[For Seniors] January Craft Ideas for Day Service Activities
In January, we have the longstanding Japanese traditional event, the New Year’s celebration.
Many day service centers and welfare facilities likely put a lot of effort into decorations themed around January, the start of a new year.
So this time, we’ll introduce January crafts recommended for day service programs.
It’s still quite chilly, so let’s enjoy craft activities you can do indoors!
Even after the New Year’s holidays, winter-themed decorations like snow motifs and plum blossoms can stay up and be enjoyed as they are.
In addition to decorations, we’ve assembled many works that are perfect for January.
There are lots of ideas, including auspicious items, practical pieces, and projects that incorporate creative twists in the materials.
By all means, use these January craft ideas as a reference.
- [For Seniors] January Craft Ideas: Boost Your Luck with New Year Decorations and Good-Luck Charms
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- For Seniors: Auspicious Handmade Zodiac Ornament Craft Ideas
- [For Seniors] Let’s Make New Year Decorations by Hand! A Collection of Easy Ideas Using Everyday Materials
- [For Seniors] Recommended for day services! Simple and cute small craft ideas
- [For Seniors] Recommended Origami for January
- [For Seniors] Enjoy the Cold Winter! Simple, Recommended Crafts
- Lucky Daruma: Craft ideas for decorating January wall displays for seniors
- For seniors: Snowman crafts to brighten January wall displays—fun ideas using origami, paper plates, and papercutting.
- [For Seniors] January Activities and Recreation Games
- [For Seniors] Craft Ideas Recommended for New Year’s and the New Year
- [For Seniors] Perfect for winter events! Easy craft ideas
- [For Seniors] Decorate your January wall with rabbits! Packed with ideas like snowball fights, New Year’s festivities, and rice cake pounding
[For Seniors] January Craft Ideas to Make at Day Service (61–70)
3D origami kadomatsu: easy folding method
With simple folding methods, you can make a kadomatsu craft.
Many older adults are skilled at or enjoy origami.
Because origami uses the fingertips a lot, it stimulates the brain and helps keep it active.
For this reason, it is also used in senior facilities as a recreational activity that can help prevent dementia.
A kadomatsu craft with few complicated folds should be easy for older adults to start.
Since you can make the craft while chatting, it also helps promote communication.
Snowman made of origami – wall decoration
The origami snowman involves small parts to stick onto a backing sheet, making it a satisfying craft that’s also great for cognitive training for seniors.
You fold the main body from a single sheet of origami paper, then add a hat, scarf, and snowflakes made from different papers so you can enjoy mixing colors.
If you arrange cotton for the face as snow on the backing sheet, it adds three-dimensionality and softness for a warm finish.
Using a quarter of an 8-cut drawing paper sheet as the base gives just the right size, and displaying several side by side livens up the wall.
It’s a fun idea where individuality shines through color choices and layout.
Hanging decorations of pine, bamboo, and plum
The pine-bamboo-plum hanging decoration is a festive wall ornament that combines New Year-like colors with auspicious motifs.
Cut A4 construction paper into long, thin strips and use three colors—green, yellow-green, and red—to create pine needles, bamboo leaves, and plum blossoms.
Adding decorative circles gives the piece a sense of motion, and it’s charming to watch it sway when hung.
Since everything is made of paper, it’s easy to make, and the scissor and glue work is light, making it safe and suitable for older adults.
With a bit of creativity in color and arrangement, each piece can take on its own unique character.
It’s a heartwarming idea that conveys a sense of good fortune.
Shishimai decoration
A shishimai (lion dance) decoration that combines torn-paper collage with 3D parts.
Use two sheets of origami, tear them freely, and paste them onto cardstock to form a large oval.
Stick red origami in the center as the base for the face, then arrange lion-dance parts such as eyes, teeth, and mane.
Add fluffy texture with craft cotton, and thread on a bell and cord to give it a festive New Year’s touch.
The expression and color choices allow for personalized results, naturally sparking conversation among older adults.
It’s a great idea for creating a lively wall display.
Fortune-telling with an empty box
An empty-box lottery is a recommended seasonal craft that brings out playfulness using familiar materials.
Cut out the bottom of an empty Koala’s March box, make a small hole in the center, and cover it with thin paper to create the feel of a traditional lottery draw.
Attach tags like “Great Blessing” or “Good Luck” to straws and place them in the box; the sound and tactile sensation when shaking it add to the fun and can also support fine motor rehabilitation.
The process has just the right number of steps, and working while consulting with those around you naturally creates time for interaction.
It’s a charming idea that extends the fun by letting everyone share their results after making it.
Cute Paper Kadomatsu New Year Decoration
This is a New Year’s decoration made with paper cups that even older adults who aren’t used to crafts can enjoy.
Insert parts made from origami or colored paper—such as bamboo, plum blossoms, and leaves—into the base paper cup, arranging them in a balanced way.
Using round sticks or toothpicks adds a three-dimensional look and increases satisfaction with the finished piece.
Using washi or chiyogami makes it look more luxurious and enhances the New Year atmosphere when displayed.
It’s a fitting idea for the festive spirit of the season.
Easy Paper Plate Snowman Wall Hanging
A snowman wall decoration made with paper plates that combines a three-dimensional look with cuteness—perfect for winter crafts.
Cut out a circle from the paper plate, leaving part of the inner section, then flip it upward to create a raised base for the face.
Cut felt into a long strip and snip slits at both ends to make a scarf, then wrap it around the neck.
Attach a triangular piece of origami for the nose.
Use round stickers for the eyes, draw the cheeks with crayon, and decorate the body with sparkly stickers to give the snowman an expressive look.
It’s an idea that allows older adults to bring a wintry feel indoors.