[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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- [Day Service] Craft Ideas for Seniors to Make in October
- [For Seniors] Recommended September Origami to Feel the Autumn Season
- For Seniors: Easy Crafts Recommended for October
- [For Seniors] Fall Wall Decoration Ideas
- 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)
dragonfly
As if to celebrate the harvest, all kinds of insects appear in autumn, don’t they? Let’s make a dragonfly—one of the insects strongly associated with autumn—out of origami.
You can aim for a realistic dragonfly, or go for a cute, stylized version.
We’ll create parts like the body and wings and then assemble them; by changing the colors, you can end up with a vibrant dragonfly.
If you keep a rounded feel for the body parts and a thin, delicate look for the wings, you’ll achieve a more realistic effect.
Moon-viewing rabbit made of clay
Here’s a simple rabbit craft idea using clay.
Wondering what kind of rabbit? Think of a snow rabbit.
You’ll need 25 g of white clay.
First, divide the clay into two parts.
Use the first part for the rabbit’s body; the second part is for the ears and tail, so a small amount is fine.
Roll the first portion into an egg shape.
To keep it from rolling, flatten the bottom slightly.
Divide the second portion into three pieces to make the ears and tail, then attach them to the body with glue.
Finally, add the eyes, and you’re done.
For an even nicer finish, make the ears with Japanese-patterned chiyogami and decorate them, and create a background by accordion-folding paper.
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.