[For Seniors] Enjoy the Hot Summer to the Fullest! A Collection of Easy Craft Ideas
Summer is the season when we start to sweat more and more.
Even indoors, you may sometimes feel the heat.
However, some older adults seem to have a harder time sensing heat.
This time, we’ll introduce some simple, recommended crafts you can do indoors during the hot season, when outdoor activities tend to decrease.
By creating summer-themed pieces, you can help people feel the season, even if it’s become harder to sense it.
After making them, you can take them home or display them at a facility, which can also give a sense of accomplishment!
Crafting involves fine motor movements of the fingertips and thinking through the steps in your head, stimulating the brain and serving as brain training.
Please enjoy making them at your own pace.
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- [For Seniors] Small craft ideas: for yourself and as gifts!
[For Seniors] Make the Most of the Hot Summer! Simple Craft Ideas (81–90)
Fireworks paper cutting
When you watch fireworks, many of you probably feel your daily fatigue just blow away.
The loud booms echo alongside the beautiful silhouettes floating in the night sky, giving you an indescribable sense of exhilaration.
This time, let’s express those fireworks as paper cutouts.
All you need is origami paper and scissors.
Simply fold the paper and make a few cuts to create the fireworks silhouettes.
Paste them onto construction paper, and you’ll have a lovely fireworks scene.
Hang it on the wall, and it becomes a perfect piece to enjoy the summer.
Fireworks and Lanterns
Fireworks and paper lanterns are quintessential symbols of summer in Japan.
They move people and have a charm that attracts many.
For older adults in particular, they evoke a sense of nostalgia—perhaps bringing back memories of the summer festivals they enjoyed as children.
Making various kinds of lanterns with origami can be fun, too.
It nurtures imagination and provides good stimulation for the brain.
If you decorate your room with them, you can admire them anytime and let lots of summer memories come flooding back.
This year, it might be nice to plan a trip to see real fireworks as well.
Summer greetings with a uchiwa (hand fan)
Here’s an idea for a “summer greeting fan” made with a unique technique using a plastic bag.
Turn a plastic bag inside out and inflate it, then apply paint or ink to its surface and press it onto a plain hand fan.
The wrinkles of the bag become patterns as they are, creating unexpected and beautiful designs.
You can freely express motifs like fireworks or flowers, and if you add a message to the finished fan, you’ll have a warm summer greeting.
The process is simple yet lets your sensibility shine, making for an enjoyable creative time.
It’s a gentle summer letter that sends both coolness and heart.
lantern decorations
We’re pleased to introduce a perfect idea for summer wall decorations in care facilities: “Lantern Decorations.” They’re easy to make with brightly colored origami paper, so even those who aren’t confident with crafts can join in.
By cutting slits and gently puffing them into a rounded shape, you can create a three-dimensional finish that’s fun to look at.
String them together with paper twine or cord and hang them up, and the facility will instantly transform into a summer festival setting! The space becomes more vibrant, and residents’ expressions are sure to brighten.
It’s a popular wall decoration that makes it easy to bring in a sense of the season.
An ornament of a morning glory and a watering can
Here’s a recommended idea for a summer craft to make at a day service center: “Morning Glories and a Watering Can” ornaments.
Create the morning glories using double-sided origami paper and washi (thin calligraphy paper) for a colorful yet gentle finish.
For the pot, edge a paper cup with paper cord and add paper-straw supports to give it a three-dimensional look.
The watering can uses a kitchen paper or toilet paper roll for the body, with a paper straw inserted as the spout.
Since all the materials are paper, it’s safe to make.
The finished piece is a cheerful work that also makes a delightful summer interior decoration.
Swaying bamboo decorations of Orihime and Hikoboshi
“The Swaying Tanabata and Hikoboshi Bamboo Decoration” is a craft idea that lets residents enjoy the Tanabata spirit at a care facility.
Make a cooling, gently swaying mechanism by punching a hole in the bottom of a paper plate and threading a rubber band through it.
Create a starry sky on the plate by sticking on round stickers, and add star-shaped pieces made from colored construction paper.
Cut out Orihime and Hikoboshi from construction paper, color their outfits with colored cellophane, and hang them with pipe cleaners for a three-dimensional finish.
Use colored pens to freely draw faces and patterns, resulting in uniquely personal creations.
It’s a Tanabata craft filled with the joy of making and displaying.
[For Seniors] Make the Most of the Hot Summer! A Collection of Easy Craft Ideas (91–100)
Goldfish suncatcher
Here’s a recommended idea for a summer craft to make at a day service: the “Goldfish Suncatcher.” Goldfish made with transparent acrylic parts catch the light and sparkle, creating a cool, refreshing atmosphere.
By reusing an empty cheese box as the base, it’s easy, eco-friendly, and very stable.
Although it uses familiar materials, the finished piece looks highly polished.
The detailed finger work is also effective for fine-motor rehabilitation.
Participants can take their creations home and enjoy displaying this seasonally themed craft.