Creative ActivitiesMake something together

Printable pack

Five Activities for a Week: A Printable Pack

Five different activities, one card per sheet, all with everyday materials. Print them once, keep them in a folder and pick whichever fits the day. There is no order to follow and no need to do all five.

In this pack

  1. Draw to music
  2. Make a greeting card
  3. Press leaves and flowers
  4. Write a letter together
  5. Make a color collage

Each card lists the materials, one action per step, an easier version and when to stop. Every activity can stop after the first step, and none of them has a right answer.

Supply checklist

Tick what you already have. Each card also suggests things to use instead.

Draw to music

  • Large sheets of plain paper
  • Crayons, colored pencils or washable markers
  • A phone, radio or music player
  • A short list of three or four pieces of music with different moods
  • Masking tape to hold the paper still

Make a greeting card

  • A sheet of thick paper or card, folded in half
  • Pictures cut from old cards, magazines or seed packets
  • A glue stick
  • A thick felt-tip pen or marker
  • An envelope

Press leaves and flowers

  • A handful of flat leaves and small flowers, checked as safe to handle
  • A large, heavy book you do not mind marking
  • Plain paper, paper towels or coffee filters
  • A few more books or a brick to add weight
  • A small basket or bag for collecting

Write a letter together

  • A sheet of notepaper or a plain postcard
  • A pen or pencil that is easy to grip
  • An envelope and stamp, if the letter will be posted
  • Optional: a pressed flower and a little tape, or a pencil for a small drawing

Make a color collage

  • Old magazines, catalogs or colored paper
  • A sheet of thick card, about letter size
  • A glue stick
  • Scissors for the helper, only if cutting is needed

Creative Activities · creativeactivities.org/activity/packs/five-activities-for-a-week/ · Free to print and share for personal and noncommercial use.

Music

Draw to music

Listen to music together and let lines, shapes and colors follow the sound.

5 min setup10–30 min activityseated-friendlylow cost

What you need

  • Large sheets of plain paper
  • Crayons, colored pencils or washable markers
  • A phone, radio or music player
  • A short list of three or four pieces of music with different moods
  • Masking tape to hold the paper still

Make it easier

Use one chunky crayon and one slow piece of music. Simply moving the crayon back and forth is a full way to take part.

What to do

  1. Tape a sheet of paper to the table so it does not slide.
  2. Lay out the crayons or markers and offer a choice of color.
  3. Play the first piece of music at a comfortable volume.
  4. Draw lines or shapes together that follow the music, fast or slow, big or small.
  5. Swap colors whenever either of you likes.
  6. Stop the music and look at the drawing together. Talk about it only if they want to.
  7. Try a different piece of music on a new sheet, or stop there.

It is okay to stop. It is fine to stop after a few marks or a single song. Keep listening together without drawing, or put the music on for a quiet moment instead.

Safety

  • Keep the volume comfortable and check hearing aids are in and switched on. Avoid sudden loud music.
  • Use washable, non-toxic markers or crayons. Marker on skin usually washes off with soap and water; avoid drawing on skin.
  • Keep pens and crayons away from the mouth if the person may chew or taste things.
  • Some music brings up strong feelings. If they seem upset, pause, offer comfort, and switch to something calm.

More versions and safety notes: creativeactivities.org/activity/draw-to-music/

Making and crafts

Make a greeting card

A folded card with a picture on the front and a short message inside, made for someone you both know.

5 min setup15–30 min activityseated-friendlylow cost

What you need

  • A sheet of thick paper or card, folded in half
  • Pictures cut from old cards, magazines or seed packets
  • A glue stick
  • A thick felt-tip pen or marker
  • An envelope

Make it easier

Glue the picture on before you start, so the only choice is what to say or who to send it to.

What to do

  1. Talk together about who the card is for, such as a grandchild, a neighbor or an old friend.
  2. Lay out four or five pictures and ask which one suits that person.
  3. Glue the chosen picture to the front of the folded card.
  4. Open the card and ask what they would like to say. A few words are plenty.
  5. Write the message, or let them write it if they prefer.
  6. Ask whether they would like to sign it, add a mark, or have you sign for both of you.
  7. Put the card in the envelope and agree together when to send or deliver it.

It is okay to stop. It is fine to stop with just a picture on the front. Keep the card in a safe place and finish the message another day, or send it as it is.

Safety

  • If you cut pictures, keep the scissors with the helper.
  • A glue stick is less messy than liquid glue; check for skin sensitivity first.
  • Do not ask anyone to write if it is tiring or upsetting. Dictating the message counts fully.

More versions and safety notes: creativeactivities.org/activity/make-a-greeting-card/

Plants and nature

Press leaves and flowers

Gather flat leaves and flowers, then press them between paper in a heavy book together.

5 min setup15–30 min activityseated-friendlyfree

What you need

  • A handful of flat leaves and small flowers, checked as safe to handle
  • A large, heavy book you do not mind marking
  • Plain paper, paper towels or coffee filters
  • A few more books or a brick to add weight
  • A small basket or bag for collecting

Make it easier

Collect and dry the pieces beforehand. At the table, the only choice is which leaf goes in the book next.

What to do

  1. Walk outside together or bring a few leaves and flowers to the table.
  2. Lay them out and look at the shapes and colors together.
  3. Ask which ones they would like to keep. Flat, dry pieces press best.
  4. Open the book near the middle and lay a sheet of paper on the page.
  5. Place the leaves and flowers on the paper with a little space between them.
  6. Lay a second sheet of paper on top.
  7. Close the book gently and stack the other books on top.
  8. Write the date on a slip of paper and tuck it in the cover.
  9. Agree on a day, about two weeks away, to open the book together.

It is okay to stop. It is fine to stop after one leaf. Close the book on whatever is in it, and you will still have something to open together later.

Safety

  • Some plants are toxic or irritate skin, such as foxglove, poison ivy and giant hogweed. Check every plant you pick and wash hands afterward.
  • Avoid holly, roses with thorns, and prickly or stinging plants.
  • Dried petals and seed heads are small enough to swallow. Supervise if anything might be put in the mouth.
  • Outdoors, choose level paths, wear sturdy shoes, and take a hat and water in the sun.

More versions and safety notes: creativeactivities.org/activity/press-leaves-and-flowers/

Stories and talk

Write a letter together

Write a short letter or postcard together, with the helper writing as the person says what to put.

5 min setup15–30 min activityseated-friendlyfree

What you need

  • A sheet of notepaper or a plain postcard
  • A pen or pencil that is easy to grip
  • An envelope and stamp, if the letter will be posted
  • Optional: a pressed flower and a little tape, or a pencil for a small drawing

Make it easier

Offer one or two ready-made openings to choose from, such as Thinking of you or Hope you are well.

What to do

  1. Sit side by side at a table with the paper, the pen and the envelope in reach.
  2. Ask who the letter is for and what they would like to say. Any answer is the right one.
  3. Write the greeting at the top, in the words the person chooses.
  4. Ask one open question, such as what has been on their mind this week, and write down the answer.
  5. Read the sentences back aloud and ask if they want to change anything.
  6. Add a drawing, or tape a pressed flower to a corner.
  7. Sign the letter together, then fold it.
  8. Put the letter in the envelope, write the address and add a stamp, or set it aside to give in person.

It is okay to stop. It is fine to stop after one sentence. Put the letter aside, and finish it another day, or simply talk about the person it is for.

Safety

  • Never write bank details, passwords or PINs in a letter. Check the address before sealing the envelope.
  • Keep pens and stamps away from the mouth if the person may chew or taste things.
  • Check before adding a flower; some plants can cause skin irritation or allergy.

More versions and safety notes: creativeactivities.org/activity/write-a-letter-together/

Making and crafts

Make a color collage

Choose one color, tear out magazine pieces in that color and glue them onto card.

10 min setup20–40 min activityseated-friendlylow cost

What you need

  • Old magazines, catalogs or colored paper
  • A sheet of thick card, about letter size
  • A glue stick
  • Scissors for the helper, only if cutting is needed

Make it easier

Offer a choice between two colors, and tear the first few pieces together.

What to do

  1. Clear a table, then lay out the card, the glue stick and a pile of magazines.
  2. Choose one color together, such as blue, yellow or green. Any choice is fine.
  3. Turn the pages and find pictures or patches in that color, then tear out the ones you like.
  4. Tear each piece into a rough shape, since torn edges look softer than cut ones.
  5. Glue the back of one piece and press it onto the card.
  6. Keep adding pieces and let them overlap, so the color builds up.
  7. Stop when the card feels full, then press it flat under a heavy book for a few minutes.

It is okay to stop. It is fine to stop after a handful of pieces. Leave the card on the table where it is easy to see, and carry on another time or simply enjoy the color.

Safety

  • Tearing is the main method, so scissors stay with the helper.
  • Use a glue stick, which is less messy than liquid glue, and check for skin sensitivity first.
  • Torn paper edges can nick fingers. Check hands at the end, and wipe glue from the fingers.
  • Keep small pieces of paper away from the mouth.

More versions and safety notes: creativeactivities.org/activity/make-a-color-collage/