Easy origami that delights the elderly. Enjoy a heart-lifting time with seasonal origami.
Origami is a wonderful hobby that lets you enjoy the charm of the seasons.
Seasonal creations—like spring clovers, summer festival coats (happi), and autumn maple leaves—have a mysterious way of warming the heart.
Here, we introduce seasonal origami that can be enjoyed together with older adults.
Beyond their visual beauty, these activities can also help stimulate the brain through fingertip movements.
Most of the designs are simple and easy to fold, so seniors can join in comfortably.
They’re perfect for facility events or spending quality time with family.
We hope you enjoy a lovely moment through origami.
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Seasonal Origami (21–30)
Holly and Bells
Decorating with holly at Christmas is a classic tradition, and it carries the meaning of warding off evil.
How about brightening up your Christmas with a mascot featuring holly—imbued with that sacred image—and a bell? Crease green origami paper, then use the folds as guides to shape it into holly with two spreading leaves.
The key for the bell is to create steps by folding back sections; let’s finish it neatly and precisely.
Combine the pieces at the end to complete the decoration, and for an even more vivid look, we recommend adding red accents.
Star-shaped Santa Claus
Both stars and Santa Claus are essential for Christmas—let’s brighten the season with an adorable mascot that combines the two.
The idea is to use red origami to evoke Santa’s outfit and shape it into a star to create the mascot.
Another key point is forming it into a three-dimensional shape using the creases as guides; the rounded volume enhances its cuteness.
How you draw the face is also an important point where you can add your own originality.
Seasonal Origami (31–40)
Decorative celebratory crane
Cranes have long been regarded as symbols of longevity and peace, and they’ve become a beloved, classic motif for celebratory occasions.
Origami cranes—known as “celebration cranes”—make perfect decorations for Respect-for-the-Aged Day.
We’ll fold them using reversible crepe paper you can buy at a 100-yen shop.
The folding process is the same as a standard crane up to a certain point, so it may be easy for older adults to try.
When you open the wings, the gold interior appears, creating a gorgeous celebration crane.
Attach it to a coaster and add decorations with a fan or clay to finish.
Origami Grape Wreath
We’d like to introduce a grape wreath made with origami.
Many older adults enjoy origami, don’t they? One of its charms is that you can make it while seated, so it’s easy to get started.
Since it uses your fingertips a lot, it’s said to stimulate the brain and help prevent dementia.
A fruit-themed project like grapes also makes it easier for seniors to feel the season.
Make the wreath base out of origami as well, then attach the folded grapes.
Seeing something you made displayed on a facility wall or in your own room can be a real joy.
Please use this as inspiration and create a lovely piece!
3D grapes
Let’s make one of autumn’s flavors—grapes—out of origami.
Use a compass or similar tool to cut out round shapes from origami paper.
After making several circles, apply glue and layer them.
The key is to fold each piece of origami paper in half, then attach each half to a different circular piece, one by one.
This creates a spherical shape out of origami.
Connect the spheres together, and they will look like a bunch of grapes.
Using origami paper with dots or patterns can add a cute accent.
Older adults may also enjoy feeling the season of autumn through this grape craft.
Crane diamond ornament
Here’s an idea for making a “Crane Diamond Ornament” using five sheets of origami in different colors.
It may look difficult, but the folding steps are simple, so please give it a try.
Fold the origami into a triangle and unfold it, then fold the adjacent edges along the crease.
Turn the paper over, fold a crane using the white area at the remaining corner, and create the connecting section using the yellow area.
The crane only includes the head and wings, so it’s easier than it looks; just fold the head slowly to make a clean shape.
Fold all five pieces in the same way and connect them to complete the ornament!
Folding fans and paper fans
On Respect for the Aged Day, which comes once a year, you’ll want to brighten the atmosphere with festive decorations.
Why not make fan and paper fan decorations that are perfect for the occasion? The steps are simple, so older adults can enjoy making them easily.
You’ll need patterned and plain origami paper, plus some string.
Glue the patterned and plain sheets together, then accordion-fold them.
Fold the strip in half and glue the center to hold it, and combine two folded pieces to complete a hand fan.
If you combine two of those fans, you’ll have a paper rosette! It’s a very easy craft, but it uses the fingertips a lot, making it great finger exercise for seniors.
Try making them with your favorite patterns!