[For Seniors] Have Fun with Recreation! Origami Ideas
Origami, which is incorporated into recreational activities at care facilities.
Origami seems familiar to many older adults, as they often folded paper when they were young and it was a common pastime.
Because you can fold while chatting with other seniors, it also helps promote communication!
So this time, we’ll introduce origami that’s perfect for recreation activities for older adults.
Using your fingertips and thinking about what shape it will become when finished also serves as brain training.
Please make good use of these origami ideas in your recreational programs!
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[For Seniors] Have Fun with Recreational Activities! Origami Ideas (71–80)
beetle (specifically, a rhinoceros beetle)
When it comes to summer, the insect kids long for most is probably the rhinoceros beetle.
It’s a bit complicated, but it looks really cool when finished, so give it a try.
First, divide a sheet of origami paper into four equal parts, use one piece for the body, and make the horn at half that size.
Then divide the remaining half into three to make the legs.
If you twist the paper to form the legs, they’ll look more realistic.
Assemble and glue the parts together to finish.
Try making a female rhinoceros beetle without a horn, too.
watermelon
A great recommendation for summer origami is a watermelon.
This watermelon can stand upright or be pasted flat.
You make it using two sheets of origami paper: one for the rind color and one for the flesh color.
Simply put, you fold the rind-colored paper around the flesh-colored paper.
Once it’s finished, folding it in half gives it a strong watermelon look.
When drawing the seeds at the end, it’s surprisingly easy to make mistakes, so it’s best to draw the ones at the edges and in the center first, then fill in the spaces between.
Try making a yellow watermelon, too!
cicada
Origami cicadas are relatively well-known, so some of you may have made one before.
Up to a certain point, the folding process is similar to making a samurai helmet.
Drawing eyes at the end or adding round stickers makes it cute, and making a bunch to perch on a tree sounds fun, too.
It’s fairly easy to fold, so please give it a try.
While brown or black is more realistic, colorful cicadas could be fun as well.
Sticking them on walls or glass windows also gives a nice seasonal touch.
[For Seniors] Have Fun with Recreation! Origami Ideas (81–90)
Beer and edamame
We’ll introduce how to fold a beer-themed origami that forms a pouch and can even be used as an envelope, along with an edamame design that pairs perfectly with beer.
For the beer origami, yellow paper is recommended.
It’s also nice to add a message with a white pen, like tiny bubbles.
The edamame looks cute if you make it from a quarter-sized sheet of origami paper.
You can make two types: with pods and without.
After crafting such delicious-looking origami, you might find yourself craving the real thing! Give it a try yourself.
Tanabata decorations: cute star ornaments
Here’s a popular and cute origami idea to brighten up Tanabata: star decorations.
Make three-dimensional stars or star-shaped chains that you can link together using colorful origami paper, and your room or living area will instantly take on a cheerful, festive vibe! The simple shapes make them easy for seniors as well, with potential benefits for finger exercise, rehabilitation, and improving concentration.
Create many and decorate the wall to bring a Tanabata atmosphere in no time.
Using shiny papers like gold or silver makes them even more beautiful.
Try making origami stars and enjoy the seasonal celebration!
shooting star
The origami “shooting star,” perfect for the Tanabata night sky, is a magical and delightful craft to look at.
After folding a star shape and adding a tail, it looks just like a real shooting star streaking across the night sky.
By changing the colors and length, you can create decorations with a variety of expressions.
It’s easy for older adults to try, and the gentle, finger-focused work can help stimulate the brain.
Displaying them together with tanzaku strips and the Milky Way will bring out the Tanabata spirit even more.
Why not make a wish and create a shooting star with origami?
yukata
Why not try expressing a cool, breezy feeling by making a yukata out of origami? The key to conveying coolness is choosing patterned origami paper.
You can also cut advertisements or wrapping paper into squares and use those.
It’s lovely to combine other origami with the finished yukata to evoke summer festivals and the like.
For the yukata, prepare a standard 15 cm square sheet of origami paper, and for the obi, use a sheet that’s one quarter that size.
For the obi, cut that paper in half and combine the two pieces to make it.
You can also fold a morning glory flower and attach it to the obi.