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[For Seniors] Enjoy Something New Every Day! Today’s Origami
Origami, which lets you easily give shape to the things you love, really feels like a dream, doesn’t it?
What should I make with this patterned origami paper?
Just thinking about it makes me excited.
And if you display the pieces you make on the wall or place them as interior decor, many people will likely feel warmth and a sense of calm.
In this article, we introduce “Today’s Recommended Origami.”
We update the content daily, so you can enjoy a variety of creations every day.
Please use this article as a reference and enjoy a wonderful time with older adults!
[For Seniors] Enjoy a Different Craft Every Day! Today’s Origami (1–10)
Colorful garland
Colorful garlands are items that instantly brighten the atmosphere just by being displayed.
Let’s decorate with garlands to celebrate Respect for the Aged Day! Fold several sheets of origami into accordions and combine them.
To make them easy to hang, attach small pieces to the ends, and you’re done.
Choosing color combinations is where your sense of style shines.
The method is very simple, so it should be fun to make together with seniors.
Add origami flowers and other decorations to enhance the festive mood for Respect for the Aged Day!
Two-tone fan crane
The red-and-white fan crane is a perfect motif for celebrations.
How about making it together with seniors as an item to liven up Respect-for-the-Aged Day? After folding a red sheet of origami paper in half twice, make a cut in the center.
Fold along the cut and create an accordion fold.
Use the other side to fold the crane.
From here, the work becomes more detailed, but the steps are the same as folding a standard crane.
When making the second one, change the color or reverse the front and back before folding.
Combine the two pieces to complete the fan crane.
The fine movements in origami help exercise seniors’ fingers and provide good stimulation for the brain.
Let’s all make them and enhance the atmosphere for Respect-for-the-Aged Day.
Folding fans and paper fans
On Respect for the Aged Day, which comes once a year, you’ll want to brighten the atmosphere with festive decorations.
Why not make fan and paper fan decorations that are perfect for the occasion? The steps are simple, so older adults can enjoy making them easily.
You’ll need patterned and plain origami paper, plus some string.
Glue the patterned and plain sheets together, then accordion-fold them.
Fold the strip in half and glue the center to hold it, and combine two folded pieces to complete a hand fan.
If you combine two of those fans, you’ll have a paper rosette! It’s a very easy craft, but it uses the fingertips a lot, making it great finger exercise for seniors.
Try making them with your favorite patterns!
Decorative celebratory crane
Cranes have long been regarded as symbols of longevity and peace, and they’ve become a beloved, classic motif for celebratory occasions.
Origami cranes—known as “celebration cranes”—make perfect decorations for Respect-for-the-Aged Day.
We’ll fold them using reversible crepe paper you can buy at a 100-yen shop.
The folding process is the same as a standard crane up to a certain point, so it may be easy for older adults to try.
When you open the wings, the gold interior appears, creating a gorgeous celebration crane.
Attach it to a coaster and add decorations with a fan or clay to finish.
Full Moon Rabbit
Because the pattern on the full moon looks like a rabbit, we often associate rabbits with moon-viewing.
So let’s turn the Harvest Moon and a rabbit into a calendar.
With a single sheet of origami paper, you can create a piece featuring a rabbit against the full moon.
There are some detailed folding steps, so older adults who enjoy origami can really focus on the activity.
If it seems difficult, please support them by folding together.
Once it’s folded, draw eyes and a mouth on the rabbit’s face.
Adding the rabbit’s facial features will also bring out each older adult’s individuality in their work.
ghost
Here’s an introduction to a ghost origami that makes that hot, tingly feeling go “whoosh.” It’s a design of a ghost in a white sheet, with both hands held forward.
You can use the white side of any origami paper even if the paper itself isn’t white.
Of course, folding it with papers of different colors can also make for a fun piece.
After folding, draw in the eyes and mouth.
This is where the individuality of older adults really shines through.
The finished ghosts can be glued onto a wreath or hung as parts of a garland.
Ghost origami is sure to be a hit for Halloween in October.
balloon goldfish
Some older adults may have fond memories of scooping goldfish at summer festival stalls, don’t you think? Watching goldfish gracefully swim in a tank can also evoke a refreshing, cool feeling.
Let’s help older adults feel the arrival of summer with goldfish origami.
If you make a goldfish that turns into a paper balloon, you can blow air into it to create a plump, adorable goldfish.
Try using origami in various colors, or with traditional Japanese patterns or polka dots.
You can create unique pieces that only origami can achieve.
Display them on the wall or paste them onto a backing shaped like an aquarium—your ideas will expand the possibilities of your creations.