[For Seniors] Simple and Fun: Craft Ideas You Can Make with Everyday Items
What we introduce here are easy craft ideas for older adults.
They’re all easy to incorporate into recreational activities at senior facilities such as day service centers.
Using familiar, everyday materials, these crafts are simple to make, making it easy for seniors to give them a try.
We hope you’ll use craft-making to help stimulate both mind and body.
Since it involves using the hands, it also serves as brain training and can help prevent dementia.
Be sure to read this article and use it as a reference for craft activities.
- [For Seniors] A Collection of Craft Ideas Using Paper Cups
- [For Seniors] Recommended for day services! Simple and cute small craft ideas
- For Seniors: Simple and Lovely Crafts – A Collection of Take-Home Project Ideas for Day Service
- [For Seniors] Simple Handicrafts Recommended for Finger Exercise
- [For Seniors] Lovely Crafts Made with Tissue Paper: Ideas Collection
- [For Seniors] Have Fun Making Things Based on Today’s Mood! Today’s Recommended Craft
- [For Seniors] DIY Rehabilitation Aids: A Collection of Easy-to-Make Ideas
- [For Seniors] Easy and Fun! Tsumami Zaiku Craft Ideas
- Simple, Recommended Autumn Crafts for Seniors
- [For Seniors] Easy Construction Paper Crafts Activity
- [For Seniors] Day-service activities also recommended! Craft ideas for November
- [For Seniors] Practical Crafts to Make in Day-Service Recreation: Idea Roundup
- [For Seniors] Fun to Make, Soothing to Display! Snowman Craft Ideas
[For Seniors] Simple and Fun: Craft Ideas You Can Make with Everyday Items (71–80)
catapult
Let me introduce a fun-to-play catapult.
Paint some color onto the popsicle sticks, stack five of them together, and secure both ends with rubber bands.
Take the remaining two sticks, band them together, then insert the stack of five between them and fix in place.
Secure the center by crossing a rubber band, and glue a plastic bottle cap to the end to finish.
Put a pom-pom in the bottle cap and launch it to play.
Making a target to aim at will make the game even more exciting.
It’s also fun to write numbers on the targets and turn it into a point-scoring game.
Watermelon fan
Here’s how to make a watermelon fan using popsicle sticks.
Gather popsicle sticks, wire, colored construction paper, and glue.
Prepare five popsicle sticks and drill a hole at the bottom of each stick.
Thread the wire through the holes to bind them together.
Cut the construction paper into a fan-shaped watermelon slice, and use colored paper to create the rind and seeds to form the watermelon design.
Open and close the fan as you assemble it so the shape and movement work smoothly, then finish it up.
Add your name or decorations to create your own original fan.
Pin Friends
Let me introduce some very cute “pin friends” made from popsicle sticks.
Draw faces on the sticks and add color.
Using washi tape or colored pens to create patterns will make them look bright and adorable.
Once you’ve finished drawing, glue the popsicle sticks onto clips and you’re done.
They’d look stylish and cute attached to a small message card or letter.
Making several in different sizes to create a set of pin friends would look festive when lined up, too.
Give it a try!
Miniature wooden house
The “miniature wooden house” is a simple craft made using ice cream sticks.
First, draw a house blueprint on cardboard and cut the sticks to match the dimensions.
After gluing the sticks onto the cardboard, assemble them so that the cardboard faces inward.
This will form the shape of a small house.
Adding details like window frames and doors will enhance the originality and give the piece character.
Painting it or adding decorations will complete a miniature house that’s even more fun to display.
It’s also lovely to make them with family and friends and enjoy admiring each other’s creations.
Miniature wooden house
The “miniature wooden house” is a simple craft made using ice cream sticks.
First, draw a house blueprint on cardboard and cut the sticks to match the dimensions.
After gluing the sticks onto the cardboard, assemble them so that the cardboard faces inward.
This will form the shape of a small house.
Adding details like window frames and doors will enhance the originality and give the piece character.
Painting it or adding decorations will complete a miniature house that’s even more fun to display.
It’s also lovely to make them with family and friends and enjoy admiring each other’s creations.
robot arm
As a craft you can enjoy with familiar materials, a “robot arm” is perfect for stimulating fine motor skills and imagination.
First, prepare six sticks with holes drilled at both ends and in the middle.
Be careful—if you use too many, the weight will make it unstable.
Arrange two sticks in an X shape and insert a toothpick through the overlapped center to secure them.
Then fix the ends of the X shapes to each other to stabilize the frame.
Attach a short stick at the tip as a claw, and add a plastic bottle cap as a handle at the other end to complete the robot arm.
It’s a craft idea that offers plenty of satisfaction and smiles, since you can use it to pick up and move small objects.
House-shaped key holder
Introducing a house-shaped key holder that will instantly make your home look more stylish.
Gather ice cream sticks, a hot glue gun, a utility knife, and acrylic paint to get started.
Arrange the ice cream sticks into the shape and size of the house you want, then use a pencil to mark the cutting lines.
Once the basic prep is done, cut along the lines with the utility knife.
While gently holding the arranged sticks so they don’t shift, glue them together with the hot glue gun.
Paint with acrylics, install a screw to hang the keys, and you’re done.
It’s also cute and recommended to make several in different acrylic paint colors and display them together.