[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!
- [Recreation] Summary of Recommended Origami Ideas for Seniors
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- For Seniors: Effective Recreation for Preventing Care Needs—Have Fun While Staying Healthy
- [For Seniors] Simple and Fun: Craft Ideas You Can Make with Everyday Items
- Recommended for seniors! Origami gifts
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- [For Seniors] March Origami: Ideas to Brighten Your Room with Seasonal Flowers and Events
[For Seniors] Have Fun with Recreation! Origami Ideas (161–170)
Collage of cherry blossoms
Why not feel the arrival of spring with a cherry blossom collage? Prepare a sheet of stiff black cardstock and cut it in half.
Use a cherry blossom craft punch to cut designs from patterned paper or origami, making lots of blossoms.
Draw the tree trunk on the black cardstock with a white colored pencil, then glue on the blossoms.
Layer them so they overlap and fill in the gaps.
When applying glue, don’t coat the entire piece—apply it only to part of each blossom and attach it lightly to create a three-dimensional effect.
The contrast of vivid blossoms against the black cardstock makes for a beautiful piece.
Because it uses fine finger movements, it’s great for finger dexterity training for seniors.
Consider incorporating it into craft recreation activities at senior care facilities.
Sakura Paper Cutout
Do you know the paper-cutting artist Kanako Yaguchi? How should I put it—her kirigami pieces are fun to look at, beautiful to display, and make you marvel, “Is this all paper cutting?” If you’re curious, definitely look her up.
Here, we’re introducing a sakura (cherry blossom) kirigami project.
Even if you’ve never tried kirigami before, don’t worry—there are motifs that beginners can tackle with ease.
When you bring together each individual piece, they can become a striking wall decoration, so invite lots of friends and enjoy a wonderful time together!
[For Seniors] Have Fun with Recreation! Origami Ideas (171–180)
Wreath of daffodils and roses
Daffodils bloom until early spring, and roses bloom around late spring, so even though their seasons are offset, both can be said to be representative spring flowers.
This is a simple yet dimensional wreath with a glamorous look that combines daffodils and roses.
Another key point is that the wreath base and stem parts are kept flat, which helps emphasize the three-dimensionality of the daffodil and rose blossoms.
For each flower, it’s important to deliberately add fine creases, cuts, and bends, and to shape them carefully so that a sense of depth and volume comes through.
Standing Kintarō
Kintaro, the folk tale character, has a strong image of power, which makes him perfect for the Children’s Day theme of wishing for growth.
This piece is about recreating Kintaro with origami, paying attention to creases and the shapes of each part to build a three-dimensional figure.
Use skin-toned origami paper for the base, and be mindful of the angles of the folds so it can stand on its own.
Then add decoration: use red origami for the body parts based on a triangle, and black origami for the face part shaped like a square pouch.
Since the body and face are made separately, it’s important to keep an eye on the size balance as you work.
3D strawberry
Strawberries, with their sweet and refreshing tartness, are one of spring’s seasonal delights.
Their round, plump shape is adorable, too—let’s try expressing strawberries with origami.
Start by folding a triangle, then work through the finer steps to create a three-dimensional strawberry.
If you also make and attach the calyx with origami, it will look even more like a real strawberry.
Creating strawberry crafts can help older adults feel the season as well.
You can make lots and decorate a wall, or take them home to display.
Three-dimensional origami iris
We’d like to introduce an origami craft featuring a beautiful three-dimensional iris.
You’ll need green washi paper, craft wire, and purple origami paper.
First, make the flower.
Fold the origami paper vertically, horizontally, and diagonally to create crease lines.
Fold along these lines to collapse the paper, then fold and open each edge one by one.
Once the shape is set, gently open it while curving with your fingertips to form the flower.
Next, make the stem.
Apply glue to the washi paper and attach the wire and the flower together.
For the leaves, cut the washi into long, narrow strips and neaten the top edges.
When everything is ready, arrange the flower and leaves in a vase.
You’ll be pleased with a result that hardly looks like it was made from origami.
The fingerwork involved and the task of arranging with an eye for balance can also be expected to help prevent cognitive decline.
Three-dimensional water lilies
Water lilies blooming in ponds and marshes in parks and temples have a dreamy atmosphere.
During the flowering season, some older adults may go to view them as well.
Because they evoke an image of water, they’re a perfect flower for June origami projects.
Water lilies are known for their distinctive petals, which can be long and slender or rounded.
If you fold the origami first and then cut, you can create beautiful petals.
Layer the petal pieces to complete the water lily flower.
You can also make leaves out of origami and place them with the flower.
It’s also recommended to stick them on a June calendar.