Making and crafts
Make a photo postcard
Glue a copy of a favorite photo onto card, then write one line together.
Who might enjoy it: People who like sending postcards, sharing pictures of places they know, or keeping in touch with a grandchild or an old friend. Good for someone who likes sending something personal.
- Setup
- About 10 minutes
- Activity
- 15–30 minutes
- Cost
- Low cost
- Mess
- Little mess
- Where
- At a table, seated-friendly, bedside
- Help
- Someone nearby
Materials: 5 everyday things, listed below
What you need
- A copy of a favorite photo, printed or photocopied. Never use the only print.
- A postcard-sized piece of thick card, or a blank postcard
- A glue stick
- A pen with a thick grip
- An envelope, a stamp and the address, if sending
No need to buy anything special
- No photo copy? Use a picture from a magazine or calendar, or a drawing.
- No card? Use the front of an old greeting card, trimmed to size.
What to do
- Look through the photo copies together and choose one to send.
- Place the photo on the card to see how it fits, and ask the helper to trim it if needed.
- Glue the back of the photo and press it onto the card.
- Press the photo flat with a hand and hold it for a few seconds.
- Ask who the card is for, and what one line they would like to write.
- Write the line on the back of the card, in the words the person chooses, and sign it together.
- If sending, put the card in an envelope with the address and a stamp.
It is okay to stop or change it
It is fine to stop after choosing the photo. Keep the copy somewhere handy and carry on another day, or simply look at it together.
Make it easier or different
- Make it easier
- Choose the photo and have the card already trimmed, and offer one or two suggested lines to pick from.
- In bed or an armchair
- Work on a clipboard or lap tray, with a card already cut to size.
- For low vision
- Choose a photo with strong contrast and large details, and write the line in a thick dark marker.
- With children
- A child picks the photo and writes the name, while the older adult says the line to write.
Safety
- Use photo copies only, so an original is never cut, glued or lost.
- Use a glue stick, which is less messy than liquid glue, and check for skin sensitivity first.
- Check the address before sealing the envelope. Never write bank details or passwords on a card.
These are practical suggestions, not medical advice. You know the person best.
A photo postcard turns an old picture into something new to send or give. The person chooses the photo and the words, and the finished card often starts a conversation with the person who receives it.