Lovely senior life

[For Seniors] Fun Crafts Recommended for December

Social worker / Care workermoko
My name is Moko, a mother of three who admired my mother and worked in the care industry as a care worker and as a medical social worker (MSW) in a hospital. I will be drawing on my previous experience to write mainly about caregiving. Thank you in advance.
Care Worker Initial Training Certification ObtainedNakajima Junko
Leveraging my experience working as a care worker at a day service, I am currently active as a writer in the caregiving and welfare fields. Beyond writing, I hope to expand my work into web design and illustration. I am a mother of three who has begun studying to become a certified social worker.

December brings fun events and major occasions like Christmas and New Year’s.

Let’s help older adults feel the season with crafts that capture the spirit of December! We’ve gathered many projects that are easy to prepare and simple to make, using recycled materials and items from 100-yen shops.

Moving the fingers during crafting can also have brain-training benefits.

You can display the finished pieces, or take them home to use if they’re practical items.

Enjoy a wonderful time with crafts that are perfect for wrapping up the year.

[For Seniors] Fun Crafts Recommended for December (11–20)

Milk carton accessory case

[Super Easy] Mini Basket Made from a Milk Carton #dayservice #daycare #dayrehab #nursingcare #elderly #craft

Milk carton accessory case

A simple trinket box you can make from an empty milk carton.

It makes a nice Christmas gift for seniors, and it’s also great as a seasonal recreation activity.

Paste wrapping paper on both the outside and inside of the carton, then cut off any excess.

Make slits along the lines you drew on the inside, crease the folds, and glue the pieces together from the inside in order.

Finally, decorate the edges with lace to finish.

Try using Christmas-themed wrapping paper, lace, and ribbons.

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Simple New Year’s decoration

[Elderly Recreation] Easy New Year’s Craft: Daruma Decoration [Making/Handicraft]

Simple New Year’s decoration

Let’s make a three-dimensional daruma ornament using a milk carton and a toilet paper roll core.

Cut the milk carton into long, thin strips, roll them into a circular frame, and wrap it with tissue paper, keeping a rounded shape in mind.

Then attach the facial features and decorative parts to complete the daruma.

After that, place the daruma onto a base made from a cut toilet paper core or a stand covered with origami paper.

There’s a wide range of ways to customize it, such as the color of the tissue paper and how you draw the expression, so you can create a piece that feels even more auspicious.

Aim for a cute design and craft a daruma that’s uniquely your own.

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Simple and cute! Pinecone tree

[Handmade Video] Easy♪ Pine Cone Christmas Tree!

Simple and cute! Pinecone tree

This is a cute pinecone tree you can easily make with materials from a 100-yen shop—as long as you have a pinecone.

You can use a store-bought pinecone or one you picked up on a walk.

To make it, simply decorate the pinecone with beads and pipe cleaners however you like, then fix it to a base made from a plastic bottle cap.

Crafts that use the fingertips are very effective for seniors’ hand rehabilitation and dementia prevention.

If you’ve picked up the pinecone outdoors, be sure to sterilize it by boiling it beforehand so seniors can enjoy crafting safely and with peace of mind.

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snow globe

[Craft] Handmade Snow Globe [Easy]

snow globe

Handmade snow globes are great as dexterity-boosting activities at nursing homes and day service centers.

To make one, glue cotton onto the jar lid.

Then glue a character or other small object onto the cotton—that’s it.

Adding glitter or liquid laundry starch is also recommended.

Increasing the amount of laundry starch makes the mixture more viscous, so adjust as you go.

Once it’s finished, turn it upside down once to make sure the character doesn’t fall off—that’s even better!

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gift box

Easy and cute! Let’s make a gift box with just one sheet of construction paper♪

gift box

At Christmas, many people give presents to their grandchildren or friends.

That’s where a gift box comes in handy.

When you think of a Christmas gift box, most people imagine a square box, but with a bit of creativity, you can make star-shaped boxes too.

If you put the present inside and give it that way, it’s sure to be a hit! If you want to make it even more glamorous, you can decorate it with ornaments.

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Origami: Snowflake

[Easy ✨] How to Make Snowflakes ⛄️ Cutting Method [Origami] DIY How to Make a Paper Snowflake. Crystal of Snow. Papercraft

Origami: Snowflake

You can easily make snowflakes with white origami paper.

Since they’re crystals, aim for a hexagon: fold the paper into a triangle, then fold it into thirds like a paper napkin, and fold it in half once more.

Carefully cut out shapes you like, making sure not to tear it.

When you unfold it, you’ll see unexpectedly beautiful patterns that will likely delight with their surprise.

If you mount them on construction paper in Christmas colors like red or green, they make very stylish decorations.

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Hirakawa Masako (Bōkarisuto: Sakata Mizumako)

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[For Seniors] Fun Crafts Recommended for December (21–30)

shimenawa (sacred Shinto rope)

[Craft Idea] Shimenawa paper craft (New Year in January) (senior activities) (early childhood education) (wall decorations) (creative) (easy) (seasonal) (ema plaques)

shimenawa (sacred Shinto rope)

The craft I’d like you to make in December, just before the New Year, is a shimenawa (traditional New Year’s rope decoration).

First, roll up kraft paper and form it into a ring to create the rope.

Twisting it and adding small cuts will make it look more realistic.

Use washi or patterned paper to make a fan, and add chrysanthemums made from combined origami pieces to finish it off more festively.

Cut paper into the shape of an ema (votive plaque), write your goals or wishes for the coming year on it, and hang it as a decoration.

This craft provides an opportunity for older adults to reflect on the past year and spark conversation before welcoming the New Year.

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