For seniors: Heartwarming and cozy. Recommended handmade Hina dolls
Hinamatsuri is an event filled with the wish for girls to grow up healthy and happy.
On March 3rd, many families traditionally display Hina dolls and celebrate.
In this article, we introduce handmade Hina doll ideas especially for seniors.
One-of-a-kind handmade Hina dolls have a warm, charming feel, don’t they?
The Hina dolls featured here are all easy to make using familiar, readily available materials, so please feel free to use them as inspiration.
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[For Seniors] Cozy and Warming: Recommended Handmade Hina Dolls (71–80)
Hanging Hina dolls made from paper plates and paper cups
How about making hanging Hina ornaments with paper plates and paper cups for Hinamatsuri (Girls’ Day)? You’ll need paper cups, paper plates, scissors, pens, stickers, and so on.
First, put stickers on the paper cups.
Then make some slits with scissors and decorate them cutely.
It’s also recommended to draw pictures and add fabric or ribbons for extra flair.
It’s great for seniors to make them together while sharing memories of Hinamatsuri, as it helps stimulate the brain.
Once finished, displaying them by the window might make them stand out nicely.
No-sew Hina dolls
Here’s how to make no-sew Hina dolls.
Prepare felt, wooden beads, and construction paper, and give it a try.
Cut the felt according to the template and glue together the kimono for the male and female dolls.
If you slightly offset the felt pieces as you glue them, the kimono will look neat when wrapped into shape.
Draw hair on the wooden beads, then glue them onto the kimonos to assemble the heads and bodies.
For the male doll, make an eboshi (cap) from construction paper and attach it to the head, then add the shaku (ritual scepter) to finish.
For the female doll, place the crown and give her a fan to complete.
It’s a perfect craft for practicing fine motor skills, so be sure to give it a try!
Rabbit-shaped felt hina doll
A rabbit-shaped felt Hina doll you can make by cutting and sticking fabric—no sewing machine needed.
The gentle colors unique to felt and the cute rabbit motif make this a soothing item.
First, wrap fabric around a felt ball to form the kimono.
Next, use a glue gun to attach layered fabric ears and button eyes.
Finish by having the rabbit hold small accessories like a fan.
Adding blush to the rabbit’s cheeks with pastel or cheek powder makes it even cuter.
This is a craft with a traditional Japanese feel, recommended especially for older adults.
[For Seniors] Heartwarming and Cozy. Recommended Handmade Hina Dolls (81–90)
Hinamatsuri dolls made with side-dish cups
These are Hina dolls made using cups for holding side dishes in bento boxes.
Let’s create Hina Matsuri-themed crafts with items found at welfare facilities or at home.
First, fold the side-dish cup and staple it.
Next, place the facial parts on the top, and it’s done.
Because the materials are lightweight, it’s easy and safe for older adults to work on—one of the key points.
By changing the patterns and colors of the cups, you can make your own original Hina dolls.
Why not try making them for Hina Matsuri-themed events or recreational activities?
Paku-paku puppet Hina dolls
How about making an item that lets you enjoy the sight of a Hina doll’s mouth opening and closing? Using paper cups also makes it a good fine-motor exercise, so it’s perfect for crafts or recreation time at care facilities.
Cut slits down to the bottom of the prepared paper cup to create the silhouette of a mouth.
Draw the doll’s face on the upper part, and have it hold a fan or other item on the lower part to finish.
You can keep the illustration simple, or try drawing a more authentic Hina doll.
Create an item that makes the most of seniors’ ideas.
Paper-plate Hina dolls
Hina dolls made with paper plates are not only easy to create, but also adorable because they rock using the plate’s curve.
By tearing and pasting origami or chiyogami onto the paper plate, you can create kimono patterns, making the activity easy even for older adults.
Once the plates are prepared, simply attach the parts for the male and female dolls’ faces to finish, so it’s perfect as a Hinamatsuri (Girls’ Day) recreation activity.
It’s a recommended seasonal craft that will continue to charm you with its cute, soothing movement even after it’s finished.
A roly-poly-style Hina doll
Many places include craft activities for making Hina dolls in preparation for the Doll’s Festival, don’t they? Since they’re Hina dolls, of course you’ll display them, but how about making dolls with a bit of movement like these? They’re Hina dolls made from paper cups, and there’s a gashapon capsule hidden under the paper cup.
When you poke it, it wobbles like a roly-poly toy.
Inside the capsule, clay is attached; you just put the lid on and combine it with the doll made from the paper cup on top to complete it.
