[For Seniors] Introducing Fun Crafts Made with Plastic Bottle Caps
We’ve gathered practical craft ideas that use plastic bottle caps.
Bottle caps that would normally end up as trash—why not use them to enjoy some crafting?
You can easily make useful items like brooches, small containers, magnets, and memo stands.
They’re perfect for small gifts, too.
Moving your hands helps stimulate both body and mind, making this a great recreational activity.
Please use these ideas as a reference for craft activities in senior care facilities.
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[For Seniors] Introducing Fun Crafts Using Plastic Bottle Caps (1–10)
Straw hat brooch
Here’s an idea to make a brooch shaped like a straw hat—a design that somehow evokes nostalgic Japanese summers—using a plastic bottle cap.
It might sound a bit tricky, but all you need are a plastic bottle cap, fabric scraps, thick paper such as from a milk carton, a brooch pin and felt, and some jute twine to give it that straw-hat look.
Then just have scissors and glue or double-sided tape and you’re set! Use the bottle cap and thick paper to create the base, and cut fabric to form the brim of the hat.
Fix each part in place with double-sided tape or glue and shape it into a hat.
Wrapping the outside tightly with jute twine will instantly create that straw-hat feel.
Once you’ve wrapped up to the top nicely, decorate it with small accessories as you like.
Then sew a brooch pin onto a felt circle and attach it to the bottom of the hat with double-sided tape, and it transforms into a brooch! With a bit of creativity, you can also make keychains and more, so enjoy trying this together with your participants.
Daruma-otoshi
Here’s a craft project that brings out both nostalgia and playfulness: a DIY version of Daruma Otoshi.
Cut colored tape to fit the size of bottle caps and stick it onto three caps.
Stack two of them and freely draw the Daruma’s face and body.
Use the remaining cap as the base, and play by knocking the stacked parts down.
Because it uses few tools and can be completed quickly, it’s recommended even for seniors who aren’t used to crafts.
There are many steps that involve fine motor movements, like drawing and choosing colors, making it helpful for hand rehabilitation.
The finished pieces look adorable just lined up for display, and one of the charms is the warm, handmade feel.
yo-yo
Making a yo-yo with plastic bottle caps is a craft that older adults can easily enjoy.
Use an awl to make holes in the centers of two caps, then insert a screw and fasten them together.
Thread a string through the center and tie it securely, and pack clay into the empty space inside the caps to add weight.
Finish by wrapping the whole thing with colored tape for reinforcement, and it’s done.
Activities that use the fingertips help improve concentration and stimulate brain function.
Another appeal is that you can customize the look to create your own unique piece.
Since you can actually play with it after it’s finished, it’s an idea that remains fun even after the making is complete.
[For Seniors] Introducing Fun Crafts Made with Plastic Bottle Caps (11–20)
Calendar
Here’s a handmade calendar you can create using a corkboard and plastic bottle caps.
Prepare a corkboard and protect the wooden frame around it with masking tape.
Spray it with black paint, then remove the masking tape and push pins into the board at even intervals.
Gather 31 plastic bottle caps and write the numbers 1 through 31 on them.
Use a pen to label the month and days of the week on the corkboard, then hang the bottle caps on the pins.
By swapping the caps, you can use it as a monthly calendar, and it also serves as ongoing fine motor exercise.
Give it a try!
plastic bottle cap art
Introducing PET bottle cap art that lets you enjoy a pixel art–like expression.
As prep work, draw a grid on the base board.
Once you’ve decided on your subject, determine which colors are needed and where they should go.
The colors required will vary depending on the subject, so it’s important to work together to collect bottle caps.
After you’ve gathered enough caps, attach them with glue while checking their positions.
If you make it together for an event at a senior facility or another gathering, it can foster interaction among participants, and the sense of accomplishment when it’s finished will be all the greater.
Be sure to plan the process when you create it.
Plastic Bottle Cap Bingo
Here’s a bingo-style game using plastic bottle caps.
Thread two colors of caps onto a rod alternately, and the player who lines up four in a row horizontally wins.
While you build your own winning pattern, you also need to block your opponent, making it a deceptively simple yet surprisingly deep game.
Additionally, the motion of threading the caps each turn exercises the upper limbs and fingertips, making it an enjoyable and high-quality brain-training activity.
Hosting a tournament or league event would likely make it even more exciting.
Handmade Othello
Othello, which everyone knows.
This time, we’ll show you how to make a handmade version using plastic bottle caps.
Prepare lots of plastic bottle caps in two colors and a piece of cardboard.
Tape two caps of different colors back-to-back to make the discs.
Draw a grid on the cardboard.
After that, you can enjoy playing just like a regular Othello set.
The handmade pieces are easier to pick up, so even those who aren’t comfortable with fine finger movements can enjoy the game.
Give it a try—make it and play!