[Recreation] Summary of Recommended Origami Ideas for Seniors
Origami is a seated group activity that everyone can enjoy.
Because origami uses your fingertips, it also serves as brain training and can help prevent cognitive decline.
If you don’t fold regularly, it’s easy to forget how to make certain models, isn’t it?
In this article, we’ve gathered seasonal items, animals, plants, and more—from easy folds to more advanced designs.
You can make lots of pieces to decorate the wall, or stick them onto fans and other items to create your own projects.
Why not read this article and try folding together with older adults?
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[Recreation] A roundup of origami ideas recommended for seniors (111–120)
Medal name tag
How about making a cute nameplate like the medals you get at a sports day? All you need is one sheet of origami paper and another piece of paper to write the name and insert inside.
There are many steps, but the folding itself isn’t very difficult.
Take your time and fold carefully.
If you use double-sided origami paper with different colors on each side, it will turn out more colorful and cute.
You can attach it to your chest like a badge with double-sided tape, or add a ribbon and wear it around your neck like a medal.
papercut sunflower
Once you get the hang of it, kirigami is an easy and enjoyable craft, making it a great option for older adults as well.
Folding origami paper and cutting with scissors are effective for finger dexterity training and dementia prevention, so try incorporating it into at-home activities or day-service recreation.
To make a kirigami sunflower, first fold yellow origami paper into a triangle.
Then fold it firmly by crossing at the center, and fold it in half again.
Next, sketch a template so the cuts will form petal shapes, cut along the lines with scissors, and open it up to reveal the flower.
Do the same with a slightly smaller piece of brown origami paper to create the sunflower’s center.
If you punch two holes with a hole punch while it’s still folded, it will give a more sunflower-like look when opened.
Finally, layer the pieces and glue them together to finish.
Cute maple leaves
This is a cute way to make a maple leaf by quartering an origami sheet to create small pieces, folding them again, and assembling them.
Prepare eight diamond-folded pieces: use seven for the maple leaf blades and fold the remaining one into a thin strip for the stem.
Because the paper is small, the creases are fine and may be a bit tricky, but the precise finger movements are great brain training, so it’s recommended.
Open just one side of each diamond, apply glue, and attach the next piece, continuing in this way.
You’ll end up with a sturdy, adorable maple leaf.
Koinobori made with Japanese-style origami
Here is a three-dimensional koi nobori (carp streamer) made from Japanese-style origami paper that you can easily find at 100-yen shops.
You first make the koi nobori’s body flat, then add slits and fold along them to turn it into a three-dimensional shape, which is the fun part.
For the koi nobori’s pole, roll copy paper around a toothpick or skewer.
Apply glue to the slit section of the body and attach the pole there.
The colorful washi patterns are very cute and will brighten the atmosphere when placed in an entryway or living room.
Mount Fuji
Let’s make a three-dimensional box inspired by Mount Fuji, a symbol of Japan.
Although it tapers toward the top, it still has a solid box structure, making it practical as a small container.
Fold by carefully layering triangles, paying attention to the base and the opening as you go.
This care helps achieve a beautiful, three-dimensional finish, so a key point is to fold neatly to avoid creases.
While Mount Fuji typically evokes overlapping blue and white, it could be fun to experiment with other colors to enjoy different impressions.
Origami coaster
A hexagonal coaster made with origami is appealing not only because you can enjoy the crafting process, but also because it’s convenient to use right away.
By repeatedly forming triangles along the creases and tucking the folds, you create a sturdy coaster.
A single-color sheet gives a simple finish, but using printed origami paper makes for a more vibrant result, which is also recommended.
Also, choosing a rough-textured paper should help keep items from slipping, making it a practical coaster.
Origami-Only Spinning Kaleidoscope
This craft uses eight colors of origami paper, creating a twirling motion that looks like a kaleidoscope.
The key is the shape of each piece: making precise, fine creases and producing uniform parts will ultimately enhance its beauty.
After unfolding the parts and connecting them in a straight line, extend both ends to link them together; once you form a large ring, it’s complete.
By fitting the parts together firmly, the shape won’t collapse when you rotate it inward or outward, and you can enjoy the beautiful pattern changes that make use of the white on the reverse side.