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 (121–130)

Making a calendar by collecting April-themed posters

Making calendars - Day Seiwa-en

Making a calendar by collecting April-themed posters

Here is an introduction to making a calendar using spring-themed illustrations.

When you think of spring, what comes to mind? Cherry blossoms, tulips, bees, and butterflies are all typical spring images.

Prepare sheets of paper with such illustrations.

From those sheets, older adults can choose their favorite illustrations and paste them onto the calendar.

Creating a spring-like calendar is a great way for seniors to feel the season.

They can make it while chatting with others—saying things like, “This design is nice,” or “It really feels like spring.” It can spark conversation with others and might even help relieve stress.

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Strawberry Crepe Calendar Arrangement

[Cute Origami] Make-believe play that’s exciting to create: “Easy Crepes with 3D Strawberries,” plus a calendar arrangement version! #WallDecor Preschool Craft

Strawberry Crepe Calendar Arrangement

When it comes to fruits you want to eat in spring, many people probably think of strawberries.

Just imagining strawberry desserts or going strawberry picking is exciting, isn’t it? Let’s make a calendar themed around a crepe featuring strawberries! There are many ways to fold paper strawberries, so choose the method that suits you.

Attach three strawberries to yellow cellophane, then add a half piece of lace paper.

Fold it into a fan shape and glue it down to complete a cute crepe.

Glue the calendar onto construction paper and attach the crepe.

For extra flair, decorate with spring motifs like clovers to make it even more festive!

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Making a calendar with drawing

I tried making a calendar for April 2024!! #drawing #handmade #calendar

Making a calendar with drawing

Try making a calendar featuring your own drawings or paintings.

Some older adults may be especially good at drawing.

Ask them to create illustrations or paintings that evoke April or spring, and add color to complete a lovely calendar.

You can even have them write in the dates.

It will be a one-of-a-kind, original calendar.

For those who aren’t confident in drawing, spring-themed coloring pages are also recommended.

Please use this as a reference when creating a beautiful calendar.

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Making a dandelion calendar

April Calendar Making 🗓️ Magokoro no Kōbōan

Making a dandelion calendar

In April, you can sometimes find fields and parks filled with lots of small, yellow dandelion flowers.

Just looking at them makes you feel the warm, cozy spring weather.

Let’s add some handmade dandelions to an April calendar.

You can make them by accordion-folding and cutting construction paper or using origami.

Creating a calendar with a dandelion coloring page would be lovely, too.

Since you can do the craft while seated at a table, it encourages conversation with those around you and helps promote communication.

It’s also nice that you can display the finished calendar at home.

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[For Seniors] Enjoy Spring: April Craft Ideas (131–140)

Azaleas and butterflies

[Craft Idea] Azaleas and Butterflies (May Wall Decoration) (Elderly Recreation, Occupational Therapy OT, Day Service, Childcare) (Origami, Flowers, 3D, Easy Craft, Origami DIY) Azalea and Butterfly Wall Decoration

Azaleas and butterflies

Azaleas, which bloom in vivid pinks and purples, are at their best from mid-April to mid-May.

As a May wall decoration idea, how about making azaleas and butterflies? Let’s fold azaleas using red and pink origami.

First, make crease lines and use them as guides as you fold.

While the paper is still folded, cut it with scissors into the shape of petals.

Then use the scissors to round and shape the cut petals.

For the butterflies, using washi-patterned origami will really make them stand out.

Butterflies fluttering over a brightly colored field of azaleas is sure to lift the spirits of anyone who sees it.

Please use this as a reference!

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Collage with stickers and paper postings

[Easy Collage] I made a collage of the April calendar 🌸 [Calendar]

Collage with stickers and paper postings

Let’s collage a simple April calendar with a spring vibe! We’ll add cherry blossom washi tape and patterned papers.

Fill any empty spaces with your favorite flake stickers, like petals or animals.

All the washi tape and stickers used here were purchased at a 100-yen shop.

Since 100-yen shops carry a wide variety of stickers, you can pick your favorites to create a fun, original calendar.

A calendar in full-bloom sakura will warm your heart every time you look at it.

Give it a try!

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Making a calendar with origami

Day Service Fukaya: Magokoro no Koubouan – April Calendar Production

Making a calendar with origami

As April arrives, there are more and more days when we can feel the warmth, aren’t there? Let’s make a calendar decorated with spring flowers and insects out of origami.

You can create the origami pieces while sitting and chatting with others.

Making spring-themed origami might spark lively conversations about past springtime memories.

Origami also uses your fingers a lot, and using your fingers is said to stimulate and activate the brain.

It would be nice to think together with older adults about things that evoke spring and then make them with origami.

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