[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] Summary of Recommended Origami Ideas for Seniors (131–140)
roasted sweet potato
Autumn is often called the season of hearty appetites, and it’s when many foods are especially delicious.
Let’s make one of those autumn treats—roasted sweet potatoes—out of origami.
Because the process is simple—just folding purple origami paper into the shape of a sweet potato—it’s important to be mindful of capturing the potato’s soft, rounded form and finishing it in a way that looks tasty.
Rather than making crisp, firm creases, lightly folding the paper will give it a softer look, which is also recommended.
While the purple peel is important, making the yellow interior and the wrapping paper three-dimensional will make it look even more appetizing.
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 sunflower
Origami is also recommended as fingertip training for seniors.
Here’s a 3D sunflower you can make with origami.
There are quite a few steps, so the difficulty may be a bit high, but if you like origami, give it a try! You’ll paste a piece of origami paper cut to one-quarter size in the center of a full sheet, then start folding.
The method is similar to folding a crane, so if you’ve made a crane before, you should be able to proceed smoothly.
Finally, gently spread out the petals little by little to finish! By adjusting how much you open them, you can express different stages, like just beginning to bloom.
3D star-shaped trinket box
This is an adorable, star-like three-dimensional case that’s also convenient to use as a small storage container.
Beyond its beautiful appearance, a key point is how easy it is to make from a single sheet of paper by using foldbacks.
You start by folding the origami paper and making cuts with scissors to create a precise pentagon, then fold along each edge.
Next, you lift and fold along the boundaries of the edges to shape the form.
As the process continues, the folds become progressively finer, so paying attention to delicate finger movements is important.
Keep your focus on achieving a soft look and a beautiful pattern.
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.