Free printable conversation cards
Family interview questions
for stories you haven't heard.
An ordinary afternoon, a person they still remember, the way a meal was made. Choose a few questions you would love to ask, then let the conversation find its own way.
Six starter cards · 24 questions to choose from · Add your own · Text download · Browser printing · No account
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Make this conversation yours
Find another starting point
Choose a subject they would enjoy. Adding a question puts a new card at the end of your deck.
Places and everyday life
Tell me about an ordinary day in a home you remember well.
What did you like to do in the place where you grew up?
Tell me about a journey you used to make regularly.
Which place would you like to show me through a story?
People and connections
Tell me about someone who made a difference in your everyday life.
How did a friendship that matters to you begin?
Who taught you something you still use?
What would you like me to know about someone from your past?
Learning and growing up
Tell me about something you enjoyed learning.
What did time with friends look like when you were younger?
What was a responsibility you took on while growing up?
What did you imagine doing when you were younger?
Work, skills and making things
Tell me about a skill you learned through practice.
What was an ordinary day in a job or role you remember?
Tell me about something you made, repaired or helped to build.
When have you worked alongside someone you remember clearly?
Food, objects and traditions
Tell me about a meal you remember sharing.
What object would you choose to tell me a story about?
How did people around you mark a special occasion?
What family habit or saying would you like to keep?
Choices and looking back
What is something you would like a future reader to understand about you?
Tell me about a time your daily life changed.
What are you glad you made time for?
What story would you like us to ask about next?
Leave room for their answer
- Choose together. Ask what they would like to talk about. A single question can be enough for today.
- Listen for the next detail. Give them time. A follow-up such as “What happened next?” can be more useful than moving to the next card.
- Agree what to keep. Ask before recording, and decide together who may read or hear what you save. They can skip a question, change the subject or stop.
The Oral History Association's guidance describes open-ended questions, attentive listening, follow-ups and respecting the speaker's choices. These original MemoirWell cards are starting points for a personal family conversation.
An example of a gentle follow-up
“Tell me about a meal you remember sharing.”
If they begin describing who was there, stay with that person. You might ask, “What were the two of you doing?” The card can wait while their story unfolds.
Before your conversation
Are these cards free to print?
Yes. Editing, downloading text and printing need no account or subscription. Print or save PDF opens your browser's print dialog; PDF options depend on your browser and device. You can cut printed cards along their borders.
Can I write my own family interview questions?
Yes. Edit either field on a card or choose Add my own question. Move cards earlier or later, remove one after confirmation, and use Undo last removal to restore its wording. The deck keeps at least one card.
Where is my deck saved?
Your edits stay in this page's memory. They are not autosaved or uploaded by this tool, and no AI writes or rewrites them. Refreshing or closing the page clears your changes. Download text or print a copy before leaving; this tool cannot reopen a downloaded text file as an editable deck.
Can we use the cards by phone or video?
Yes. You can send a downloaded copy ahead of time, or ask one question aloud. Choose a comfortable time together and let them decide how much they want to share. This page does not record the conversation or store answers.
What if a question does not fit our family?
Change it, leave it out, or ask what they would prefer to talk about. You do not need to finish a deck. Questions about ordinary places and routines can offer a starting point without requiring a full life history.
Would you like to develop one memory?
Keep your cards beside you. MemoirWell's separate guided interview helps you work on one remembered scene and a draft you can check and edit. Your custom cards are not transferred automatically.
Start a free first chapterSave your questions before leaving this page.