[For Seniors] Recommended for day services! Simple and cute small craft ideas
Craft time at the day service is an important activity that enriches both mind and body.
Each piece—like adorable pipe-cleaner bouquets and handy little organizers—shines with its own personality.
They’re lovely to use yourself, and they’d surely delight someone special as a gift!
None of the projects are very complicated, so you can take your time and work at your own pace.
Making them while chatting with other participants also helps expand your circle of communication.
Why not choose your favorite materials and colors to create a one-of-a-kind handmade piece in the whole world?
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For Seniors: Recommended for Day Services! Easy and Cute Small Craft Ideas (151–160)
A magnet that looks like a cake
Introducing a magnet that looks just like a cake, made from felt and a plastic bottle cap.
First, cut the felt into a circle to match the size of the cap.
Also cut a long, narrow strip, checking the size so it can wrap around the cap.
Apply glue inside the cap, insert air-dry clay and a magnet, and secure them in place.
Then cover the magnet with masking tape as a protective layer.
Attach the pre-cut felt, wrapping it around the outside.
Adding lace around the side gives it a cute finish.
Finally, decorate the felt “lid” as you like, and it’s complete.
Since there are no difficult steps, this craft can also be used for finger rehabilitation or occupational therapy.
chirimen-dama (small dried juvenile fish ball)
Here is an introduction to chirimen balls that can be used for a variety of items.
Cut chirimen fabric to a size that fits craft polystyrene spheres.
Use glue to attach the chirimen fabric to the polystyrene balls.
Trim any excess fabric that extends past the ball with scissors.
Press down the cut edges to finish, making sure it forms a neat sphere.
The finished pieces look even more charming as keychains or bag charms.
Try making them together with older adults while enjoying the process.
Pumpkins made of yarn
This is a yarn pumpkin craft that’s perfect for October Halloween decorations.
Wrap yarn round and round a toilet paper roll.
The wrapped yarn will become the pumpkin, so adjust the number of wraps to match the size of pumpkin you want to make.
The wrapping step also gives older adults a chance to move their fingers a lot.
Tie around the middle of the wrapped yarn with a single piece of yarn to form a round shape.
Attach a green pipe cleaner on top of the circular yarn to finish.
Make lots of them to use as parts for a garland or hanging decorations.
Simple bookmark
This is a bookmark craft we’d like older adults who enjoy reading to make.
Prepare chirimen fabric, apply double-sided tape to the back, and fold it in half.
Thread a string through with a needle.
It looks lovely to add decorations to the string, such as a small Styrofoam ball covered with chirimen, or other chirimen craft pieces.
Because this bookmark is easy to make, it should be approachable for older adults as well.
Having a handmade bookmark makes reading even more enjoyable.
Chirimen fabric is also available at 100-yen shops, so gathering materials is easy.
No-sew Hina dolls
Here’s how to make no-sew Hina dolls.
Prepare felt, wooden beads, and construction paper, and give it a try.
Cut the felt according to the template and glue together the kimono for the male and female dolls.
If you slightly offset the felt pieces as you glue them, the kimono will look neat when wrapped into shape.
Draw hair on the wooden beads, then glue them onto the kimonos to assemble the heads and bodies.
For the male doll, make an eboshi (cap) from construction paper and attach it to the head, then add the shaku (ritual scepter) to finish.
For the female doll, place the crown and give her a fan to complete.
It’s a perfect craft for practicing fine motor skills, so be sure to give it a try!
sachet
Sachets are perfect gifts for seniors, offering both a pleasant scent and the comforting feel of fabric.
Fold the top and bottom edges of the fabric 1 cm to the wrong side and sew.
Trim the seam allowance to about 5 mm, turn it right side out, and press with an iron to shape.
Place a fabric scrap infused with essential oil in the center, then add more fabric around it to create a soft, fluffy finish.
Attach the handle to the edge at the end, and it’s complete.
They’re versatile—you can place them in a closet or by your pillow to enjoy the fragrance, or carry them in a bag.
Choosing scents like lavender or citrus to suit the recipient’s taste makes the gift even more thoughtful.
Gentle in appearance and filled with care, it’s a uniquely heartfelt handmade present.
For Seniors: Recommended for Day Services! Simple and Cute Craft Ideas (161–170)
Small accessory pouch made from fabric scraps
Let me introduce a small, cute trinket pouch made from fabric scraps.
Using a pattern, cut two pieces of fabric.
You can download the pattern from the website to make the process easier.
We’ll sew it with a sewing machine, but since it’s just a small pouch, the sewing lengths are short.
If you’re a senior who enjoys crafting, hand sewing works fine too.
You’ll press with an iron and sew the two pieces together as you go.
Once you shape it, the pouch is complete.
You can make it using leftover fabric from other projects.
Some 100-yen shops also sell fabric scraps in their craft sections.
You can choose scraps of any fabric you like and make it your own.