[For Seniors] Fun February Crafts: Ideas Inspired by Setsubun, Valentine’s Day, and Other Events

Heart-shaped flower made of origami

Origami Heart Flower: Easy Cutting Method – Origami Heart

Cute heart flowers made with paper cutting are an easy idea for winter wall decorations! Just a small display can create a Valentine’s Day atmosphere, so why not try using them in senior care facilities and other settings? To make them, simply fold origami paper, sketch the design, and cut with scissors.

You can create two types: one with space in the center for a message, and another with a design that extends all the way to the center.

Give them a try! They’re great not only as wall decorations but also for attaching to cards—so feel free to make them and enjoy the Valentine’s mood.

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miyabi

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Origami chocolate

[Valentine’s Origami] How to Make Tapioca Chocolate

Let’s make a chocolate motif—perfect for Valentine’s Day—and a box to hold it, all out of origami.

For the chocolate piece, use a four-section grid of creases to shape the “bar.” Since it’s a single brown color, it’s fun to draw a face or patterns on it.

For the box, fold it into a long, narrow shape while keeping the chocolate’s width in mind.

Fold in both ends firmly, and when you open it at the end, it will form a shape that can hold the chocolate.

Fold a matching sleeve for the box and you’ll have a slide-out case.

If you get the width just right, you can even use it as a box for real chocolates.

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kappamaki

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Origami chocolate bar

Origami Chocolate Bar

This content shows how to make a chocolate bar—an essential for Valentine’s Day—out of origami.

Choosing different colors of paper is a fun way to suggest different flavors.

For the chocolate itself, cut a sheet of origami paper into four equal parts, fold each into a raised-looking square, then combine and attach them to form the base.

Next, fold the wrapper to fit the bar so it looks like the chocolate can be pulled out, and you’re done.

Crafting the chocolate body with a three-dimensional look is the key to conveying the excitement of Valentine’s Day.

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kappamaki

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Ehomaki made by rolling paper

Setsubun Craft: “Make It with Paper! Ehomaki♪”

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!

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hiyori

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Rapeseed blossom wall decoration

[Origami] Rapeseed blossoms (nanohana), spring, cute, easy

We’d like to introduce a cute “rape blossoms” (nanohana) made with yellow origami.

Let’s decorate facility walls, such as in day-service centers, with adorable yellow nanohana.

Nanohana is one of the flowers that herald the arrival of spring, beginning to bloom around February.

Many older adults have likely seen fields and riverbanks filled with these blossoms.

Because it’s a familiar flower and the folding steps are simple, it’s an easy project to try.

If you make many and cover an entire wall, people may feel the warmth of spring even in February’s winter chill.

You can focus and work on your own, or enjoy folding origami while chatting with a few others.

Please spend a lovely time with a nanohana wall decoration.

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Nakajima Junko

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Masu Box and Hiiragi-Iwashi

Almost 3D? February wall decoration like trick art: “Bean Box and Holly Sardine”

This is a three-dimensional wall decoration that captures the Setsubun atmosphere.

Let’s make it by gluing a paper-mâché masu (wooden box) filled with beans and a holly-and-sardine charm made from construction paper.

Even on a flat surface, you can create a sense of depth by layering the paper pieces so the beans cast “shadows.” Try using both dark and light-colored construction paper creatively.

It’s a project that seniors can also enjoy making together.

Since it has a trompe-l’oeil feel, displaying the finished piece will make it fun to look at.

In Japan, there is a custom of hanging holly-and-sardine charms at entrances during Setsubun as a talisman to ward off evil.

Encourage seniors to take their creations home and display them.

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Nakajima Junko

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Setsubun wreath with an oni (ogre) and an okame (folk mask)

[Easy Origami] Setsubun Wall Decorations: “Oni” (Demon) and “Okame” (Smiling Lady)

During the cold winter months, you’ll likely spend more time enjoying crafts indoors.

Here’s a recommended wreath that lets you soak up the Setsubun atmosphere.

All you need is origami paper, so why not incorporate it into craft activities at your day service? The wreath base is made by creating several parts and assembling them.

By changing the colors and patterns of the parts, you can completely transform the look of the wreath—give it a try! The oni (ogre) and okame (traditional female mask) can also be made with simple folds.

Adding these instantly brings out the Setsubun vibe.

It’s perfect to take home and display in a room or by the entrance, and it also makes a delightful gift.

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miyabi

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