[For Seniors] Making a March Calendar: Introducing Spring-Themed Motifs and Arrangements
In March, when you can feel the arrival of spring, why not enjoy making calendars together with older adults? Calendars featuring March-specific motifs like dandelions, tulips, and Hina dolls not only provide pleasant fingertip stimulation through the crafting process, but also bring special joy when the finished pieces are displayed in a room.
Here, we introduce ideas that can be colorfully finished using familiar materials such as origami paper, construction paper, and yarn.
Please spend a warm, enjoyable time together, with lively conversations sparked by seasonal topics.
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[For Seniors] Creating a March Calendar: Introducing Spring-Themed Motifs and Arrangements (21–30)
Sakura mochi
Simply sticking origami with spring-themed motifs onto a plain calendar can instantly transform it into an exciting spring-season calendar.
Sakura mochi, a traditional Japanese sweet enjoyed when the cherry blossoms bloom, has a soft, fluffy texture that feels very spring-like and is so familiar it’s even used as a seasonal word in haiku.
Its pink color is bright and festive, so it’s highly recommended.
Both the mochi part and the leaf part have simple folding methods, so you can try them casually.
For the leaf, use slightly muted green origami to create the right atmosphere.
plum blossoms
Here’s an introduction to a calendar featuring plum blossoms that convey an elegant feel with their soft hues.
The small, round shape of plum blossoms has a charm that’s distinct from cherry blossoms.
Since March includes the Doll’s Festival (Hinamatsuri), a calendar that pairs hina dolls with plum blossoms would be lovely as well.
Creating plum blossoms or hina dolls can also help older adults feel the season.
Incidentally, plum trees are among the earliest to bloom each year, flowering after enduring the harsh winter.
Because of their resilience, plum blossoms are said to ward off illness and are considered auspicious flowers that symbolize longevity.
Making a calendar with cherry blossom posters
Let’s make a calendar decorated with cherry blossoms made of paper.
Use long, narrow strips of paper, folding and bending them into the shape of cherry petals.
If you want to make a more elaborate version, paper quilling is recommended.
You roll thin strips of paper around a tool and build your piece as you go.
Prepare pink or red construction paper or origami paper beneath the folded cherry blossom petals to enhance the cherry blossom atmosphere.
Creating this may also help some older adults recall memories of enjoying cherry blossom viewing.
Making a calendar using your favorite flowers and plants
When spring arrives, older adults may have more opportunities to go outside for a walk, don’t you think? When you visit a park, try picking some flowers and leaves and turning them into a calendar.
Creating with seasonal plants might help older adults recall memories of spring days from the past.
It could also spark conversation and broaden social connections.
For those who have difficulty going out, using dried spring flowers is also recommended.
Calendars made with dried sweet peas or mimosa would be lovely, too.
horsetail
In spring, horsetails sprout up vigorously everywhere, giving off a sense of vitality—they’re a cheerful little symbol of the season just to look at.
Horsetails made from origami are perfect as decorations to stick on a calendar, too.
If you cut the origami paper into long, thin strips beforehand, it’s easier for everyone to fold together.
The folding method is simple, but the hakama (the jointed sheath sections) are the key detail.
Since the back side’s color will show in the finished piece, using double-sided origami paper or kraft origami is recommended.
Make several, and draw faces on a few of them to make them even cuter!
bamboo shoot
Bamboo shoots, which you often see around springtime.
It’s the season when they’re sold not only in bamboo groves but also at supermarkets and greengrocers.
Bamboo shoots are one of spring’s seasonal flavors.
Some older adults may look forward to freshly harvested bamboo shoots in spring.
Let’s make a calendar that perfectly matches the spring image using bamboo shoots.
Make bamboo shoots out of origami or construction paper and stick them onto a calendar.
You’ll create a calendar with a spring feel.
You can also use the bamboo-shoot pieces made from origami or construction paper to make wreaths and other various crafts.
Calendar in patchwork
This is a charming patchwork calendar that makes great use of lots of little square fabric scraps.
The quilted texture is soft and soothing—just looking at it is comforting, isn’t it? The colors and patterns that change day by day are pop and fun, and if you add snap buttons to each date piece, you can use it all year round.
When you attach the dates with the buttons, it’s even more enjoyable if you think of exciting events as you go—like “The 3rd is Hinamatsuri” or “The 14th is White Day!”