On Saturday, December 6, On Angels’ Wings (OAW) held its first-ever Children’s Grief Day Camp, welcoming seven girls ages 7–12 to the OAW studio in Springfield for a full day of guided, creative, and therapeutic activities designed to help young people process grief in healthy ways. All attending children were siblings of infant loss, with several navigating additional grief or complex emotional experiences in their lives.
The camp marks a major milestone in the development of OAW’s Legacy of Hope program — a growing initiative focused on long-term grief support for siblings of infant loss and for children living with a terminal-risk diagnosis. Through Legacy of Hope, OAW aims to fill the often-overlooked gap in care for young, grieving children by providing safe emotional outlets, trauma-informed guidance, and access to tools that empower healing, expression, and connection.
A Day of Healing Through Creativity, Expression & Community
The camp itinerary featured a blend of artistic, emotional, and group-based activities intentionally structured to help children identify feelings, express them safely, and recognize they are not alone in their grief. Activities included:
• Canvas painting based on emotions felt at arrival — using only three colors connected to how they felt walking in.
• Introduction to the emotions wheel — teaching vocabulary and awareness around internal experiences.
• Giant teamwork Scrabble game — using words to describe grief collectively.
• Drum circle led by music therapist Molly Duggins — exploring emotional release through rhythm and sound.
• Memory box creation — honoring and remembering loved ones who have passed.
• Writing workshop with local author and artist Holly Madden — using poetry, journaling, lyrics, and storytelling to translate feelings into language.
• A closing reflection painting — using new colors to represent emotional shifts throughout the day.
The change between each child’s first and final canvas was striking — visually reflecting the transformation that can occur when grief is witnessed, supported, and held with care.
The camp was led by Michelle Cramer, Founder & Executive Director of OAW, alongside Michelle Slavens, Director of Support, with planning guidance and resource development from Micah Clark, LPC and OAW Board Member.
“Working with these children for a whole dedicated day helped reinvigorate my drive for this mission,” Cramer said. “This is the work we are meant to be doing. Meeting a child in the deepest part of their emotions and giving them a safe place to reveal them is no small task. It creates a deep connection of trust and emotional safety, and I’m honored to provide that.”
At the end of the day, Cramer asked the girls to rate their experience on a scale of one to ten. In response, every attendee raised both hands — and both feet — shouting “TWENTY!” Several asked when they could come back and if camp could be longer next time.
One parent already shared heartfelt feedback:
“She said it was so much fun and great to not feel alone. She read her journal entry to me on the way home and I sobbed. I told her I was so proud of her for going. She recently told me she is not allowed to talk about [losing her sister] with other family. But you told her that sometimes people can’t handle big emotions, even adults, so they just pretend they’re not there. This helped normalize that behavior for her, and to recognize how she can handle her own emotions better. Thank you so much for providing this camp.”
OAW plans to expand Legacy of Hope programming in 2026, with six additional kids grief day camps planned throughout the year, the development of additional family-oriented resources, and creation of more connection-based opportunities for young people impacted by loss.
About On Angels’ Wings
On Angels’ Wings is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit providing ongoing support and grief recovery services for families whose child has a terminal-risk diagnosis or who experience infant loss. Services include therapeutic photography, peer community, long-term grief recovery support, and family-centered programming for the whole family. All services are provided free of charge. Learn more about offerings and qualifications for services.