[For Seniors] Let’s Start a Fun Craft Activity
In elderly care facilities and day service centers, craft-based recreation is essential.
Because it involves fine motor movements, it helps with rehabilitation and stimulates the brain.
In this article, we’ve gathered easy and enjoyable craft ideas that older adults can make with minimal effort.
Even those who have never done crafts and lack confidence will find it easy to get started.
Most materials are things you already have at home or can quickly pick up at a dollar store.
If you’re interested in crafts, give them a try!
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[For Seniors] Let’s Start Fun Craft Activities (111–120)
pen holder
Wouldn’t it be lovely to keep the pens you use every day in a pen holder you made yourself? We’ll make one by cutting flyers into small pieces.
Please be careful and prioritize safety when using a utility knife.
It’s also a good idea for staff to cut and prepare the pieces in advance.
Roll the flyers around a bamboo skewer to make thin stick-like tubes and secure them with glue.
Once you’ve made a lot, trim both ends to even out the length.
Arrange the sticks in a pattern like the kanji character for "well" (井).
Make several of these sets, stack them upward, and attach a base at the bottom to complete your pen holder.
Woven basket with a cobblestone pattern
Let’s try making a basket using the stone-paving weave by combining small cut pieces of advertisements! When you hear “stone-paving weave,” you might picture baskets made with craft bands.
In this video, we’ll take on the stone-paving weave using familiar ad flyers instead.
Fold the small cut flyers, and combine four pieces while they’re folded in half.
From there, keep adding more pieces to build the basket.
Even though the material is just paper flyers, the multiple interlocking parts create a sturdy basket.
Try making one together with everyone!
Wind chimes made from gashapon capsules
Many of you have probably enjoyed capsule toy machines with your grandchildren or children when you go out together.
They’re affordable, and you get that exciting feeling of not knowing which toy you’ll win.
Instead of throwing away the container as you usually would, let’s use it to make a wind chime.
Just put whatever you like inside the container, attach a bell and a strip, and it’s done in no time.
These wind chimes don’t cost much, and they’re easy to make even for those who aren’t good at crafts.
Be sure to have fun making them together!
clear-file wind chime
Because clear plastic files let light through, decorating them with colored film or pens creates the beauty of a glass-like wind chime.
The gentle, translucent colors are easy on the eyes and relaxing just to look at.
They also stimulate the senses of older adults, which can help with dementia prevention.
Cut the clear file to the desired size and attach the pieces.
Add your favorite decorations with beads or masking tape, and your original wind chime is complete! Let the transparent, beautiful wind chime soothe your body and mind.
Fireworks Milk Carton Fan
On hot summer days, many older adults have probably fanned themselves with a hand fan.
Here’s a perfect summer craft idea: a handmade uchiwa (Japanese fan).
Using an empty milk carton, you can make a sturdy fan.
Cut the milk carton into a circle and tape a chopstick to the outer (printed) side to serve as the handle.
Then cut another circular piece from a milk carton and attach it on top with the white side facing outward.
Draw fireworks on a round piece of construction paper, stick it onto the fan, and you’re done.
The fireworks motif enhances the summery feel and will help older adults enjoy the sense of the season.
Japanese taiko drum strap
Let us introduce a Japanese drum strap that rings like a little bell when you shake it.
You can make it by combining two plastic bottle caps.
Thread a bell onto a string, place the bell inside one of the bottle caps, and pull the string out through the gap between the two combined caps.
Before assembling, draw a taiko drum pattern on the caps.
Wrap vinyl tape around the overlapped part of the caps.
Make a small slit in the vinyl tape where the string comes out so the string can pass through—this is the key point.
Since it can be made with everyday items, try making it together with older adults.
Smartphone strap with two tying methods
There are many crafts made by tying cords and strings.
Just by braiding, you can make everything from small items like friendship bracelets and straps to larger pieces like bags and tapestries.
There are various tying methods, but this time we’ll introduce a smartphone strap made with just two knots.
Let’s make a smartphone strap using the lark’s head (cow hitch) or snake knot and the square knot.
The technique may seem complicated at first, but once you get used to it, you’ll be able to braid smoothly.
It could be fun to try other braiding methods to create interesting pieces, too.