Lovely senior life

For seniors: Brighten your window with handmade wind chimes — creative ideas

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.
Editor-in-Chief, RAG MUSICHane Keisuke
Editor-in-chief of RAG MUSIC. JFC-certified fact-checker. After working in a music studio and handling wedding sound, joined the RAG MUSIC editorial team in 2016. Experienced with a variety of instruments: marching band in elementary school, clarinet in junior high school wind ensemble, and drums in a band from high school onward. Drawing on my own musical activities and the experience gained through my work, I produce daily articles, including various song introductions, features on music festivals around the country, and live reports. In music, I enjoy not only rock from Japan and abroad but, lately, a wide range of J-pop as well.

Wind chimes are one of the quintessential symbols of summer, and their cool, tinkling “chirin-chirin” sound is so appealing.

Typically, they have a hemispherical glass body with a glass rod hanging by a string, and they ring when the wind blows.

Making one by hand can be quite challenging, but there are ways to craft wind chimes using familiar materials!

In this article, I’ll share wind chime-making ideas recommended for older adults.

They’re perfect for craft recreation activities in care facilities.

However, some ideas include steps that are a bit complex or require strength, so please have facility staff provide support as needed.

[For Seniors] Let's Decorate the Windowsill: Handmade Wind Chime Ideas (21–30)

Himmeli wind chime

How to make a brass himmeli (wind chime) (Difficulty: ★★☆☆☆) *Produced by SORANIWA*

Himmeli wind chime

For those who want to try a slightly different type of wind chime, I recommend a Himmeli wind chime.

A Himmeli wind chime is a traditional hanging decoration from Finland, made by combining pipes.

Its appearance is charming, of course, and one of its appeals is that you can enjoy a tone different from the wind chimes familiar in Japan.

If you’re making one as a craft, using brass pipes is recommended.

Since some steps—like cutting the pipes—require strength, staff should handle those parts.

Raise the rankinglower

Report a problem

Authentic-style wind chime made with a paper cup

Summer Decorations: Handcrafted Wind Chimes — Second edition made with small, cute paper cups! How about making an unbreakable summer tradition by covering them with your favorite origami paper? [Tsukuru Mon]

Authentic-style wind chime made with a paper cup

Don’t you often find opportunities to use paper cups in senior care facilities? Actually, you can reuse those paper cups to make a genuine wind chime! It’s easy to make.

First, cut out the bottom of the paper cup and glue origami paper onto it.

Next, fold the origami paper inward to shape it, then make several slits, leaving the bottom area intact.

After that, gently press the separated edges of the origami to form a rounded shape.

Finally, attach a piece made by tying a string to a rectangular piece of origami, and you’re done! It’s simple to make, so give it a try.

Raise the rankinglower

Report a problem

[For Seniors] Decorate Your Windowsill: Handmade Wind Chime Ideas (31–40)

paper-cup wind chime

[Senior Recreation] Paper Cup Wind Chimes 🎐 A Summer Tradition You Can Make Easily. Includes Audio Commentary.

paper-cup wind chime

Here’s an idea for making wind chimes using paper cups.

First, attach origami paper with your favorite patterns to the sides and bottom of the paper cup.

That will be the outer appearance.

If you want to add decorations, using round or star-shaped stickers can make it look cute.

Once the outside is done, make a hole in the bottom, thread a string through, and attach a bell or a paper tanzaku (strip) to the end.

If you tie a ring to the other end, it will be handy for hanging by a window.

The steps are very simple, so please give it a try.

If you’re at a facility, hosting a wind chime design contest could be a fun activity as well.

Raise the rankinglower

Report a problem

In conclusion

We’ve introduced a wide range of handmade wind chime ideas.

Some involve complex steps or require strength, so we recommend that staff prepare certain parts in advance.

Threading and tying strings through holes and adding color to the wind chime body are detailed tasks, but they make great fine-motor practice.

Finish your lovely wind chimes and enjoy their cool, refreshing sound.