A coloring activity for memory care, in three steps.
Hand-drawn pages for adults, never cartoons. Every drawing comes in Regular and Bold, so the whole table colors the same picture.
No card, no calls. Downloads right away.
Three steps
Bold is the same drawing with thicker, darker lines and fewer tiny details. Give each person the one that suits them today.
- Print the same drawing in Regular and Bold.
- Hand out a page or two to each person.
- Read the Story Starter aloud while they color.
At the table
Read the Story Starter once, slowly, then wait longer than feels comfortable.
Never correct a memory. If it's wrong, it's still theirs. Have them sign and date the ones they're proud of.
Some days it's a no, and that's fine.
What the research says.
Talking about the past helped a little (Woods et al., a Cochrane review of 22 trials, 2018). Why every page has a Story Starter.
Higher contrast is easier to see (Dunne et al., 2004; Gilmore et al., 2005). Why Bold has thicker, darker lines and fewer tiny details.
The effects are small to moderate. This is not a treatment.
Pages for grown-ups. Never childish, never too busy.
We draw for adults: gardens, cats, lighthouses, sailboats, teacups. There's not a cartoon in the library.
“Did you hang laundry on a line, or use a dryer?”
Start with 6 free coloring pages
The First Pack: six hand-drawn pages, one in Bold too, with your organization’s name on the cover and a Story Starter on each.
No card, no calls. Downloads right away.
Good to know
Which version should each person get?
Choose by the person and the day. Regular suits a long, quiet sit. Bold has thicker, darker lines and fewer tiny details, so it's easier to see and finish. Same picture either way, so no one gets "the easy page."
What if someone won’t join?
Leave a page and a pencil within reach, and read the Story Starter anyway. The question works without the page. Some days it's a no, and that's fine.
What is a Story Starter for?
It's one question to read aloud while they color, so there's something to talk about. It's about their own life, never a quiz. If the room is happy and quiet, skip it.
Does the license cover independent and assisted living too?
Yes, if they share one name and one address.