Helping Ukrainian Children Cope in the Midst of War

As Ukraine continues to endure relentless attacks, Project Kesher Ukraine’s comfort kits are bringing moments of joy and calm to children living under siege. Designed by Chicago-based clinical psychologist Dr. Lisa Lombard, the comfort kits offer trauma-informed tools to help children manage anxiety, process stress and reconnect emotionally with their caregivers, even while sheltering in bomb shelters and displacement centers.

Each kit contains thoughtfully selected items: animal finger puppets for co-regulation and imaginative play; a stress ball for muscle relaxation; soap bubbles for calming breathwork; colored pencils and a notebook for expression; stickers; a mood ring; and a printed guide titled “6 Skills to Improve Well-Being.”

Among the children who received these kits was five-year-old Max, who recently spent a terrifying night sheltering in Lviv with his mother Svitlana. Despite his fear of the nearby explosions, Max found moments for play, which gave both mother and child much-needed normalcy and emotional relief.