Paint, Pen, Send!

Time

4 3 2 1 Early-Mid Stages

Benefits

Participants

One to One, Self Led or Group Activity

What you need

A selection of greetings cards, blank on the inside
Or, if you are making your own card, you’ll need:
A4 white card
Watercolours
Paintbrushes

Intro

Oh, the long lost art of writing a card… let’s bring it back to life! This activity gives people the opportunity to write a whimsical or heartfelt card to their family or friends. You might find that some people struggle to express themselves and their feelings verbally, but it’s much easier when putting pen to paper.

Once they’ve completed the card and received kind words – or maybe even a reply – from their loved ones, it will give them a sense of achievement and joy.

Top tip

Writing might be too overwhelming for some people and could make them anxious. Make sure the person/group knows they don’t need to write a word unless they feel comfortable – they can simply enjoy painting, knowing that you will write the card for them, if they want to say something.

The Activity

Lay out a selection of greetings cards on a table
Ask them to choose someone they are going to write their card to
Inspire them to think about what they would like to say
Get them to pick a card that’s right for that person
Encourage them write the recipient’s name on the card, as this might help the rest of the message to flow
They can write the card like a letter, or simply note down any words or memories they’d like to share
Once completed, ask them if they would like to send the card, give it personally or just to keep it for themselves (not everyone will want to send their cards, even if they’ve enjoyed the activity)

Making the card from scratch? First:

Help the person/group to paint a picture on the front of their cards in watercolour
Encourage them with props, take them outside to paint something from nature, or simply invite them to create a colourful pattern