[For Senior Daycare Centers] Ideas for Summer Take-Home Crafts
What comes to mind when you think of summer? In July, there’s Tanabata, and in August you might picture the sea or mountains, watermelon, shaved ice, and summer festivals—classic summer motifs.
This time, we’ll introduce easy-to-make, take-home projects that are perfect for summer and can be done at a day service.
Seasonal items like uchiwa fans, wall decorations, and wind chimes let you fully enjoy summer and are convenient to use at home.
If you’re wondering what summer crafts to make at a day service, please use these ideas as a reference.
- For Seniors: Simple and Lovely Crafts – A Collection of Take-Home Project Ideas for Day Service
- [For Seniors] Enjoy the Hot Summer to the Fullest! A Collection of Easy Craft Ideas
- [For Seniors] Enjoy and Beat the Summer Heat! July Craft Ideas
- [Day Service] August Craft Ideas That Seniors Will Enjoy
- [Day Service] Spring Take-Home Crafts: Ideas to Warmly Brighten Your Room
- [For Seniors] Introducing Fun Crafts Made with Plastic Bottle Caps
- [For Seniors] Exciting Summer Wall Decoration Ideas
- [For Seniors] Recommended for day services! Simple and cute small craft ideas
- [For Seniors] Small craft ideas: for yourself and as gifts!
- Take-Home Craft Ideas for Winter: Perfect for Day Services for Seniors
- [Day Service] Handmade Autumn Crafts: Take-Home Project Ideas
- [For Seniors] Simple Handicrafts Recommended for Finger Exercise
- Simple Crafts for the Elderly Recommended for Tanabata
[For Senior Day Service] Summer Take-Home Craft Ideas (1–10)
Summer wall decoration

Wall decorations that capture the feeling of summer are appealing because you can arrange them with vibrant materials.
Attach paper straws to both ends of a sheet of origami paper to create a sturdy base.
Place another piece of origami paper in a small plastic bag, then freely add stickers and beads inside.
By combining colorful pieces, you can express a lively, festive sense of summer.
Once you’ve finished the decorative piece, attach it to the base and thread a string through to complete it.
Hang it on the wall to instantly brighten the room and enjoy the season’s atmosphere.
The simple steps make it easy for older adults to do without strain, so it’s also recommended for summer events.
Pseudo stained glass

Let’s make a cool and refreshing faux stained glass.
Real stained glass uses glass, but for our faux version we’ll use aluminum foil and a photo frame.
First, draw your favorite picture in color on the transparent film of the photo frame.
On the backing board side of the frame, spread out a piece of crumpled aluminum foil and attach it.
Place your drawing on the backing, fit everything into the frame, and you’ll have a sparkling, beautiful piece that looks like stained glass! The aluminum foil creates that shimmering stained-glass vibe.
Try drawing a summery picture and give it a go!
Goldfish Herbarium

We also recommend a cool-looking goldfish herbarium that helps ease the summer heat.
A herbarium is an item made by filling a glass container with a special oil and placing plants inside.
Many people have probably seen the type with flowers in a tall, narrow bottle.
This time, the idea is to treat the oil as if it were water, put aquatic plants in the bottle, and add goldfish stickers.
It’s fun to mull over which goldfish to use, too.
[For Senior Daycare Centers] Summer Take-Home Craft Ideas (11–20)
Goldfish wind chime

A wind chime that brings a cool breeze in the hot summer.
Let’s make one with a goldfish design! A recommended method uses a round cheese box and a clear plastic sheet.
Take just the rim of the cheese box and decorate it with colored washi paper or similar materials.
Cut a clear sheet to fit the rim and stick on goldfish stickers and other decorative stickers.
Once that’s done, combine it with the rim and attach a string and a paper strip (tanzaku) to finish! If you add a small bell to the tanzaku, you’ll have a wind chime that makes sound.
You can also try other methods, such as cutting a plastic bottle into small pieces or using a capsule from a gashapon machine and drawing goldfish on it.
Give it a try and make your favorite style!
decorative photo frame

Of course, there are plenty of summer-themed activities, and with family visiting during Obon, July and August are packed with fun events.
That also means you’ll probably have more opportunities to take photos.
So here’s an idea I’d like to share: decorated photo frames.
This involves taking photo frames bought at a 100-yen shop and embellishing them.
Using shells and sand creates a beach-like, distinctly summery vibe.
It’s perfect for preserving your summer memories.
Cute translucent plastic cup aquarium

These cute, cool-looking translucent plastic cup crafts are perfect for summer and are an easy idea for seniors to try.
By placing two layers of blue cellophane or transparent origami inside a clear plastic cup, you can create a water-like transparent effect.
Cut masking tape—first stuck onto baking paper—into shapes like fish or jellyfish, and stick them on the inside of a separate cup.
Finally, stack the cups, and you’ll have a clever mechanism that makes the creatures inside look like they’re moving.
It engages fine motor skills while letting you enjoy colors and shapes, stimulating creativity and offering an easy way to feel the season.
It’s also a big plus that it can be done indoors without strain, even on hot days.
shaved ice

This is a shaved-ice craft project that lets seniors, who may find it hard to go out in extreme heat, enjoy the feel of a summer festival right at home! You can make it with everyday materials, so it’s a great activity to do with your grandkids.
Decorate a paper cup with the kanji for “ice” or wave patterns, fill it with craft cotton, and sprinkle hand-torn tissue on top.
Next, mix water and watercolor paint to make shaved-ice syrup.
You can also mix starch glue with paint to create sweetened condensed milk—give it a try! Finish by drizzling on the syrup and condensed milk.
By changing the paint colors—red, green, blue, and more—you can “make” different shaved-ice flavors and have fun experimenting!



