Conversation Starters for Dementia: Picture Cards

Conversation cards

What is your favorite smell from a kitchen?

What kind of cake would you choose for a celebration?

Tell me about a favorite fruit pie or dessert.

How do you like your tea or coffee?

What makes a really good breakfast?

Have you ever picked fruit straight from the plant?

Sweet or sour: which do you like better?

What is a food that tastes like summer to you?

Tell me about a house you liked living in.

Where is your favorite place to sit and relax?

What do you like to do on a quiet evening?

What is a treasure you would keep in a special box?

Who would you invite over for a cup of tea?

What do you like to do on a rainy day?

What flowers would you plant in a garden?

Tell me about a tree or park you like.

What is the best part of being in a garden?

What color flowers do you like best?

Do you like having plants in the house?

What is your idea of a perfect sunny day?

Tell me about a dog you have known.

Cats or dogs, or neither? What do you like about them?

What birds do you see or hear outside?

Have you ever been fishing, or kept a fish tank?

What is the most beautiful animal you have seen?

Tell me about a car you liked.

Would you rather spend a day at the beach or in the mountains?

Where would you like to go for a ride?

If you could fly over any place, where would it be?

What is a trip you enjoyed?

What kind of work have you enjoyed doing?

What is a hobby that you could spend hours on?

What is something you were known for making or fixing?

What advice would you give a young person starting work?

What kind of music makes you want to tap your feet?

What makes a really good party?

Who is a singer you like to listen to?

What is a favorite movie or TV show to watch again?

What do you like most about summer?

What do you enjoy about the fall?

What is a cozy thing to do on a winter evening?

What are the first signs of spring for you?

Snow, rain or sunshine: which do you prefer?

About conversation cards

Each card pairs a familiar picture with an open invitation to talk, like "What is your favorite kind of weather?" There are no right answers and nothing to remember. Choose a theme or shuffle them all.

How to play conversation cards

Choose a theme, or keep "All cards".
Read the question out loud and look at the picture together.
Listen, share your own answer, and let the talk wander.
Tap "Next card" when you are ready, or stay with one card as long as you like.
Tap "Print all cards" to cut out a paper set.

Tips for playing together

Answer the question yourself too. It feels like a conversation, not an interview.
Follow the story, not the facts. If details change, that is fine.
If a card touches something sad, acknowledge the feeling and gently move to another card.

New to playing with someone who has dementia? Read how to play games together, including what to do if they lose interest.

Questions and answers

Why are there no "Do you remember…?" questions?

Questions that test memory can feel like an exam and cause embarrassment. Open invitations such as "Tell me about…" let anyone join in, whatever they recall.

Can I print the cards?

Yes. "Print all cards" prints the full set in large type, several cards per page, ready to cut out.

Is it free, and do I need to sign up?

Yes, it is free, and there is no account, sign-up or download. It works in the web browser on a phone, tablet or computer.

Is there an app version of this game?

Not of this game. The free Creative Activities app for iPhone, iPad and Android has gentle picture matching with large tiles and family photos you choose, and it works offline. This game stays free here in your browser.

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Conversation Cards

Conversation cards

About conversation cards

How to play conversation cards

Tips for playing together

Questions and answers

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