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Nicofiends activity

Pressure Postcards

A discussion activity where young people respond to fictional postcards from characters experiencing different forms of pressure.

What it explores

This activity helps children and young people recognise what pressure can sound like. Each postcard includes a short message from a Nicofiend. Young people then create a response that could help someone pause, question the message and make their own choice.
Time
10 to 15 mins
Age
Ages 8 to 10
Setting
Classroom, Youth group, Community setting, At home
Group size
Individual, pairs or small groups

Activity at a glance

Best for

Spotting pressure, practising responses and starting safer conversations.

You’ll need

Printable Pressure Postcards, pens, pencils or colouring materials.
printable materials

Key message

Pressure is easier to handle when you have thought about what you could say or do.

How to run it

    1. Give each young person, pair or small group one Pressure Postcard.
    2. Explain that each postcard shows a fictional situation where a young person is being pressured.
    3. Ask them to read the situation and complete “Spot the trick”. They should identify how the Nicofiend is applying pressure. It might be:
      • Making something sound harmless
      • Making someone feel awkward for saying no
      • Rushing them into a decision
      • Suggesting everyone else is doing it
      • Using jokes or teasing
      • Making the risky choice sound exciting
    4. Ask them to complete “What could you say, think or do?” They can write:
      • Something the person could say
      • Something they could remind themselves
      • An action they could take, such as moving away or getting support
    5. Invite volunteers to read the situation on their postcard and share their response.
    6. Finish by explaining that pressure is not always easy to spot. It can appear through jokes, group behaviour, online messages, curiosity or attempts to make a risky choice seem normal.

    The young people are responding to the fictional situation already printed on the postcard; they are not writing a postcard themselves.

Discussion prompts

  • What words or actions created the pressure?
  • What choices does the fictional character have?
  • Which response might feel most natural?
  • How could the character leave or change the situation?
  • Who could support them if the pressure continued?

Reflection

Pressure is not always loud or obvious. Sometimes it sounds funny, casual or confident.

This activity helps children and young people notice those tricks, pause, and think about what they could do next.

Link To Smoking, Vaping or Nicotine

The postcards use silly made up situations, but the pressure tricks are real.

Young people may come across similar pressure around smoking, vaping or nicotine. Someone might make it sound harmless, say everyone else is doing it, turn it into a joke, or make someone feel awkward for saying no.

This activity helps children and young people spot those patterns earlier and think more clearly about their own choices.

Adapting the activity

Make it Easier

Work in pairs or small groups and complete one postcard together. Talk through the pressure trick first, then agree one response as a group.

Make it Harder

Ask young people to write three responses: one thing they could say, one thing they could think, and one thing they could do

Safety Note

Every postcard is fictional. Keep discussion focused on the characters and do not ask participants to share their own or their family’s experiences. Offer a written or quiet way to take part.

Ready to Run The Acitvity

Download the activity PDF or go back to the resource hub to find another activity.

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