[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] Simple Handicrafts Recommended for Finger Exercise
- [For Seniors] Fun Origami That Also Works as Rehabilitation
- 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
- [For Seniors] A Collection of Fun Classic Caregiving Activities
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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 (171–180)
Simple bouquet
Many flowers reach their best viewing season in spring.
It’s also a time when you’ll have more chances to see blossoms in parks and meadows.
Older adults may encounter flowers when they go for a walk, too.
Let’s make a bouquet out of origami that evokes those proudly blooming flowers.
Use origami paper in your favorite colors to fold the flowers for the bouquet.
Since many seniors love flowers, some may find themselves smiling as they create their pieces.
You can hang the finished bouquet on the wall, or take it home and display it there.
Simple wisteria flower
Introducing a wisteria flower made by combining many small flower parts.
Cut a standard sheet of origami paper into quarters and fold it as you would when making a crane.
Once you open and fold both sides only on the surface that will become the front of the flower, the blossom is complete.
Make lots of flowers and leaves and assemble them to create a lovely hanging wisteria decoration.
Because this project requires many parts, it’s perfect for recreational activities in senior care facilities.
Get everyone involved and enjoy making it together!
Hydrangeas and a snail
Here’s a lovely idea featuring beautifully colorful hydrangeas and a little snail.
First, prepare small sheets of origami paper.
If you don’t have small ones, you can quarter a standard sheet to make the same size.
Crease the paper, secure it with a stapler, then open it up to form a flower.
Once you’ve made about ten, gather the flowers and glue them together.
If you attach them closely, you can create a full, realistic hydrangea look.
With such pretty hydrangeas, even the snail seems to be having fun.
Even on gloomy, rain-prone days, this decoration will brighten up your room—so give it a try!
Ring-decorated carp streamers
Here’s an introduction to a project that cleverly uses lots of paper chain loops to represent the scales of a carp streamer.
It’s also a great idea for wall decorations.
Paper chains are often used for party and event decor, right? They’re usually made from strips of origami paper cut into narrow rectangles.
This time, let’s turn those chains into the scales of a koi nobori (carp streamer).
Make an extra-large loop to serve as the tail fin.
Attach the chain “scales” and the big tail fin to a carp face cut from construction paper.
That alone makes a splendid carp streamer, but try making a rotating arrow wheel (yaguruma) and streamers (fukinagashi) to go with it for even more atmosphere.
Seniors making the paper chains will likely enjoy lively conversation with those around them as they work.
Kintaro
On Children’s Day in May, many households display Kintaro dolls.
They are put up with the wish that children will grow up kind and lively like Kintaro.
So for a May origami craft, let’s try folding Kintaro.
If you fold the face, hair, and body with separate sheets of origami paper, you can create a piece that looks just like the real Kintaro.
The folds aren’t very complicated and are simple enough that older adults may also find this project easy to do.
Adding an origami carp streamer to the finished piece or mounting it on a backing board for display will make it look wonderful.
For Seniors: Have Fun with Recreation! Origami Ideas (181–190)
Koi carp streamers leaping
When you think of koinobori, many of you probably picture them swimming energetically across the sky.
This time, we’ll introduce an origami koinobori craft with a lively, dynamic look.
You’ll make the body and head using two sheets of origami paper.
The finished piece looks as if it’s leaping, just like a real koinobori.
Using patterned paper enhances the koinobori’s feel even more.
For older adults, making koinobori may bring back memories of Children’s Day and the Boys’ Festival.
Once finished, you can attach a stick to make a tabletop koinobori, or paste it onto a wreath for display—there are many ways to enjoy your creation.
Koinobori hanging decoration
Koinobori look magnificent as they swim grandly through the sky and are a seasonal symbol of spring and early summer.
Let’s make a hanging decoration so you can enjoy koinobori indoors, too.
Use washi-patterned origami or regular origami to create the body of the koinobori and add the eyes.
Then thread the koinobori onto a string, make the fins and tail, and you’re done.
If you make several koinobori and hang them on the same string, it’s like seeing the magoi (black carp), higoi (red carp), and more together.
Watching the gently swaying indoor koinobori hanging decoration, some older adults may feel the arrival of May.