Lovely senior life

[For seniors] Enjoy spring: April craft ideas

Social worker / Care workermoko
My name is Moko, a mother of three who admired my mother and worked in the care industry as a care worker and as a medical social worker (MSW) in a hospital. I will be drawing on my previous experience to write mainly about caregiving. Thank you in advance.
Care Worker Initial Training Certification ObtainedNakajima Junko
Leveraging my experience working as a care worker at a day service, I am currently active as a writer in the caregiving and welfare fields. Beyond writing, I hope to expand my work into web design and illustration. I am a mother of three who has begun studying to become a certified social worker.

As spring arrives and the weather warms, colorful flowers bloom and we feel lighthearted.

We’d love for older adults—who often find it difficult to go out—to enjoy the cheerful spring atmosphere too.

In this article, we introduce craft ideas recommended for April.

We’ve prepared projects ranging from simple steps like folding origami and tearing paper to slightly more complex tasks like cutting predetermined shapes with scissors.

Please adjust the difficulty level to suit the older adults who will be doing the crafts.

Using the fingertips helps stimulate the brain, and completing a project can bring a sense of accomplishment and fulfillment.

Let’s bring a touch of spring into craft recreation activities.

[For Seniors] Enjoy Spring: April Craft Ideas (91–100)

randoseru (Japanese elementary school backpack)

[Craft Idea] Origami School Backpack (April Spring) (School Entrance) (First Grader) (Senior Recreation) (Childcare/Educational) (Wall Decoration) (Table Decoration) (origami) (Creative OT) (DIY)

randoseru (Japanese elementary school backpack)

April brings to mind school entrance ceremonies and the sight of cheerful first graders heading to school with shiny new randoseru backpacks.

While red and black used to be the standard colors, these days randoseru come in a wide variety of hues.

For an April origami activity, why not fold a randoseru in your favorite color? Divide one sheet of origami paper into thirds vertically, and proceed to fold each section.

Drawing lines along the crease marks makes it easier to follow.

With some finer steps involved, this project helps build concentration and can be effective for dementia prevention.

It would also make a delightful gift for your grandchild.

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Iris made with tsumami-zaiku

How to Make Iris Flowers [Tsumami Zaiku] [Easy DIY] [Chirimen Craft] DIY Handmade Craft Tutorial / Kanzashi / Tsumami Zaiku

Iris made with tsumami-zaiku

Let me introduce a tsumami-zaiku iris that beautifully highlights the fabric’s texture.

Cut your chosen fabric into squares and fold each piece three times with tweezers.

Apply adhesive and open it to form a petal.

Make several of these.

Next, fold smaller pieces to create the inner petals as well.

For the leaves, fold the fabric three times, then cut it into a long, narrow shape.

Slowly open it while securing the edges with glue, shaping it into a leaf.

Attach a round paper base to a wire, and then glue the parts you made onto the base in order to complete the iris.

Since this involves fine, delicate work, it’s best to proceed slowly, one step at a time.

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Making a calendar with sakura (cherry blossom) eraser stamps

[Eraser Stamps 🌸] Making an April calendar with a cherry blossom eraser stamp 🌸 with gradient shading

Making a calendar with sakura (cherry blossom) eraser stamps

Eraser stamps are made by carving patterns into an eraser.

A carving knife is handy for the cutting, but depending on the design, you can make them with a utility knife as well.

For seniors who enjoy handmade crafts, stamp making can be a lot of fun.

Since cherry blossoms are at their best in April, let’s make a calendar by creating and stamping cherry blossoms with an eraser stamp.

Using just pink ink is fine, but it’s also lovely to change the color at the tips of the petals.

Try experimenting with how you apply the ink.

Including branches will add atmosphere and make the piece look even nicer.

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Making a calendar using your favorite flowers and plants

[Making the 2021 calendar] April

Making a calendar using your favorite flowers and plants

When spring arrives, older adults may have more opportunities to go outside for a walk, don’t you think? When you visit a park, try picking some flowers and leaves and turning them into a calendar.

Creating with seasonal plants might help older adults recall memories of spring days from the past.

It could also spark conversation and broaden social connections.

For those who have difficulty going out, using dried spring flowers is also recommended.

Calendars made with dried sweet peas or mimosa would be lovely, too.

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onion

[Craft Idea] Onion Crafting (May, Spring) (Senior Activities) (Early Childhood Education) (Wall Decorations) (Vegetables) (Scenery)

onion

Many senior care facilities change their wall decorations with each season.

Some staff may be troubled because the walls end up looking similar every year.

So this time, we’d like to introduce a slightly unusual onion-themed wall decoration.

Sweet and delicious new onions are said to be in season from March to May.

Let’s try making lifelike onions together with the seniors! Crumple a sheet of copy paper into a ball, then insert leaves made from similarly crumpled green origami.

Use pale orange origami to represent the onion skin.

Tie on a string, and your realistic onion is complete! If you also create eaves or a hanging rack to suspend them from, the atmosphere becomes even more authentic.

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clover

(Origami / copy paper) Easy! How to make a clover [DIY]

clover

Here’s how to make an easy and cute clover.

A craft punch that cuts paper into heart shapes makes it go faster, but you can use scissors too.

Prepare two sheets of green paper—one dark and one light—and cut out heart shapes.

Layer the leaves with a piece of wire sandwiched between them, and glue them together.

Make several of these.

Bend the leaves, bundle them, and wrap them with green floral tape to form three-leaf or four-leaf clovers.

Pour pebbles or beads into a small container and insert the clovers to enjoy them like houseplants.

Since it’s safe to make, it’s also recommended as a recreation activity in senior facilities.

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rapeseed blossoms

Easy with origami! How to fold the canola flower (blossom part) | How to fold an origami canola flower. #origami #paperfolding #flowers #paperflower

rapeseed blossoms

When March comes, you can see rapeseed blossoms blooming in fields and along riverbanks.

They’re a familiar flower to many older adults and one that heralds spring, don’t you think? A rapeseed-blossom calendar could be a lovely way to bring news of spring to seniors.

There are many ways to make rapeseed flowers, but using origami or tissue paper is recommended.

Fold yellow origami paper to make the flowers, or cut tissue paper into rapeseed shapes and stick them onto the calendar.

The bright yellow rapeseed flower carries the meanings of energy and liveliness, inspired by its appearance.

Just displaying such a calendar could help seniors feel vibrant and full of life.

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