She is a bit young so you have to keep it simple and just say it was very sick and died and ask if she wants to go and pick out another one. Children usually except it if you explain it like that they might want to bury it in the garden let them decide.

So hard! There are really interesting comments on this!

I have used the stories where the Big Bad Wolf dies. I explained that the BBW will never return, even if we want him to. He is gone forever. Be as truthful as possible.

Sit them down and tell them the truth that they have gone to heaven I had to last year when they lost their grandmother it’s hard but they understood.

Tell them they have gone to heaven

tell them the truth

Some really good advice below.

I think I might be one to just go and buy a similar looking one and not say anything.

Gone to the farm? Gone to a better place!. They too young to understand the actual concept

Be honest but keep it simple because shes still so young

Be honest, but don’t make it overly complicated about explaining what happened.

If she has seen dead birds and such use them as an example

I would explain it simply then take her to get another one

I would just try and explain it in a simple way but with honesty

I’m the same. I would go out and replace it. They don’t really understand at that age.

I’m a softy, and would probably have replace it with a “lookalike”…

when our fish first died we said they were sick and needed to be with their family and flushing them down the toilet sendfirst s them to the family in the sea with nemo (he loved nemo). Now my son is 4, some how he knew when the fish died and he is fine with it and said “thats ok, we will get another fish when our family is ready for anther pet” how awesome is that?

i would try and find a book about it and that might help

i would say simply dont over do it and make it confusing

If you find it hard to explain perhaps find a book aimed at your child’s age that will help them understand a little more.