[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.
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[For Seniors] Enjoy the Cold Winter! Simple Recommended Crafts (151–160)
three-dimensional snowflake
February still holds a lingering chill.
In some regions, you might even see snowflakes dancing in the air.
Let’s decorate the facility walls with snowflakes so the seniors can feel the winter season! This time’s “three-dimensional snowflake” is a piece that looks intricate and delicate.
Some of you may think, “That seems hard to make.” But despite its appearance, the process is simple and very rewarding.
Fold origami paper into a triangle, cut slits, and make a series of folds.
Create several pieces by gluing the folded tips in place, then assemble them into a snowflake shape.
Depending on the color of the origami paper, you can add a touch of brightness.
They work well as hanging ornaments or as charming parts of a garland.
Simple Santa Claus
This is a cute Santa Claus you can make with a single sheet of origami paper.
First, with the white side facing up, fold it into a triangle vertically and horizontally, then unfold.
Fold the top corner toward the center, then fold the tip upward.
Next, fold the bottom corner up toward the top crease, and fold it halfway back down.
Turn it over, fold back the top right and top left corners by about 1 cm, then fold the top right and top left down toward the center.
Adjust and fold the right and left sides once more, and your Santa Claus is complete.
The final adjustment step involves a bit of fine work, but carefully folding together makes for good exercise for your hands and fingers!
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!
paper plate spinning top
How about trying a “paper plate spinning top” that’s fun to play with even after you make it? Using a simple, everyday material—a paper plate—you can craft it easily, and after enjoying the making process, older adults are sure to feel like kids again as they get absorbed in spinning it! To make one, fold a paper plate in half and crease it again to form a cross, decorate it freely with markers, then tape a plastic bottle cap to the center.
It’s super easy, so it would be great for a day-service craft activity or to make and play with your grandchildren.
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.
[For Seniors] Enjoy the Cold Winter! Simple Recommended Crafts (161–170)
Tatsu Kazari
Let’s make a stylish and cute dragon decoration by simply cutting colored construction paper in a spiral! It’s an easy craft that seniors can enjoy, so feel free to use it for day-service craft activities.
To make it, draw a spiral on a square piece of colored construction paper and cut along the line with scissors—that’s it! You can customize the dragon’s head as you like.
Adding plastic dividers used for lunchboxes (baran) to the dragon’s body will enhance the look.
Attach a string to turn it into a hanging decoration, and display it in your room to enjoy the seasonal atmosphere.