Lovely senior life

[For Seniors] May Calendar Craft: Motifs that color May, such as Children's Day (Tango no Sekku), Mother's Day, and seasonal flowers

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!

May, with its refreshing breezes, is a time when seasonal colors—like carp streamers and fresh greenery—become especially vibrant.

Here are some motif and calendar design ideas perfect for May.

We’ve gathered activities that let you enjoy the season with your hands, such as origami, coloring, and brush-pen illustrations.

Displaying a calendar crafted by older adults themselves in their rooms can bring a little sense of accomplishment and the feeling of the changing seasons each time they look at it.

Find your favorite idea and enjoy working on it!

[For Seniors] May Calendar Craft. Motifs that color May—Children’s Day, Mother’s Day, and seasonal flowers (1–10)

A calendar with carp streamers and irises

This piece is a calendar featuring iris flowers that reach their peak viewing season around the same time as the koinobori.

You’ll fold and attach koinobori and iris flowers using origami.

Making cute koinobori and beautiful origami irises is sure to spark lively conversation.

As they work, older adults may recall past Boys’ Day (Tango no Sekku) celebrations and feel nostalgic, which could lead to even more conversation.

One of the nice things about a handmade calendar is that you can display the finished piece in your own room.

Raise the rankinglower

Report a problem

Carnation Calendar

On the second Sunday of May, which is Mother’s Day, there is a custom of giving red carnations.

Some older adults may have received them from their children.

If you feature carnations on a May calendar, it will likely help people recognize that May is coming soon.

You can make carnations from construction paper or origami, and wrap them in tissue paper to create a bouquet-like finish.

The cute red and pink carnations might lift people’s spirits.

This carnation idea can be used not only for calendars but also for May craft and recreation activities.

Raise the rankinglower

Report a problem

A large carp streamer calendar

@nakanekd3ij
Today we made the May calendar 🤗💕 Lately the daytime temperatures have been high, and it feels unbelievably hot considering the cherry blossoms were still in bloom just last week 😵☀️ Be sure not only to stay hydrated but also to eat three proper meals to keep up your strength♪Hoyu Day Service Nakano Hoyo-kai Translation Handicrafts Koinobori (carp streamers)Making a calendar
♬ Koinobori (Higher than the roof) – Hidenori Goto / Wakakusa Children’s Choir

May is the time of year when you often see koinobori carp streamers.

Older adults, too, will likely spot many koinobori when they go outside for walks in parks or open squares.

Let’s try making a fun, creative project that makes the calendar look like koinobori.

Using construction paper, make an oyagoi (father carp) or higoi (child carp), and hang them together with a calendar.

A calendar featuring koinobori could help older adults who find it hard to sense the seasons recognize the arrival of May.

Raise the rankinglower

Report a problem

[For Seniors] May Calendar Craft: Motifs that color May—Children’s Day, Mother’s Day, and seasonal flowers (11–20)

iris

Origami [Iris] How to make an origami iris.

iris

Irises are flowers strongly associated with May, and they’re often used as a motif for Children’s Day.

Let’s make irises out of origami and arrange them to highlight the May atmosphere on your calendar.

Build the blossom by combining petal parts to create a three-dimensional look, and make the stem and leaves long and slender to accentuate that depth.

Pay close attention to curves to achieve a soft appearance—this cute look is a great way to express the joy of May.

Raise the rankinglower

Report a problem

bamboo shoot

[Origami] Bamboo Shoot - Easy - Ready to Display - Spring

bamboo shoot

May is the season of transition from spring to summer—temperatures rise and harvests become more abundant.

Let’s capture the mood of May by incorporating a bamboo shoot motif, a symbol of the season, into a calendar.

Use origami for the bamboo shoot motif: take advantage of the folds to create its distinctive appearance, and skillfully use the reverse side of the paper to suggest overlapping skins.

Placing the finished motif on the calendar adds a sense of depth—another key point.

Raise the rankinglower

Report a problem

helmet

[Origami] How to Make a Samurai Helmet

helmet

Speaking of events in May, there’s Children’s Day, when we display carp streamers and samurai helmets to wish for boys’ healthy growth.

Here’s an idea for making a kabuto (samurai helmet) using a single sheet of origami paper.

If you place it on the design side of a calendar, you can enjoy the seasonal atmosphere and it will look cool, too.

There’s a classic folding method for kabuto that even young children can make, but in this idea, the crest (kuwagata) part comes out white.

Up to a certain point it follows the classic method, so please try folding it while enjoying the differences and variations.

Raise the rankinglower

Report a problem

A Calendar of Wind, Rain, and Hydrangeas

As May draws to a close and the rainy season approaches, you can almost feel the gradual increase in rain, and the gentle sound of rainfall conveys the shift of the seasons.

How about decorating your calendar with illustrations of rain, wind, and hydrangeas that evoke this time when the rainy season is near? Make the overall tone a pale blue and add just a few lines to express a calm rain.

Since it’s not the full rainy season yet, it’s best to keep the rain depiction subdued.

Raise the rankinglower

Report a problem