
Nicknames we used: ______________________________
“This box is for remembering and loving __________________.”
Date we made this box (optional): ___________________
Printable: Memory Prompts
My favorite memory is: ____________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
One silly thing they used to do: _____________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
One way they made our home better: __________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
Their favorite place to sleep was: ____________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
The food or treat they loved most: ___________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
If they could talk, I think they would say: ______________________________
_______________________________________________________________
Something I want to remember forever: ________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
A thank-you note to my pet:
Dear ______________________, _____________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
Printable: Photo or Drawing Page
Title for this page: ________________________________________________
Paste a photo here, or draw a picture of your pet in a favorite moment.
What is happening in this picture? ___________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
How does remembering this make my body feel right now? (circle or write): calm / sad / warm / mad / tired / okay / mixed / other: __________________
Printable: “Favorite Things” Worksheet
| Favorite toy: | __________________________________________ |
| Favorite treat: | __________________________________________ |
| Favorite place to rest: | __________________________________________ |
| Favorite sound (purr/bark/jingle/etc.): | __________________________________________ |
| Favorite person to sit with: | __________________________________________ |
| Favorite season or weather: | __________________________________________ |
| One word that fits them best: | __________________________________________ |
| “They taught me…” | __________________________________________ |
Printable: Grief Wave Card
Sometimes grief comes like a wave. When it shows up, I can choose one small thing.
Right now, I want to: look at a photo / hold a toy / draw / talk / be quiet / take a break / other: __________________
One memory I want to hold today: ____________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
One comfort I can ask for (hug, blanket, snack, sitting together): ____________
_______________________________________________________________
When I’m ready, I can close the box. Closing it does not mean I forgot.
Age-appropriate options: drawing vs. writing
For preschool and early elementary kids, the most meaningful “writing” may be a drawing with a few words you write down for them. You can ask, “Tell me about your picture,” and then copy their words underneath. Younger children may understand death in a very literal way, so it can help to keep explanations simple and consistent, and to expect repeated questions as they process.
For grade school kids, many enjoy concrete roles: choosing the box, picking three items, taping in a photo, or writing one short sentence per prompt. A helpful approach is to keep the activity brief and repeatable. Ten minutes now is often better than an hour that ends in overwhelm.
For tweens and teens, privacy matters. Offer the memory box as something they can control: they can keep it in their room, decide what goes inside, and decide whether anyone else gets to see it. Teens may also like a digital layer, such as a QR code in the box that links to a private photo album, or a playlist that reminds them of their pet. If they want a more “grown-up” keepsake, they might prefer a small object that feels discreet and personal.
Using the box during grief waves without forcing sadness
A memory box works best when it becomes optional comfort rather than a scheduled grief session. Some families keep it on a high shelf and bring it down only when a child asks. Others create a gentle “remembering corner” with the box, a photo, and a battery candle, so the child can choose closeness without being surprised by reminders in every room.
When your child reaches for the box, you can keep the moment small. Sit together. Open it. Let them touch one item or look at one photo. Ask one soft question, such as “Do you want to tell me about this?” If they say no, that is still connection. If they become upset, you can name what’s happening: “This is a grief wave. It makes sense.” Then offer regulation before conversation: water, a snack, a blanket, a walk, a few deep breaths together.
If your child doesn’t want to open the box, they can still be supported in other ways. Child Mind Institute guidance on helping children cope with grief emphasizes meeting kids where they are, keeping routines steady, and allowing feelings to show up in different forms—not only through talking.
And if you’d like a simple, kid-tested version of this activity, the Dougy Center’s instructions for creating a memento box can be a helpful companion to the printables above.
If you have ashes: safe, respectful ways to include them
Some families want the memory box to sit near an urn, while others prefer to keep ashes separate. Either choice can be right. If your child asks about ashes, you can explain that cremated remains are what’s left after the body has been changed by heat, and that families choose different ways to care for them. For many households, cremation has become the more common choice in the United States. According to the National Funeral Directors Association, the U.S. cremation rate is projected to be 63.4% in 2025, and the Cremation Association of North America tracks similar high rates in its industry statistics. These trends are part of why more families now look for personal, flexible memorial options—boxes, photos, rituals, and keepsakes—alongside traditional services.
For safety, it’s usually best for adults to handle ashes. If you want your child to have a sense of closeness without direct handling, you can keep ashes in a sealed urn and place a photo, collar, and letters in the memory box. If you want a tiny symbolic portion set aside, consider a small, sealed keepsake container that an adult fills and secures, and then stores out of reach when not in use. Many families choose keepsake urns specifically for this purpose.
If you are exploring options, Funeral.com offers a wide range of pet urns for ashes, including designs that feel warm and home-like rather than clinical. For families who want to share a small amount among siblings or caregivers, you can also browse pet keepsake cremation urns. If your child connects strongly to a visual reminder that reflects the pet’s personality, pet figurine cremation urns can feel more like a tribute than a container.
Older teens (and adults) sometimes prefer a discreet keepsake they can wear. Cremation jewelry, including cremation necklaces, can hold a very small, symbolic amount. If that’s something your family is considering, you can explore cremation jewelry options and decide together whether wearable memorials feel comforting or too intense right now.
If your family is making decisions about scattering, burial, or other memorial choices, it can help to treat it as a form of funeral planning for a pet: not formal, but thoughtful. Some families create a small ceremony in a favorite place, plant something living, or choose a “memory day” once a year to open the box and share stories. The right plan is the one that supports your child’s nervous system and your household’s beliefs, routines, and needs.
When to reach for extra support
Grief can look messy, and it doesn’t follow a schedule. Still, it’s wise to watch for signs that your child needs more help than a memory box can provide. If grief begins to interfere with daily functioning for weeks, if sleep and school become consistently disrupted, or if you notice persistent anxiety, withdrawal, or risky behavior in an older child, consider talking with your pediatrician or a licensed mental health professional.
UCLA Health’s guidance on handling pet loss with children highlights that it’s appropriate to seek medical support when distress doesn’t lessen or begins to interfere with routines. For younger children, you can also lean on simple, consistent frameworks for explaining death and reassuring safety; HealthyChildren.org’s article on how children understand death offers developmentally informed guidance from pediatric experts.
A memory box is love with a lid
In the end, a pet memory box is not about making grief bigger. It’s about giving love somewhere to go. Your child might open it every day for a week, then not touch it for months. They might add one new item on a birthday, or tuck in a note when they graduate, or keep it close during a hard season. The box will change because your child will change, and that’s okay.
If you remember only one thing, let it be this: you don’t have to force sadness to honor love. You’re simply offering your child a gentle way to remember, at their pace, with their hands and heart both included.
