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[For Seniors] Recommended for September! Craft Idea Collection
September still carries the lingering heat, but it’s the time when we gradually move toward autumn.
September also features long-cherished Japanese customs and traditions, such as the Mid-Autumn Moon, Respect for the Aged Day, and the Autumnal Equinox Day.
We’d love for older adults—especially those who may find it hard to feel the seasons due to conditions like dementia—to enjoy a wonderful September as well.
With that in mind, here are some craft ideas for seniors to try in September.
These activities can serve as “brain training” by using fine motor skills, and through the finished pieces, can also lead to reminiscence therapy by recalling memories of past Septembers.
They might spark lively conversations and help create opportunities for communication.
We hope you enjoy a fun time with September crafts!
[For Seniors] Recommended for September! Craft Idea Collection (1–10)
Hanging decorations for moon viewing
Let’s make a hanging decoration perfect for the moon-viewing season.
It’s like a simple mobile—fun to make, and enjoyable to display afterward, giving it a nice sense of value as a recreation activity.
Create seasonal motifs such as the moon, rice dumplings for moon viewing, and pampas grass using colored construction paper, and attach them to a single string.
You could also adapt this idea to create decorations for other seasons.
Simple red spider lily
Cluster amaryllis bloom around the autumn equinox in September.
Their vivid, bright red flowers make us feel the arrival of fall! Familiar to many seniors, cluster amaryllis are also highly recommended as a theme for autumn craft activities.
The main tasks are cutting and pasting construction paper, so they’re easy to make.
Just combine construction-paper petals, a tissue-paper center, and thin paper sticks rolled up tightly! It’s much simpler than using wire, yet the result still looks gorgeous.
rabbit
How about making a “mochi-pounding rabbit” wall decoration for the moon-viewing season? All you need to do is cut and paste colored construction paper, so anyone can make it easily! You can also download free templates for the small parts, so even if you’re not good at drawing, no problem.
You might arrange seasonal autumn motifs in the background, like the moon or pampas grass.
There are many ways to enjoy it—make it with your grandchild and display it at home, or create it together with friends as a recreation activity at a senior facility!
Making Japanese-patterned bookmarks
Autumn is often called the season for reading, isn’t it? How about making a simple bookmark with a traditional Japanese pattern? For the bookmark body, cut a piece of fabric with a Japanese motif to the size of two bookmarks, apply double-sided tape to just half of the back, then fold it in the middle and press to adhere.
That alone is a bit too simple, so let’s add a small temari ball and a ribbon—often used in hanging decorations—as accents.
Punch a small hole at the top of the bookmark, thread a slightly long ribbon through, then thread a temari ball onto each end of the ribbon and tie them.
This alone gives it a festive look, and the temari balls swaying at the ribbon tips are very cute.
If you prefer a stiffer bookmark, you can insert cardstock between the layers of fabric.
A Thank-You Letter for Respect for the Aged Day
The third Monday of September is Respect for the Aged Day.
It’s a day for families to say thank you to grandparents, but why not take this opportunity to write a letter of appreciation to someone who helps you in your daily life? From facility staff to residents, and from residents to their loved ones—anyone would be happy to receive a letter of thanks.
You could draw a September-themed illustration and make it into a picture postcard, or handcraft a pop-up flower message card.
Be sure to share your words of appreciation.
moon-viewing dumplings
As the saying goes, “dumplings over flowers,” and tsukimi dango are also perfect for autumn wall decorations.
Try making three-dimensional tsukimi dango using construction paper or cardboard.
In addition to the dango, creating familiar tsukimi motifs like pampas grass and bellflowers will really heighten the moon-viewing mood! With their stylish, mature aesthetic, these decorations are great for seniors considering tsukimi decor at home, as well as for wall displays in senior care facilities.
Moon-Viewing Card
Among September events, moon-viewing (Otsukimi) is one of the most familiar, isn’t it? When the moon-viewing season arrives, be sure to make an Otsukimi card.
It’s fine to use materials you have on hand, like origami paper, construction paper, fabric scraps, or chiyogami.
Try freely creating your piece by cleverly arranging essentials of Otsukimi such as rabbits, pampas grass (susuki), and the moon.
You might also achieve a more festive finish by adding accents with Japanese patterns or gold and silver materials.
Incorporating this into a day-service craft activity should make for a lively session, creating while sharing fond autumn memories!