[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)
Pochi-bukuro (small decorative envelope for gifting money)
Let’s try making a small money envelope (pochibukuro) shaped like a carp streamer (koinobori).
In many older adults’ households, people still raise koinobori or display samurai helmets (kabuto) for the Boys’ Festival in May, don’t they? Since the Boys’ Festival and Children’s Day fall during Golden Week, it’s also a time when grandchildren or relatives’ children might gather.
In such situations, it would be nice to give them a gift tucked into a handmade koinobori pochibukuro.
The steps to make the envelopes aren’t complicated, so they should be easy for older adults to create as well.
Plus, handmade pochibukuro can be threaded onto a string to make a garland, so they can also be used as indoor decorations.
Message Card
Let’s try making a message card for Children’s Day.
We especially encourage older adults who have grandchildren to make a Children’s Day message card.
Create items that evoke Children’s Day or the Boys’ Festival using origami or construction paper, and attach them to the card.
For example, carp streamers (koinobori), iris flowers, or Kintaro are great motifs.
Besides crafting with paper, you can also write a message with a brush or draw a picture.
A heartfelt, handmade card is sure to delight the recipient.
If you like, please use this as inspiration to create a wonderful message card.
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.
support flag
Not only the people taking part in the sports day events, but also those cheering them on are getting excited, aren’t they? Let’s make a cheering flag that captures that passionate spirit.
Prepare origami paper and paper straws.
Fold the origami, glue it, and attach a paper straw.
You can leave it as is, but it will look great if you stamp a message on the flag or add stickers.
If you hang them on the wall, they can evoke the lively cheers of a sports day and help create a fun atmosphere.
It might also bring back memories of past sports days for older adults.
It’s a project that’s likely to spark conversation with sports day stories even as you make it.
[For Seniors] Enjoyable Origami That Also Serves as Rehabilitation (131–140)
Carp streamers made only with origami
Easy prep! Here’s a koi-shaped windsock (koinobori) you can make with a single sheet of origami paper.
First, fold the paper along the diagonal to make a crease.
Open it, then fold both sides toward the center to mark the lines.
After folding to the marks, flip it over and fold the left and right corners toward the center.
Flip it over again and fold the remaining corners.
Flip once more and fold along the center line.
Make a small cut with scissors on the tail section; flip it over and fold the clipped corners.
Fold the whole piece in half, then draw or stick on eyes and scales with a pen or stickers to finish.
There are some fine steps, but using your fingers while thinking stimulates the brain and may help prevent cognitive decline.
Give it a try!
Wisteria flowers made with origami
Here’s an idea for wisteria flowers that will instantly brighten up a room when hung from walls or the ceiling.
Prepare origami paper in purple, light purple, yellow-green, and green, then fold the flowers and leaves.
Make the flowers using origami cut in half.
Fold the paper in half lengthwise, unfold it, and then fold both edges inward along the center crease.
Some of the steps are a bit detailed, but using your hands skillfully can help prevent cognitive decline.
The more wisteria flowers you make, the fuller and more beautiful the result will be, so please have the seniors divide the work and create them together.
Newspaper Pull-Out Game
It’s a game where you quickly pull out a long, rolled-up strip of newspaper at a signal and compete on speed.
Making it a head-to-head match boosts the urge to move faster than your opponent, effectively training explosive power and large arm movements.
A key rule is that tearing the paper counts as a fail, which encourages players to focus not only on speed but also on delicate fingertip control.
It can also be fun to try repeatedly and think about arm movements and postures that make pulling smoother.
