[For Seniors] Perfect for winter events! Easy craft ideas
Here are some simple craft ideas perfect for winter events, especially for seniors!
Winter is full of events, and seasonal motifs are cute—not only is making crafts fun, but displaying them afterward is another thing to look forward to.
We’ve gathered only easy-to-make projects, making them ideal for recreational activities in senior facilities.
There are also options that are simple to make at home.
Be sure to enjoy winter together in a warm room while trying these crafts!
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[For Seniors] Perfect for Winter Events! Easy Craft Ideas (141–150)
Christmas tree made with construction paper
Let’s make an adorable palm-sized “Christmas tree” using construction paper and a paper cup! Represent the fir tree’s fluffy needles with small, strip-shaped pieces of green and white construction paper.
To make it easier for older adults to participate, consider preparing the strips in advance and making other small adjustments.
You can enjoy decorating it with craft “pom-poms,” ribbons, and other embellishments available at 100-yen shops and similar stores.
Since the project uses lots of fine finger movements and requires thinking through the steps, it can also help stimulate the brain during the creative process.
You’ll make a sturdy trunk from thick paperboard, but a toilet paper roll can be used as a substitute.
If you do substitute, make sure it fits into the paper cup “flowerpot” that serves as the tree’s base.
3D Christmas candle
This is a three-dimensional candle motif assembled from origami.
Use an accordion-folded piece of origami as the base, then place a white sheet with the same accordion folds over it.
Next, fold in the diagonal creases you made on the top sheet, attach the flame piece there, and it’s complete.
Its simple appearance makes it easy to add decorations, and your choice of colors can really show your personality.
It might also be fun to connect several pieces of origami to make a large candle.
Paper poinsettia
When it comes to Christmas flowers, poinsettias come to mind.
Their bright red leaves are beautiful, and you see them everywhere during the Christmas season.
So why not try making a paper poinsettia as a Christmas decoration? It’s easy for anyone to make: fold a square sheet of colored construction paper or origami paper in half twice to make a smaller square, then use scissors to make cuts and trim along the pattern.
If you glue two red leaf layers in a crisscross, it will look even more like a poinsettia.
If you want to get more elaborate, make slightly larger green leaves using the same method and attach them at the very bottom.
Ehomaki made by rolling paper
When the Setsubun season approaches, making an Ehomaki out of origami is a fun idea.
First, prepare yellow, green, pink, and red origami sheets cut to half-size, and crumple each into a ball.
Open them back up, lay them horizontally, and roll them up tightly.
They’ll look just like fillings such as tamagoyaki, cucumber, tuna, and crab.
Wrap them with two rolled sheets of kitchen paper and secure with clear tape, then wrap the outside with black cardboard and tape that as well, and you’re done.
You can also think up other fillings to try!
Santa and Reindeer made from paper plates
These decorations use the curves of paper plates to create Santa Claus and a reindeer.
First, cut a paper plate in half and place it with the curved edge at the bottom.
Attach it to a construction-paper base shaped like a triangle with a circle at the tip to make Santa Claus.
Next, take a paper plate cut into quarters and add eyes, a nose, and antler parts to make the reindeer.
The key is the expressions you draw on the paper plates—focus on the design and craft your own unique characters.
Because the finished pieces are flat, this craft is perfect for wall decorations.
Flower
This is a flower-shaped ornament made by wrapping yarn around a fork.
It’s important to pay attention to the shape as you wrap, how tightly you pull the yarn, and to weave it in firmly.
A fork isn’t just a sturdy tool for wrapping; it also makes it easy to see exactly where to pass the yarn, which is a big usability plus.
Wrapping to an even length contributes to the beauty of the finished flower, so be mindful of each step as you go.
By experimenting with how you spread the loops and how you choose colors, you can create your own unique flowers.
Snowflake garland
A snowflake garland made from origami or patterned paper—perfect for winter.
Paper cutting is also effective for training seniors’ finger dexterity and helping to prevent dementia, so it could be ideal for craft activities at day service centers.
First, fold your favorite origami paper into a triangle three times, draw a snowflake design, and cut it out with scissors.
Carefully open it, place it face up, align the second piece at the center and glue it, then make four mountain folds to give it a three-dimensional shape.
Next, make one more identical piece and attach them together to create a very festive snowflake! Try using various patterned papers and enjoy making winter crafts.
