5-y-o dd says she 'sort of' wants to die

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When she went to bed tonight my lovely, seemingly cheerful, happy and lively dd (5) told me that she 'sort of' wanted to die. And then she started crying about how sad it would be if she did die, because she wouldn't see her family any more. I asked what she meant by dying and she didn't seem to have a clear idea, just kept saying 'you know what dying means, mummy, like if you go to sleep and don't wake up'. When I asked her if anything was bothering her, she said no.
She has been talking quite a lot of dying generally recently (the Queen dying, for example, and who will become King (!)), but she's never applied it to herself like this before.
I feel pretty upset by it but on the other hand, she doesn't seem at all depressed or unhappy. She likes school and is very outgoing.
Has anyone else's young dc ever said anything similar? Did it pass? Thanks!

Dd was saying something similar recently and it was down to anxiety. She is 7 and has been worrying about a few things (mainly being separated from me). It was very upsetting to hear (she told me that she didn't want to be alive anymore) but she really didn't understand what she was saying. We discussed it and the result was that she didn't want to die but hated feeling so anxious and wanted it to go away. So we have spent lots of time with her, gave her lots of cuddles and gave in to some of her worries (let her come into our bed when she was worried, went to after school clubs with her if she didn't want to be left etc).

She is much better now and it has been about 6 weeks since this started.

Sounds like your dc is a bit anxious about death and needs to have her worries dealt with?

Has anyone's pet died at school recently?

I remember it used to be a thing to find dead things in the playground and give rather ornate over the top funerals arrangements with flowers and leaves and things buried in our pockets...

Maybe she's just realised that she could die and that's an overwhelming thought.

Hi there, I think around 4 and 5 is when children start to understand life cycles and that life is terminal and doesn't go on forever. Some make the leap between the plants 'dying' in winter and themselves one day dying and it is an overwhelming thought. Angryfeets comments about giving extra support, cuddles and time is a good one.
My 5-year old DD is slightly obsessed with death. Has been for about two years. She always asks me why she and I can't just die at the same time as then we wouldn't miss each other. She gets very upset at the thought of me dying and even if I get so much as a runny nose she ministers to me and tells me I need to get better so I don't die. As result of this I have been reading up on it and apparently it is just part of coming to terms with what it is to be human. Some kids are more philosophical than others and think about it more than others. Hope this helps. Your DD sounds soulful and intelligent, but do keep talking with her and reassure her that no one is about to die and you and she will have a long time together. That's really all you can do!