[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! Simple and Cute Small Craft Ideas (281–290)
Handmade squishy
A cute-looking squeeze toy made with balloons and salt dough.
A squeeze toy is a fun toy with a unique texture that returns to its original shape after being squeezed.
You might even get addicted to it! It’s easiest to use balloons that are at least 12 cm, so please prepare those.
First, roll the salt dough into long thin strands, pinch off tiny, pea-sized pieces, and put them into the balloon.
Once it’s packed with no gaps, tie the balloon’s neck and cut off the excess.
You can easily make it cute with googly-eye stickers and ribbon bows, but drawing a face by hand can be fun too.
Try customizing it with various items like pipe cleaners or yarn!
A spinning top made from a milk carton
Just hearing about making spinning tops out of milk cartons is exciting! The charm is that you can do it with simple materials.
It’s also great that you can enjoy creating an original design by drawing patterns with pens or adding washi tape to the surface.
Each piece is sure to shine with the individuality of each older adult.
The finished top is easy to take home, making it perfect as a gift for grandchildren.
If everyone holds a spinning-top contest together, it will likely turn into a fun time full of smiles.
I think it’s a wonderful craft idea that can bring out the creativity of older adults.
Hydrangea ball
A festive hydrangea ball made by inserting fabric into a round Styrofoam base! Prepare various colors and patterns of fabric and cut them into 5 cm squares.
Cut green felt to make leaf pieces as well.
Once you place them on the Styrofoam ball, just poke the center with a bamboo skewer to tuck the fabric in! If you embed a ribbon with glue at the top of the ball, you’ll have a cute hydrangea ball that can be hung as a decoration.
Just choosing the fabric colors is enough to get you excited!
For Seniors: Recommended for Day Services! Easy and Cute Small Craft Ideas (291–300)
snowman
Here’s how to make a snowman using a lactic acid bacteria drink container.
Snowmen, a classic winter motif, look lovely as decorations in facilities or rooms! Try it as a day service activity.
Peel off the plastic from the container, attach quilt batting with double-sided tape, and create the snowman base.
Next, bundle yarn to make a scarf.
For the hat, pass multiple strands of yarn through a cut toilet paper roll core and tie them together.
To finish, stick on rhinestone stickers or beads to make the eyes, nose, and mouth—and you’re done! Changing the yarn colors will give your snowman a different vibe, so give it a try.
Lidded trinket box
A reusable, highly practical milk carton organizer is gentle in every way.
There seem to be many parts you can customize, such as the height, but be sure to leave the flap-in tab 2 cm longer when you cut it.
It also helps to cut the corners diagonally.
If you wrap paper around the milk carton, it prevents show-through and works great! When attaching fabric to the carton, using double-sided tape or adhesive-backed fabric makes it quick, neat, and easy.
Stick felt on the inside to complete the base! Then have fun decorating with items made from various materials and patterned pieces.
It works well as a gift box, and if you also store items used for these kinds of activities inside, it’ll boost your crafting mood every time!
Original wood clip
Recommended for those who love photos—why not try making wooden clips that are also used as welcome items at venues like wedding halls? Prepare dried flowers or artificial flowers and clips as a base, then add whatever decorative pieces you’d like.
You can use the floral materials as-is after cutting, or shape them into your own original forms, then attach them to the clips with glue or a hot glue gun.
The main task is essentially sticking pieces together, but if it feels tricky, working in pairs can be a great way to spark conversation.
Display photos of your grandchildren or family, or your favorite creations with the finished clips, and you’ll surely find it soothing!
A basket made of paper
How about making a “paper basket” for use as a small accessory holder during day-service recreation? It’s a craft that fully uses the fingertips, so it’s also great for finger dexterity training.
Use strips of thick paper to make the basket’s framework.
Assemble it into a basket shape, fastening with a stapler as you go.
Next, apply glue or adhesive to torn pieces of newspaper and stick them onto the framework.
The key is to layer multiple sheets on both the inside and outside! Let it dry for a day, then finish by attaching paper napkins with your favorite patterns—and you’re done! Have fun making them with a variety of designs.