[For Seniors] Simple crafts that feel like autumn: a fun creative activity

Pacific saury

This month's calendar features Pacific saury.

Autumn is a season with plenty of harvests and foods at their peak.

One of autumn’s flavors, Pacific saury (sanma), might also make an appearance on your table.

Many older adults may love the rich, fatty taste of sanma.

Let’s make a calendar featuring sanma.

Cut construction paper or cardboard into the shape of a sanma and wrap it in aluminum foil.

This will recreate a shiny, lifelike fish.

Finish the calendar with creative touches, like placing it on a drawing of a shichirin charcoal grill or on a paper plate you’ve made.

It’s a delightful craft that looks so appetizing, it might make you crave sanma!

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Nakajima Junko

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Japanese pampas grass

[Origami] How to Make Susuki (Japanese Pampas Grass) / How To Make an Origami Japanese Pampas Grass

The harvest moon is celebrated in September.

It is an event to give thanks to the moon for the harvest while gazing at it.

Some older adults may spend the evening with family, offering rice dumplings and taro.

There is one more important offering for the harvest moon: pampas grass (susuki).

It has been believed to be a place where deities reside.

The key is to make it using kraft paper or double-sided colored origami paper.

Fold it and cut it into the shape of pampas grass.

Be sure to use scissors to make fine slits for the feathery seed heads, too.

If you also make pampas grass and display it together with your Harvest Moon piece on the calendar, it will look even more beautiful.

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Nakajima Junko

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Halloween ghost

[Halloween Origami] Easy and Cute Ghost Folding / Origami Pumpkin Ghost — Origami Ghost

In October, we have Halloween, right? Some senior care facilities may also hold Halloween events.

So, let’s try making an October calendar decorated with origami Halloween ghosts.

We’ll fold origami to make ghosts.

And when it comes to Halloween, pumpkins are also an important item.

With a single sheet of origami paper, we’ll fold a ghost holding a pumpkin.

If you use orange origami paper, you can make a pumpkin Jack-o’-lantern.

The orange side becomes the pumpkin, and the white side completes the ghost.

For seniors who may not be familiar with Halloween, try making the calendar while sharing some fun Halloween trivia.

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Nakajima Junko

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Pastel Art: Bagworm

Pastel Art 079: How to Draw “Three Bagworm Brothers” – Try it with 100-yen shop pastels! Let’s have fun drawing ★ pasminomusi3nup1 h2

November is an important time for bagworms as they prepare to overwinter.

Here, we’ll introduce gentle-colored bagworms created with pastel art.

Let’s make and cut out shapes of a bagworm and leaves.

On the base paper, use pastels in the color you want for the background and fill it in.

It’s also nice to use one or two colors of your choice.

Next, place the bagworm-shaped stencil you cut out onto the paper and add color to create the bagworm.

Deciding where to place and color the bagworm is part of the fun.

Once that’s done, add color to draw leaves around it, and you’re finished.

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mayumi

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Bagworm Origami

[Origami Autumn] How to Fold a Bagworm (Mino-mushi) / How to Make an Origami Bagworm Moth

Let us introduce an autumn-themed “bagworm origami.” Use brown, orange, and yellow origami paper to make three parts and assemble them.

Patterned paper also creates a unique and cute finish.

The fine folds help promote finger dexterity and concentration.

Stick round stickers on at the end to make eyes, and you’ll have a bagworm with a rich expression.

Display several in a row to add a warm autumn accent to a calendar.

It’s a craft that lets you feel the season indoors.

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kojifumi

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Origami calendar for the night of the full harvest moon

[Komu-chan] Origami Calendar ♪ September

Speaking of September, there’s the night of the full harvest moon, also known as the Mid-Autumn Moon.

Let’s make an origami piece inspired by the Fifteenth Night and turn it into a calendar.

Rabbits, pampas grass, and rice dumplings all come to mind for the Fifteenth Night.

And since it’s also called the “Potato Moon,” how about folding some taro as well? As they fold the origami, some older adults may recall memories of moon-viewing with their families.

It might spark lively conversations.

With summer ending, creating this calendar can help us feel the arrival of autumn.

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Nakajima Junko

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Handwritten Halloween

October calendar #Halloween #short

We’d like to introduce an idea called “Handwritten Halloween,” where you create your own calendar by freely drawing frames, dates, and illustrations on construction paper.

By colorfully depicting autumn-themed motifs like jack-o’-lanterns and witch hats, you can produce a piece with a warm, inviting feel.

Careful tasks—such as spacing between the frame and dates or aligning vertical and horizontal rows—also help support finger dexterity, cognitive function, and concentration.

It’s an easy, enjoyable activity for older adults as well; feel the autumn season and make your calendar with care.

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kojifumi

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