[For Seniors] Craft Ideas Recommended for New Year’s and the New Year

Kadomatsu made of yarn balls

[Made with Yarn Balls] How to Make a Kadomatsu Arrangement / How to Make a Japanese-Style New Year Decoration

Kadomatsu, essential for New Year’s decorations.

How about making one by hand using yarn and felt? First, make a ball out of aluminum foil.

Then wrap yarn around it.

To finish, attach a circle of felt with a hot glue gun to secure it so it won’t unravel.

Use felt cut to various sizes to create the kadomatsu, plum blossoms, leaves, and other decorations.

Finally, attach a ribbon made from string, and it’s complete.

Thinking excitedly about what kind of kadomatsu to make stimulates the brain, and the delicate work trains the fingertips.

Try making it together with older adults while having fun!

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moko

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chopstick sleeve

Easy double-sided chopstick sleeve with origami • Origami • Mr. Coin Origami Channel 15

Let’s make chopstick sleeves that are perfect for New Year’s and other celebratory meals.

Using origami with traditional Japanese patterns or bright, festive designs will make them look beautiful.

The method is simple: fold one edge of the origami to meet the opposite edge twice.

Open it once, then fold along the crease.

It only takes a few folds to finish, so it’s easy for older adults to make as well.

There are a few pockets, so you can also insert items like toothpicks in addition to chopsticks, which is a nice feature.

Use origami with various patterns to brighten up your New Year’s table!

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moko

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hair accessory

Origami-style Tsumami Kanzashi Hair Ornament Made with Origami: Perfect for Shichi-Go-San and New Year Decorations (Autumn/Winter Craft Project), Also for Wall Decor, Parent-Child Craft with Preschoolers and Elementary Students, Senior Recreation, 100-Yen Shop Supplies, Origami Paper Craft

Here’s an idea for making decorations with origami that resemble tsumami-zaiku (traditional pinched fabric flowers).

The finished pieces look stylish as hair accessories or displayed in a frame.

You’ll need double-sided origami paper or chiyogami; there’s a wide variety available at 100-yen shops.

Start by cutting a sheet of origami into smaller pieces.

Accordion-fold them, staple the folded strip, then cut it into a curved shape with scissors.

Glue the petals together and gently open them up.

Adding a pearl sticker in the center or embellishing with Edo braided cord will make it more elegant.

It’s a great project to try together with older adults.

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moko

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omikuji (a Japanese fortune slip typically drawn at Shinto shrines or Buddhist temples)

What will you get? Have a fun New Year with an original lucky draw.

For New Year craft activities, projects that let you feel the fresh start of the year are always a hit, aren’t they? Some older adults may have difficulty moving as they wish and can’t go to the first shrine visit of the year.

How about creating a little New Year’s shrine-visit atmosphere by making and playing with your own omikuji (fortune slips)? Take an empty cylindrical snack container, cover it with colored paper, make a hole in the lid, and put homemade fortunes inside using ice cream sticks.

If you don’t have ice cream sticks, disposable chopsticks will work too.

To make it fun for everyone, be sure to include plenty of “Great Luck” fortunes!

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utatane

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Treasure Ship

[New Year] Easy Origami Treasure Ship＊Easy Origami Boat＊

As we welcome the New Year, crafts that refresh the mind are highly recommended.

Making a treasure ship is one such option.

The treasure ship is a traditional good-luck ornament believed to bring happiness when displayed during the New Year.

Using origami, it’s an easy activity to enjoy together with older adults.

Moving the hands helps stimulate both body and mind, and displaying the finished treasure ship lets everyone share the joy of celebrating the new year together.

The treasure ship can also be used as a display for small items.

Why not work together to create a beautiful treasure ship from a single sheet of origami paper?

celebratory crane

[Origami] How to Fold a Celebration Crane, New Year’s Crane, and Peacock with Voice Guidance ☆ Origami Celebration Crane Peacock Instructions

How about a craft project to lift your spirits as the seasons change? In celebration of the New Year, it’s wonderful to fold celebratory cranes together and share the sense of joy.

Crafting stimulates the brain by engaging your hands, and adding a heartfelt message to the finished piece makes it even more stylish.

Origami comes in a wide variety of colors and patterns, so you can choose according to each person’s taste and enjoy creating cranes with diverse designs.

While valuing communication with older adults, let’s brighten the New Year with recommended crafts.

Hagoita (decorative battledore)

[100-Yen DIY] How to Make a Hagoita Decoration♪

Creating decorative hagoita paddles as a New Year’s craft is a wonderful way to make the festive season feel more personal and enjoyable.

Use inexpensive hagoita from the 100-yen shop.

Decorate them brightly with colorful washi paper, paper cords, and sparkling stickers.

The process stimulates the imagination and creativity of older adults and encourages fine motor activity, making it a meaningful task.

It’s perfect for a New Year celebration, as participants can share the joy of exchanging ideas and expressing their own experiences and sensibilities.

Displaying the finished hagoita decorations in the room will warm the atmosphere and set a lucky, positive tone for the start of the year.