At What Age to Discuss Heaven and Hell?

Well, we talk about heaven in the context of people dying. No one close to my kids has died yet, but, for example, a grandparent of one of the kid's friends died and we went to the funeral and talked about it.

We have not talked about hell, and as a Presbyterian, there is little discussion of it (I won't get into the theology here). Although, my oldest (9) has read the Percy Jackson books and so I know he is aware of the concept, since there are scenes in the books that take place in Hades.

It depends upon whether or not you believe there is a hell. For us it was easy - 'some people believe that if you were bad when you were alive, you will be punished forever in a place called hell'. Since our religion doesn't have hell it was pretty straightforward. I have no idea how you would address being tortured forever with a child without terrifying them since that kind of is the point. Wasn't the concept developed in order to scare people into being good?

We haven't discussed hell here. I don't believe it in personally.

My kids have experienced death and the way we look at it is that's just where your soul/spirit goes. The part that makes you you. So they don't really think we'll all be walking around up there hanging out. More our energy/love/spirit I guess. That good feeling from a loved one's hug. That's what they tend to think a spirit is.

That was very comforting to my kids. So when we remember someone and we get a warm rush of love, to them - that's what heaven is about. Those feelings. Not so much a place, but all that love gets joined up. Anyways - they think loved ones who have passed are here all the time with us. Just that love-energy.

So hell wouldn't really make sense to them. My kids have never brought it up. I think they would just think it's something archaic from the bible stories. My kids go to church camp and know the bible stories - but I think they just feel they are lessons - not actual things set in stone. Just the message.

Hell is a concept in other words - that's how I would approach it.

I presented them both to my kid as myths, along with myths from other cultures.

When they ask.

That's as simple as it is. You should think about how you want to present the answer now though. This way you can be factual and speak in their language.

One of my friends used the glove analogy.

When you were a spirit in heaven you didn't have a body (Bare hand). Then you were born and got a body (Put the glove on your hand). Now your spirit had a body around it. Our spirit is eternal and we can make choices to follow Christ's example the best we can, even though we make mistakes we still try, our spirit will return one day to live with our heavenly father and Christ and family that went on before us (Take glove off and show bare hand again).

All of mine have heard the topic of heaven & hell discussed - down to the 5 year old and it's not a new topic. We discuss it in devotionals according to our faith beliefs as well as if the topic comes up due to something like a movie or song.
Discussion doesn't have to be traumatic & honestly, we (as a society) already expect our children to be ready to discuss many other topics that may be deemed scary.
We answer questions as they come up & work from there - doing the best for our family which may not be the best for yours.

Grace & peace in abundance.

Our church dealt with the hell part during their youth classes. They are more skilled, and give more age appropriate progression into those type discussions. I think they started getting into it around 4th-5th grades. They would usually ask me a question now and then about their lessons so I could follow up on it but the church laid the groundwork. You're right though, I could see that scaring them to death if dealt with in the wrong way.

Umm...my kids are 13, 10, and 5...and I am not bringing up hell. Ever. Probably cuz I am not religious, but also because I am not even sure if I believe it.