[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!
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- For Seniors: Easy Crafts Recommended for October
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- For Seniors: Making a September Calendar — Recommended Motif Ideas
- [For Seniors] Enjoy September’s Autumn Fun! A Collection of Craft, Game, and Exercise Ideas
- Simple, Recommended Autumn Crafts for Seniors
- Recommended Moon-Viewing Crafts for Seniors
- [For Seniors] Easy Crafts Recommended for August
- [For Seniors] Crafts to Make in March! Recommended Project Ideas
[For Seniors] Recommended in September! Craft Idea Collection (41–50)
Chinese lantern decoration
Hozuki (Chinese lantern plants) have long been familiar to Japanese people, from the Hozuki Market to enjoying them as potted plants or dried flowers.
The way the calyx wraps the fruit and turns a bright orange is utterly charming and evokes the arrival of autumn, doesn’t it? This decoration is themed on hozuki, which many older adults also recognize.
With simple steps, you can make adorable hozuki, so consider incorporating it into autumn craft activities at day service centers! These lifelike hozuki look lovely on wall displays or shikishi boards, and they’re also beautiful arranged in a vase.
The vivid orange will instantly brighten up any room!
Cosmos hanging ornament
How about making a cosmos wall decoration with beautiful, delicate stems and leaves? All you need is origami paper and wood glue, so it’s easy to make.
For the flowers, join two petal-shaped pieces together, and use yellow origami in the center to create the pistil.
Give the petals dimension by adding layers or curling them so they look almost like real cosmos.
For the stems and leaves, cut them as you would for paper cutouts—be careful with the fine parts so they don’t get cut off.
Finally, roll a thin strip of origami into a border, place the pieces on top, and you’re done.
You can enjoy it not only as a wall decoration but also by hanging it.
Papercut Art: Moon-Viewing Rabbit
Here’s a paper-cutting idea of a moon with the silhouette of a rabbit pounding mochi.
It seems useful for wall decorations, autumn crafts, and many other settings.
The method is simple: fold a sheet of yellow origami paper in half, draw the rabbit and the moon with lines, and cut them out with scissors.
If you have trouble drawing a perfect circle for the moon, fold the paper twice and draw one quarter at a time.
Also, since freehand drawing the rabbit can be tricky, it may help to draw guide lines beforehand; for older adults, it might be better to have them trace over those lines with a pen.
Moon-viewing dumplings made with cardboard and washi paper
Let’s make a sanpō (ceremonial tray) and dango that will be useful for a moon-viewing event.
There are templates for both, so please download those first.
Once you’ve downloaded the templates, cut the sanpō parts out of thick paper and attach them to washi paper.
After you’ve prepared all the parts, assemble them.
For the dango, roll up tissues lightly moistened with a misting spray, let them dry, then use glue to adhere chirimen fabric over the top.
Lay washi paper with red-painted edges on the assembled sanpō, place the dango on top, and you’re done! You’ll use a hole punch to make the decorative openings on the sanpō, but if you don’t have one, drawing black circles with a pen is fine, too.
Handmade pampas grass
Here’s a craft idea featuring pampas grass, which is essential for autumn scenery and moon-viewing.
Make fine cuts into colored construction paper with scissors, roll it tightly from the edge, and secure it with tape to create the pampas grass.
If you want to display the pampas grass upright, try making a stand by wrapping green construction paper around a toilet paper roll and decorating the tube with pipe cleaners.
Since this craft involves using scissors and rolling, it’s also great for finger and hand coordination practice—perfect for autumn craft time.
If you make some dango as well, you’ll have a splendid moon-viewing decoration ready!
Cosmos wall art decorated with handmade stamps
Here’s an award-worthy wall decoration idea using makeup sponges! Dab paint-soaked sponges onto shoji paper.
The naturally blurred colors give it a stylish, cute look.
Once the paper is dry, fold it and cut out petal shapes with scissors.
Next, gather some yellow tissue paper and use a plastic bottle cap to create a three-dimensional flower center.
Combine the two, and you’ve got pastel-colored autumn cosmos! Make lots to fill your room and bring in the fall vibe!
Handmade pom-pom stamp moon-viewing dumplings
How about making tsukimi dango by stamping dots onto black construction paper? First, glue a sanpo offering stand and a moon, both cut from construction paper, onto the black background.
For the dango, dip a sponge wrapped in cloth into white paint and stamp the dots onto the sanpo.
That’s all there is to it, so it can be finished quickly and also works well as an autumn wall decoration.
If you add pampas grass or rabbits made from origami or construction paper, it will look even more like a moon-viewing scene.
Try different variations and enjoy this autumn craft!