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 (131–140)

Pressed Flower Calendar

A simple way to make a pressed flower calendar! Great as a gift, too!!

Pressed Flower Calendar

How about using pressed flowers for an April calendar? Some older adults may have fond memories of making and enjoying pressed flowers.

All you need are a calendar backing sheet and pressed flowers.

Use small and large blooms, and even stems together.

Traditionally, pressed flowers are made by placing them between heavy books, but you can also try quick methods using a microwave or an iron.

Once you’ve arranged the flowers in any design you like, place a cover film over the pressed flowers.

Creating a pressed-flower calendar with blossoms you find on a walk in the warm April weather would make a lovely memory.

Raise the rankinglower

Report a problem

Lotus Blossoms and a Ladybug

[Craft Idea] Chinese Milk Vetch and Ladybug (May, Spring) (Wall Decorations, Senior Recreation, Occupational Therapy OT, Day Service, Preschool) (Origami) (DIY)

Lotus Blossoms and a Ladybug

We’d like to introduce a wall decoration featuring Chinese milk vetch (renge) that brings a springtime feel.

Because there are many steps that involve cutting origami into the same shapes, prepare templates for the petals, leaves, stems, and ladybugs in advance.

Cut pink origami paper into petal shapes and gently rub them with scissors; they’ll naturally curl upward, creating a three-dimensional look when displayed.

In the same way, use green origami to cut out the leaves and stems.

For the ladybugs, cut shapes from red and black origami, remembering to add the spots.

Once all the materials are ready, layer and glue the petals to form the flowers, then attach the leaves and ladybugs.

The ladybugs flying toward the blossoms look adorable and enhance the spring atmosphere.

Since there are no complicated steps, this craft is also recommended for recreational activities in senior care facilities.

Raise the rankinglower

Report a problem

horsetail

[Cute Origami] How to Fold Horsetail (Origami Time)

horsetail

In spring, horsetails sprout up vigorously everywhere, giving off a sense of vitality—they’re a cheerful little symbol of the season just to look at.

Horsetails made from origami are perfect as decorations to stick on a calendar, too.

If you cut the origami paper into long, thin strips beforehand, it’s easier for everyone to fold together.

The folding method is simple, but the hakama (the jointed sheath sections) are the key detail.

Since the back side’s color will show in the finished piece, using double-sided origami paper or kraft origami is recommended.

Make several, and draw faces on a few of them to make them even cuter!

Raise the rankinglower

Report a problem

Sakura mochi

[Spring Origami] Easy and Cute Sakura Mochi Folding / Origami Sakura Mochi

Sakura mochi

Simply sticking origami with spring-themed motifs onto a plain calendar can instantly transform it into an exciting spring-season calendar.

Sakura mochi, a traditional Japanese sweet enjoyed when the cherry blossoms bloom, has a soft, fluffy texture that feels very spring-like and is so familiar it’s even used as a seasonal word in haiku.

Its pink color is bright and festive, so it’s highly recommended.

Both the mochi part and the leaf part have simple folding methods, so you can try them casually.

For the leaf, use slightly muted green origami to create the right atmosphere.

Raise the rankinglower

Report a problem

dandelion

@hirose_ds
Translation Elderly Recreation March Spring front-loading; taking in advance; getting a head start #dandelion Papercraft Calendar Translation Finger exercises
♬ Young Man(Y.M.C.A.) – TRT Harajuku Yankees RC

Let’s turn dandelions made with lots of fingertip work into a calendar.

Cut the tip of a long, narrow strip of construction paper.

Then roll the paper round and round to form the dandelion flower.

Attach the dandelions you made, along with leaves, to the calendar to finish.

Because it uses the fingers, it can not only stimulate the brain but also serve as functional training for fine motor skills.

Creating calendars and dandelions can help older adults feel the seasons.

How about adding spring elements like butterflies and ladybugs as well?

Raise the rankinglower

Report a problem

bamboo shoot

Introducing an easy way to fold a bamboo shoot with origami! Why not fold some during the spring season and use them as decorations? [Ori-Tsuku]

bamboo shoot

Bamboo shoots, which you often see around springtime.

It’s the season when they’re sold not only in bamboo groves but also at supermarkets and greengrocers.

Bamboo shoots are one of spring’s seasonal flavors.

Some older adults may look forward to freshly harvested bamboo shoots in spring.

Let’s make a calendar that perfectly matches the spring image using bamboo shoots.

Make bamboo shoots out of origami or construction paper and stick them onto a calendar.

You’ll create a calendar with a spring feel.

You can also use the bamboo-shoot pieces made from origami or construction paper to make wreaths and other various crafts.

Raise the rankinglower

Report a problem

Japanese bush warbler

[Made with One Sheet of Origami] Easy and Cute Bush Warbler (Facing Left) Folding Tutorial ◇ Origami Japanese Bush Warbler — Spring Little Bird, Uguisu ◇

Japanese bush warbler

When you hear the call “hoo-hokekyo,” it makes you think, “Spring is here,” doesn’t it? The Japanese bush warbler (uguisu) is familiar to many people, including seniors, as a bird that heralds spring.

So let’s try making a calendar with an uguisu motif.

You could use origami or a coloring-page design—either works nicely.

It’s also a great idea to add plum or peach blossoms.

There’s even a traditional auspicious expression, ‘ume ni uguisu’ (plum blossoms with a bush warbler).

Plum blossoms and the bush warbler are a well-matched pair, and because the two together symbolize harmony, the phrase is used to represent good fortune.

Incorporating this combination into your calendar’s layout would likely result in a lovely piece.

Raise the rankinglower

Report a problem