[For Seniors] Fun Origami That Also Works as Rehabilitation
Origami is also being incorporated into rehabilitation for the elderly.
The process of folding, which engages the mind and uses the fingertips, appears to provide moderate stimulation to the brain and help activate it.
So this time, we’ll introduce origami that can be expected to have positive effects for rehabilitation.
We’ve gathered pieces with simple steps that are easy for older adults to try, as well as origami you can play with once it’s finished!
Origami offers a sense of accomplishment when a piece is completed, and because it’s familiar to many seniors, it can be enjoyed across generations.
Some older adults may find it difficult at first.
However, once they get used to it, gradually increasing the difficulty should make it even more enjoyable!
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[For Seniors] Fun Origami That Also Serves as Rehabilitation (121–130)
a flower bouquet
A bouquet of colorful flowers conveys a happy vibe and feels perfect for spring.
This project shows how to make those flowers with origami, then bundle them into a colorful, three-dimensional bouquet.
The key is how each flower is made: first crease it by folding toward the center, then use those creases as guides to shape it so the petals open up.
You’ll be making many fine creases, so some wrinkles will appear along the way—but that might also add to the flowers’ softness.
Try using different origami papers and aim for a bright, colorful bouquet.
A simple flower made with an accordion fold
When we think of spring, we often picture lush natural landscapes, with flowers we don’t even know the names of blooming everywhere.
This piece is about creating those vibrant, colorful spring flowers using combinations of origami.
The process is to accordion-fold the paper, then fold the whole piece in half and round off the edges with a cut.
After that, open it up, connect the pieces, and shape them into a circle.
By changing the colors of the origami or varying the sizes, let’s create a colorful flower field.
Swaying hanging ornaments
Here’s an introduction to a cherry blossom hanging decoration that looks beautiful as it sways in the breeze.
Cut origami or construction paper into rectangles and accordion-fold it five times.
Trim any excess and staple the center.
Draw cherry blossom petals on the accordion-folded piece and cut them out.
Apply glue to the center, stick the parts together, and shape it.
Attach a string to the back to finish.
If you make and hang many blossoms, it will look even more lovely.
It seems like you could make plenty of blossoms while chatting with seniors.
Please use this as a reference for making decorations.
lily of the valley
Lily of the valley blooms around April to May and is strongly associated with heralding the arrival of spring.
In this project, we’ll recreate this quintessential spring flower with origami, making the bell-shaped blossoms in three dimensions.
First, cut white origami paper into a flat shape like spread petals, then attach it to a long, rolled stem piece.
From there, overlap and adjust each petal to form the bell shape.
Once the flower components are complete, attach them to a backing sheet decorated with leaves and other parts to finish.
Aim for a design where the flowers appear to pop out.
[For Seniors] Enjoyable Origami That Also Serves as Rehabilitation (131–140)
Parallel arrangement of tulips
When it comes to spring flowers, many people probably think of tulips.
This time, we’re introducing a three-dimensional tulip craft.
Three-dimensional origami might sound difficult, but there aren’t many detailed steps, so it may be easy for many seniors to make.
Folding these cute tulips can also spark lively conversations among seniors and those around them.
By the way, a “parallel arrangement” is a style of flower arranging where the plants are placed parallel to each other, evoking the image of them standing in a row.
Tulip wreath
Tulips are one of the flowers that color the spring season, and their rich variety of hues conveys the excitement of spring.
This is a wreath that captures that springtime joy by arranging colorful tulips on a circular base.
It’s recommended to make the wreath base in green to evoke leaves; create triangular pieces and insert adjacent pieces into the gaps to form a circle.
Then just add tulips and other decorations to the base to finish.
To make the tulips really stand out, it’s important to use folds to give them a three-dimensional look.
Nemophila
Nemophila, with its gentle blue blossoms and petite size, softly colors the spring season.
This project recreates nemophila flowers with origami, combining pieces to bring out their delicate charm.
Fold the paper finely toward the center to form five petals, then stack and assemble them to create the nemophila bloom.
Adding small touches—like staggering the layers during assembly or slightly bending the front edges—helps create a three-dimensional look.
Lining up flowers in different shades to make a gradient also seems like a lovely idea.