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[For Seniors] Practical Crafts to Make in Day-Service Recreation: Idea Roundup
At day service craft activities, there are times when participants make items to take home.
I imagine many people display them at home, too.
This time, we’re sharing craft ideas for older adults that you can make and actually use!
We’ve gathered practical crafts you can keep using after you make them, as well as stylish pieces that look great on display.
Simply changing the origami patterns or the types of beads and ribbons can create a completely different feel, so have fun using these ideas as inspiration.
[For Seniors] Practical crafts to make in day-service recreational activities. Idea roundup (1–10)
Origami Photo FrameNEW!
Some older adults may have a favorite photograph.
It might be nice to display it in a handmade photo frame.
Take a sheet of origami paper and roll it up from a corner into a tube shape.
Using patterned or printed origami paper is recommended.
Leave the clear file large enough to fit the photo, then cut it to your preferred size.
Glue the tube-shaped origami pieces onto the cut clear file using wood glue.
Older adults may feel deeply moved when they place a cherished photo in a photo frame they made themselves.
Try adding a stand to the frame, or decorating it with paper lace or ribbons.
origami wind chimeNEW!
Watching wind chimes sway in the breeze makes you feel the arrival of summer, doesn’t it? When a wind chime you made yourself gently sways in your room, it also gives a lovely sense of elegance.
Wind chimes are easy to make with origami, so they’re perfect for summer craft activities for seniors.
Fold the origami paper in half and cut it so it forms a flower-like shape.
Curve the paper inward toward the center as if wrapping it, and you can create a round, plump wind chime.
Cut a strip for the tanzaku from origami as well, and hang it from the wind chime with a string.
With just two sheets of origami, some string, and tape, you can make a cute wind chime.
Pen holder with small accessory tray
A pen holder with a small tray: it has plenty of slots, so it seems handy for keeping not only pens but also items like remotes and scissors—basically all your stationery—in one place! This pen holder, made using two milk cartons, may look very complicated at first, but the basic structure is just two large triangles, two slightly smaller triangles, and one rectangle in the front for the small tray.
Attach a bottom, cover it with decorative paper, and it’s done.
Try making it at whatever height you like.
A pen holder made from an empty tissue boxNEW!
It’s handy to have something that can hold items like glasses or pens.
Here’s a pen holder you can make using an empty tissue box—perfect for craft activities with seniors.
Cut the tissue box with scissors and cover it with patterned origami paper.
Try your favorite designs, such as flowers, polka dots, or traditional Japanese patterns.
You’ll use your fingertips a lot by cutting with scissors, assembling the box, and sticking on the origami paper.
It seems great for finger dexterity training and stimulating the brain.
Empty tissue boxes are often thrown away, but this is a wonderful way to put them to use.
fabric scrap mat
Introducing an easy, no-needle scrap-fabric mat you can make by repurposing unwanted cloth.
All you need are a non-slip mesh sheet from a 100-yen shop and fabric scraps in your favorite colors and patterns.
Cut the scraps into strips, thread them through the mesh openings of the non-slip sheet, and tie them in tight knots.
The key is to alternate the placement of the knots.
Finally, trim any excess and neaten the shape to finish.
By choosing different fabric textures and colors, you can create a warm, original mat.
Since there’s no sewing involved, it’s easy even for those with limited hand strength, and the finger movements can help stimulate the brain.
It’s an eco-friendly and practical handicraft you can enjoy.
Heart wreathNEW!
You can easily make a wreath using paper plates sold at 100-yen shops.
Paper plates are lightweight, making them easy for older adults to handle and work with.
Fold a paper plate in half and cut it so that it forms a heart shape.
Then, attach flowers made from tissue paper that’s been bundled and accordion-folded onto the heart-shaped paper plate.
You’ll have an adorable heart-shaped floral wreath.
Hanging a wreath in your room will elevate the decor.
For older adults, having a room decorated with something they made themselves can also bring a sense of accomplishment.
Milk carton perpetual calendarNEW!
Many people change their calendars every year, but a perpetual calendar can be used forever once you make it! And this perpetual calendar is easy to make with a milk carton.
Make four cubes from milk cartons: assign one to the month, two to the date, and one to the day of the week, then simply write the numbers and letters on the cubes—you can finish it in a day.
Cover the cubes with colored construction paper of your choice to make them bright and colorful.
You can handwrite the numbers and letters, or create a more elaborate design using construction paper and other materials, which would be lovely as well.
