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[For Seniors] Enjoy the Cold Winter! Simple, Recommended Crafts

Here are some recommended winter craft ideas that are perfect for seniors!

Winter brings lots of fun events and occasions, such as Christmas and New Year’s.

You might also think of seasonal foods, games, weather, and the cold.

So this time, we’ve gathered many craft ideas that help seniors feel the winter season.

Why not enjoy some craft activities in a warm indoor setting?

Using your fingers and brain can also provide cognitive training benefits.

If the crafts are practical, you can take them home to use or display and enjoy.

Please make use of these ideas in your daily recreation activities.

[For Seniors] Enjoy the Cold Winter! Simple, Recommended Crafts (141–150)

Let’s write and display it: New Year’s calligraphy

~First calligraphy at the day service~ 🎍 Happy New Year 🎍
Let’s write and display it: New Year’s calligraphy

If you’re looking for something to do in the New Year, I recommend kakizome, the first calligraphy of the year.

Kakizome is a custom that has been enjoyed since the Edo period, in which you write down your resolutions and goals for the year.

Not only is it fun to practice writing beautifully, but deciding on your resolutions and goals can also help you start the year with a positive mindset.

Why not give it a try while pondering which characters to write? After you finish, it would look lovely displayed on the wall.

By the way, it’s said to be especially auspicious to do kakizome on January 2.

Sheep made from a pine cone and natural materials

[Craft] Let's Make Cute Sheep with Acorns and Pine Cones [Takashi Honda]
Sheep made from a pine cone and natural materials

Sheep are adorable animals covered in fluffy white wool, aren’t they? Their charming, sweet expressions make them popular with everyone.

This time, let’s make a sheep using a pine cone.

Prepare an acorn, a sawtooth oak cap, and tendrils from porcelain berry.

Since everything is made from natural materials, it’s exciting to think how rich in character the finished piece will be.

All you do is glue the materials on, so it’s easy for seniors to try as well.

The pine cone represents the sheep’s wool, giving it an irresistibly simple, rustic appeal.

It would also make a delightful gift for someone special.

Camellia flower wall decoration

Camellia flower made from origami: January/February decoration (with audio commentary) — How to make a paper camellia flower decoration <ORIGAMI>
Camellia flower wall decoration

A festive-looking camellia wall decoration made with origami! It’s a perfect piece to enjoy the winter season, so give it a try by hand.

To make the camellia petals, fold a circular piece of origami paper, sketch the petal shape, and cut it out with scissors.

For the center of the camellia, cut a strip of origami paper, fold it in half, make fine cuts along the top and bottom, then wrap it around a plastic bottle cap.

The camellia alone is lovely, but pairing it with paper fans made from Japanese-patterned origami or adding strings to turn it into a hanging decoration will make it even more eye-catching.

Ema plaques you can enjoy with cardboard patterns

[New Year Craft for Kids] For preschoolers to elementary schoolers: New Year decorations, stamping, tissue-paper flowers, fun crafting—make an ema (votive plaque). Nurtures fine motor skills and expressive abilities. #PreschoolCrafts
Ema plaques you can enjoy with cardboard patterns

Let’s use the distinctive hollow structure along the edges of corrugated cardboard to decorate ema plaques like stamps.

Roll the cardboard into tubes or fold it into triangles—shape it so the edges are exposed—then ink those edges and press them onto the ema base.

Because the material is soft, you can’t get perfectly precise straight or curved lines, but that imperfection adds warmth to the design.

It’s also worth noting that you can create originality through color combinations, such as which color you use for the base and which colors you use for the stamping.

Setsubun crafts using a milk carton and origami

[Cute Setsubun Box] An easy Setsubun craft. Bean throwing! “Oni out, good fortune in!!”
Setsubun crafts using a milk carton and origami

This is a small container decorated with a cute ogre (oni) mascot made by combining a milk carton and origami.

Since it’s a box inspired by Setsubun, putting roasted soybeans inside would enhance the atmosphere.

Cut off the bottom of the milk carton, wrap it with origami and glue it on to make the base, then create the mascot and attach it.

If you assemble an oni from cut parts, it’s quick and easy; if you attach an oni made from a single sheet of origami, you can enjoy a more three-dimensional look.

It’s important to balance the color of the base with the color of the oni you attach.

Candle house made from a milk carton

[Christmas at Home] Stylish and Super Easy Room Decorations: “Candle Houses Made from Milk Cartons”
Candle house made from a milk carton

It’s a house-like decoration made from a milk carton.

You place a candle-style light inside, and the glow visible through the windows is the charm.

The steps are simple: open the milk carton, cut it to match the light’s height, punch out window openings, then close it to form a roof with the white side facing outward.

A key point is attaching cellophane over the window areas; the choice of color changes the impression of the light that shines through.

Besides the simple pattern of a white house that highlights the light, decorating the white house with illustrations or ornaments is also recommended.

Handmade postcard made from a milk carton

As a handmade idea, why not start by creating original postcards? You can make postcards using familiar items like milk cartons or things you have at home.

Peel off the film on the surface of a milk carton, blend it into a liquid, and you’re set.

You can also easily make a papermaking frame using a photo frame about the size of a postcard.

Scoop up the milk-carton pulp, drain it, and let it dry flat—and you’re done! Try drawing pictures or adding decorations for New Year’s cards to create a one-of-a-kind greeting.

These days, recycling has become more popular due to global environmental issues.

It might also be fun to craft while having a conversation themed around environmental topics.