[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] March Origami: Ideas to Brighten Your Room with Seasonal Flowers and Events
[For Seniors] Have Fun with Recreation! Origami Ideas (41–50)
Matsutake mushroom origami
Speaking of November, it’s the season when matsutake mushrooms are especially delicious.
Matsutake are said to be in season from September to November.
This time, I’ll introduce how to make a matsutake out of origami.
Prepare one sheet of origami paper, fold it into a triangle twice, and make diagonal creases as you go.
Finally, shape the cap of the matsutake, and you’re done.
The key is to make firm creases and fold so the shape stays even.
It would also be lovely to draw mountains and autumn delicacies on a calendar and paste on your origami matsutake.
You might enjoy changing the color of the origami to create your own original matsutake for a November calendar.
Goldfish made with origami
Here’s an idea for making a goldfish using two sheets of origami paper.
If you use 15 cm paper, the goldfish will turn out quite large, so if you want to make a smaller one, cut the paper into quarters and use that.
With the first sheet, make the goldfish’s head and body, as well as the dorsal and pectoral fins.
With the second sheet, make the decorative tail fin.
Basically, you’ll create creases and fold along them, but for the tail fin you’ll need to open up the pockets to squash them and fold the edges narrowly, so proceed carefully.
Once both parts are finished, attach them together, add the eyes, and you’re done.
goldfish wind chime
On hot summer days, hearing the tinkling sound of wind chimes—“chirin, chirin”—can make the heat feel more bearable.
Many older adults may also associate wind chimes with the image of summer.
With that in mind, here’s a perfect summer craft: a goldfish wind chime.
The goldfish will be made with origami.
Because the goldfish has a three-dimensional finish, attach it to the bell portion of the wind chime and add a tanzaku (paper strip).
If you also attach a small bell, you’ll hear a gentle sound every time the wind blows.
Older adults may find it novel that you can make a wind chime out of origami.
Tulips and butterflies
Tulips in full, colorful bloom are one of the quintessential flowers of spring, and they powerfully signal that warmer days have arrived.
This is a three-dimensional decoration inspired by those springtime tulips and the butterflies fluttering around them.
First, prepare four rectangular sheets of paper, fold each in half, then cut and combine the pieces to form the tulip blossoms.
Paying close attention to how you cut the shapes and where you layer them is key to conveying the tulips’ vigor.
Finally, assemble these with stem and leaf parts for the display, add butterfly pieces around them, and you’re done.
Tanabata Wreath Made with Origami
We’d like to introduce a Tanabata wreath you can make with origami.
When you hear “Tanabata,” what do you think of? Orihime and Hikoboshi, stars, bamboo? Let’s fold origami based on those Tanabata images and attach them to a wreath.
There are many origami designs for Orihime and Hikoboshi, ranging from simple to intricate.
An origami wreath is made by combining identical wreath components.
It seems like a lovely activity to do with older adults while reminiscing about Tanabata memories.
butterfly
In May, when warm days continue, you’ll often see new buds opening and flowers blooming.
You may also spot butterflies flitting around flower beds in fields and parks.
Let’s make spring-heralding butterflies with origami.
We’ll create a butterfly by combining two sheets folded in an accordion (fan) style.
By adjusting the folding method, you can make the reverse side look like a pattern on the butterfly.
The steps are simple, so many older adults should find it approachable.
And as they work, they can also enjoy the feeling of spring.
Once finished, try hanging them up or decorating a wall with them.
Origami Block Calendar
There are many different kinds of tear-off calendars, aren’t there? This time, we’ll introduce a project where turning the blocks changes the month and date.
We’ll fold origami to make the blocks.
First, crease the origami paper, then fold it into a box shape.
Because origami uses your fingertips a lot, it can help activate the brain and serve as good finger training.
You’ll combine two box shapes; the trick is to slightly flatten the one that goes inside to make it easier to insert.
Write the days of the week and numbers on them and line them up, and your block calendar is complete.
If you make a stand for the blocks, it will look even nicer.