Lovely senior life

[For Seniors] Simple and Fun: Craft Ideas You Can Make with Everyday Items

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.
Worked as a certified care worker for 17 years.Nanaka
I’ve been working as a certified care worker for 17 years. I’m Nanaka, a caregiving web writer. I decided to pursue this profession because I wanted a job that would help people. Having worked in day care for many years, I’ve experienced a wide variety of recreational activities. Exercise set to music, in particular, always created a cheerful atmosphere and was very well received. I’d be delighted to continue delivering writing that resonates with readers through caregiving-related articles. Thank you for your support.

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] Simple and Fun: Craft Ideas You Can Make with Everyday Items (201–210)

Long-tailed tit wreath

[Using a Sakura Horikiri kit] Make a shimafenaga (long-tailed tit) oshie decorative wreath

Long-tailed tit wreath

The long-tailed tit, with its white body and tiny black eyes, is adorable.

They say that in the whole world, the long-tailed tit lives only in Hokkaido.

There’s even a morning news program where they do exercises together with a long-tailed tit plush toy, right? Thanks to TV, many seniors may also be familiar with the long-tailed tit.

Let’s use a kit to make a cute long-tailed tit wreath.

Wrap the fabric around boards cut according to the template.

Use glue to attach the parts together into a wreath shape.

You can make the wreath without needles or a sewing machine.

The finished piece would look great as a wall decoration in a facility or in a senior’s own room.

It’s a recommended kit even for seniors who aren’t confident with sewing.

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scrunchie

Usable forever | Simple scrunchie | Crochet

scrunchie

Scrunchies for tying up hair are one of the easiest projects to make! One of their charms is that there are many ways to create them—such as crochet patterns or sewing a long, tube-shaped piece of fabric and threading elastic through it.

Making them with crochet, knitting, or hand sewing also stimulates your fingertips, making them perfect for hand rehabilitation.

They’re great as gifts for family, too.

And scrunchies aren’t just hair accessories; they can also be used as bag decorations or bands for planners, so you can make as many as you like with no problem! Give it a try.

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Suede-like 3D mask

Easy and highly recommended! I tried making DAISO’s DIY kit “Suede-Style 3D Mask,” and it turned out great!

Suede-like 3D mask

There are many occasions to wear a mask, such as preventing infections or when you have a cough.

So why not try making your own mask using a mask kit? While there are gauze-style mask kits, here we’ll introduce a chic suede-style mask kit.

The kit includes suede fabric, elastic, and a pattern.

Besides the included suede fabric, you can also use suede in other colors.

You can make two types of masks.

For one, trace the pattern onto the fabric and cut it out with scissors.

Sew the fabric with a sewing machine to finish.

For the other, attach elastic to the ear sections of the mask to make it.

A mask you make yourself is likely to bring a happy feeling when worn, especially for older adults.

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Snow globe making

[100-yen shop] Easy-to-make Miffy snow globe. You can get all the materials at 100-yen shops.

Snow globe making

Here’s a sparkling, beautiful snow globe that shines when you flip it over.

Attach a sponge and a little figurine to the jar lid, then add glitter, sequins, and anything else you like—just have fun with it! After you make it, you can display it in your room or show it to friends and enjoy looking at it, which is a nice bonus, isn’t it?

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Murakami Shinpei

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smartphone shoulder strap

[Smartphone shoulder strap with Daiso 100-yen yarn (summer yarn)] Crochet hook tutorial, easy, for beginners, how to crochet #100yenstore #howtocrochet #phonecase #daiso #smartphonecase

smartphone shoulder strap

How about making a cute little pouch using crochet hooks and yarn you can buy at the 100-yen shop? It works great as a smartphone shoulder bag and can also be used as a card case.

Since you’ll be working single-strand with chain stitches, experienced crafters can probably move along quickly.

Even if you’re not experienced, you’ll be fine if you take it carefully together.

Don’t push yourself—try it with someone who enjoys delicate handiwork.

Boosting motivation with ideas like “It could be a gift for your grandchild or child” can make it even more fun.

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Slide puzzle

[Brain Training] Fun for Kids and Adults! How to Make a Sliding Puzzle

Slide puzzle

This is a puzzle game where you use the empty squares to move adjacent pieces and aim to match colors.

It’s important to think through the sequence of moves that will bring you closer to the desired arrangement.

Another appealing aspect is how easy it is to prepare: use a piece of cardboard with drawn grid lines as the frame, and bottle caps with stickers as the pieces.

If there are too few piece types or grid squares, you might complete it just by moving randomly; in that case, try a version with more squares.

We recommend starting with the rule of lining up each color in a row, then progressing to a more challenging pattern where you arrange numbers in order.

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Tulip bouquet

[Easy ✨ Felt] How to Make a Tulip 🌷 Bouquet [Just Cut and Stick] DIY How to Make a Felt Tulip Flower Bouquet

Tulip bouquet

Here’s an idea for making a bright and cozy tulip bouquet out of felt without using any needles.

Use a 1-yen coin to draw circles for petals on paper, then cut the felt using the paper circles as templates.

Wrap a rectangular piece of felt, attach the slitted petals, and glue them down while gently folding the petals.

Glue the parts onto a foam ball to shape the flower.

Finally, add leaves and a string and tie them together to complete a cute bouquet.

You can enjoy the soft texture and color combinations of felt while working your hands, which also helps stimulate the brain.

It’s a heartwarming craft that brightens up any room just by being displayed.

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