Lovely senior life

[For Seniors] Kick Off the New Year with Laughter! Fun DIY Ideas for Fuku-warai

[For Seniors] Kick Off the New Year with Laughter! Fun DIY Ideas for Fuku-warai

Last updated:2025/12/9

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.
Work experience in a hospital as a physical therapistNakamū
I worked as a physical therapist at a general hospital for about four years. I’ve supported a wide range of patients, from those needing emergency rehabilitation to those doing rehabilitation at home at a comfortable pace. As a writer, I’d be happy to share health-related information with many people. Thank you, and I look forward to working with you!

When it comes to classic New Year’s games, Fukuwarai—arranging facial features while blindfolded—is a favorite.

Even traditional pastimes can feel fresh and more exciting when you add handmade twists and ideas.

The possibilities are endless: versions you can eat at the end made from cookies or cake, ones that combine clay and pebbles, or designs based on anime characters.

One of the biggest charms of handmade Fukuwarai is that you can enjoy the time spent creating the pieces together with older adults.

Why not try these easy, handmade Fukuwarai ideas at a senior facility or at home as a New Year’s activity?

For Seniors: Start the Year with Laughter! Handmade Fuku-warai Ideas (1–10)

Horse Fukuwarai

@chooobo2
🎍 Making a Horse Fukuwarai 🎍 Just stick the parts on, and you’ll have your one-and-only “little horse” 🐴✨ Children get excited as they chat, “Does it go here?” “Maybe over here?” 🫶 <Hanging scroll paper sizes> • Construction paper (navy): 25.5 cm (H) × 18.5 cm (W) (Rolled section with a straw → 6 cm (H) × 18.5 cm (W)) • Construction paper (white): 20 cm (H) × 16.5 cm (W) These sizes are just a guide! Adjust according to the size you’re making!New Year’s craft # January production Fukuwarai
♬ EGAO – wacci

Introducing a horse-themed Fukuwarai that you can play with and then use as a wall decoration.

The base is styled like a hanging scroll, so it should beautifully brighten up your New Year wall display.

Both the hanging scroll and the horse parts for the Fukuwarai are basically made from colored construction paper.

For the base, glue a slightly smaller white sheet onto a navy rectangular sheet of construction paper.

Decorate the top and bottom of the white sheet with washi-patterned tape, then attach rolled, tube-shaped pieces of construction paper to the top and bottom of the navy sheet to finish.

Design the horse as you like, and cut out the parts from construction paper to make it.

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Whirling Lucky Laugh

@mii_asobi03
Save this and give it a try ✂️ [What you’ll need] • 2 clear plastic cups • Origami paper • Permanent marker • Scissors • Utility knife • Clear tape My 4-year-old kept laughing, saying “That looks so silly! 🤣” because the face keeps changing 🩷 Try making lots of funny faces without covering the eyes—over and over! ✨ ＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝ This is Mii! Thanks so much for stopping by 😊🌈 I post my creations hoping they’ll help you make even one more fun parent-child memory 🩷 Follows and likes make me so happy 🥹✨ ＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝#AtHomePlay #StayHomeTime Play ideas New Year Fukuwarai
♬ Original song – mii_asobi03 – mii_asobi03

Here’s an idea for making a Fukuwarai game using clear plastic cups.

First, draw the base face outline and hair on origami paper.

Cut them out with scissors and tape them to the inside of a clear cup.

Next, stack another clear cup on top and, aligning with the base face, use a pen to draw the eyes, nose, and mouth.

Shift the cup slightly and draw several variations of each facial part.

Remove the cup with the facial parts, make starter slits with a craft knife, then use scissors to slice it into rings, separating each part.

Finally, stack the rings back onto the cup with the base face in the correct order—and you’re done! Rotate each ring to mix and match the features and enjoy playing Fukuwarai.

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Daruma Fukuwarai

Let’s incorporate the daruma, which is also popular as a New Year decoration, as a motif for a fukuwarai game.

The base daruma is attached to a frame, and you place the eyebrows, mustache, and ribbon on it.

After playing, you can glue the pieces down to use it as a New Year’s decoration.

How about customizing it by changing the daruma’s expression to a smiling one or switching the body to a different color? When using it as a decoration, it might also be lovely to decorate the frame.

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Wacky Fukuwarai

@mii_asobi03
@mii_asobi03 👈 There are other posts too—save this and give it a try ✂️ ========================== We play Fukuwarai at home no matter the season 🤣 This Fukuwarai is sure to get everyone excited—family, friends, and relatives alike 🤣🩷 [Materials] • Cardboard • Felt • Double-sided tape • Hook-and-loop fastener (Velcro) ⚠️ Use the prickly side (the hook side) of the Velcro❗️ ========================== Hi, I’m Mii! Thanks for stopping by 😊🌈 I post my creations hoping they help add even one more fun parent-child memory 🩷 Follows and likes make me so happy 🥹✨ ==========================Play #AtHomePlay #Indoor Play Play ideas #EducationalPlay # Simple play Fukuwarai ⁡
♬ funny scene song(1294833) – K.Shiraki

Speaking of fukuwarai, you usually play it blindfolded, arranging facial parts on a paper board, right? But this idea is a bit different! What’s different is that first you make a blank, featureless face out of felt on the side of a cardboard box.

Then you put the box over your head and, reaching your hands out through a hole below the face, you play fukuwarai! It looks like you’re picking up the missing parts of your own face, and the movements are really funny to watch.

Hook-and-loop tape is attached to the backs of the parts so they stick to the felt.

It’s an idea that would likely be a hit as entertainment at a New Year’s party.

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Fukuwarai of the Seven Lucky Gods

@chokipeta_factory
Can you name the Seven Lucky Gods?#Nursery school Nursery teacher / Childcare worker Production New Year Fukuwarai
♬ Hoshiyume Drop – TOFU

How about playing Fukuwarai with the Seven Lucky Gods for a bit of good fortune? Ebisu, Daikokuten, Fukurokuju, Bishamonten, Hotei, Jurōjin, and Benzaiten—having the full set is truly impressive! After you finish the Fukuwarai game, you could even use them as New Year wall decorations.

It seems the Seven Lucky Gods illustrations are being prepared for sale, so they should become available for purchase before long, but if you’re good at drawing, you can make your own.

Another option is to use coloring-page illustrations that are available for free.

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Daifuku smile

@karitasunosato
This is Hamanomiya Shochikuen Day Service 🤗 In January, we enjoyed New Year’s recreational activities 🫶✨Caregiving Certified Care Worker Translation Recreation Fukuwarai Fun time
♬ Iko Iko (My Bestie) (feat. Small Jam) – Justin Wellington

This is a large-scale game of fukuwarai that you can enjoy like playing darts.

You toss the facial parts onto a large sheet with an outline of an Okame face to complete it.

You can play while seated, and there’s no need for a blindfold.

However, since the throwing positions are fixed, you’ll need to adjust your throwing strength so the mouth pieces land closer and the eye pieces land farther.

In other words, control is key.

It’s also important to throw the pieces horizontally so they don’t flip over, so keep that in mind and have fun.

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Giant Fukuwarai

Giant Hell-Fukuwarai, Part 1 [Kawa-san Project]

Giant Fukuwarai

How about enjoying a giant Fukuwarai spread across the entire floor of the room as a recreational activity? You’ll play blindfolded, but because the face area is large, people around should call out directions and help the player reach each part.

For older adults, walking around blindfolded can be dangerous, so please have a helper assist them to prevent falls.

Since the parts and the base sheet will be quite large, it’s best to make them from lightweight materials, such as tear-resistant paper.

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