Music
Make a playlist together
Choose a few favorite songs together on a phone, play each one and write the ones they like on a card.
Who might enjoy it: People who have a favorite singer, band or radio station, and anyone who likes telling the stories behind a song. Suits a day for listening more than doing.
- Setup
- About 5 minutes
- Activity
- 15–40 minutes
- Cost
- Low cost
- Mess
- No mess
- Where
- At a table, seated-friendly, bedside
- Help
- Someone nearby
Materials: 4 everyday things, listed below
What you need
- A phone, tablet or music player with a few songs saved, or a music service set up in advance
- A small card, index card or sheet of paper
- A thick pen or marker
- Headphones or a small speaker, if you have them
No need to buy anything special
- No music service? Use a radio, a CD player or songs saved on a USB stick.
- No card? Write the list in a notebook or on the back of an envelope.
What to do
- Sit together with the phone, the card and the pen in reach.
- Ask what kind of music they enjoy, or offer two familiar styles to choose from.
- Find one song they name, or pick one from the choices you offered.
- Play the song at a comfortable volume and listen together.
- Ask whether they like it.
- Write the title on the card if they say yes.
- Choose the next song together, and repeat until the card has five to eight titles.
- Read the list aloud and ask which song they would like to hear first.
It is okay to stop or change it
It is fine to stop after one or two songs. Leave the card as it is, play something gentle, or simply sit and listen together for a while.
Make it easier or different
- Make it easier
- Choose three or four songs in advance and offer them as simple yes or no choices. The helper handles the phone and writes the titles.
- In bed or an armchair
- Prop the phone on a stand or pillow at a low volume, and keep the card on a clipboard. The helper handles the screen.
- For low vision
- Write the titles in large, high-contrast letters, or read them aloud from the screen. Choose songs by sound rather than by picture.
- With children
- A grandchild finds the songs and plays them, while the older adult says what they like and the child writes the titles on the card.
Safety
- Set the volume low and check it with them. Sudden loud music can startle or hurt.
- Check hearing aids are in and working. Use headphones only if they fit comfortably and do not pinch the ears.
- Some songs bring back sad memories. Pause, listen kindly, and offer another song or a break.
- Turn off autoplay video and ads before you start, so the music does not change to something unexpected.
These are practical suggestions, not medical advice. You know the person best.
A playlist is a shared choice, not a test of names or lyrics. Listening comes first, so anyone can take part, and the finished card gives family and visitors a list to play together next time.