[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
- [For Seniors] Recommended Wall Decorations and Crafts for January
- 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 for Day Service (141–150)
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.
celebratory crane
For New Year’s hospitality, how about decorating with a festive, eye-catching crane? The method we’re introducing this time has some intricate steps, so take your time as you work through them.
The key is to crease firmly.
At the end, spread the wings and adjust the balance so it stands securely—this gives you a beautiful finished piece.
A distinctive feature of this celebratory crane is that it shows the colors of both the head and the wings.
Using washi patterns or double-sided origami paper with different colors on each side lets you create cranes with a variety of moods—highly recommended.
Three-dimensional kagami mochi
This three-dimensional kagami mochi is perfect for decorating small spaces in care facilities or rooms.
It’s also a great option for a winter craft activity at day-service centers, so why not give it a try? The main tasks are cutting and gluing origami, making it ideal for fine motor training for seniors.
The two-tiered mochi and the daidai (bitter orange) create a three-dimensional look.
Also, since the decorations for kagami mochi vary by region, be sure to decorate it in a way that suits your local area!
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.
Super easy Daruma-san
This is a decorative daruma that uses both sides of the origami paper to create color contrast, with a striking three-dimensional look.
First, make creases that connect the corners, and use those as guides to shape it into a daruma.
It’s also important to fold parts back so the white side shows; how you reveal this white area will change the expression.
Once the overall shape is set while letting some white show, the base is complete.
After that, draw the face and patterns with a pen.
The way you draw them adds originality, so it’s fun to see what kind of daruma each person creates.
Dragon Origami
Among the twelve zodiac animals, the dragon (tatsu) is the only mythical creature.
It has a dynamic and cool image, doesn’t it? Let’s enjoy making a dragon with origami.
Origami is also effective for seniors as finger dexterity training and for dementia prevention! Use a regular-sized sheet of origami paper for the dragon’s head and a smaller sheet for the body.
The key for the head is to make firm creases as you fold.
Finally, combine the body with the head and add details like eyes, nose, mouth, and whiskers to finish! Its look is more cute than cool, so it’s also recommended as a gift for your grandchildren.
sea bream
Why not make a sea bream (tai), a familiar symbol of good luck for the New Year, out of origami? It’s sure to lift your spirits for celebrating the new year, and the vibrant red will give you an extra boost of energy! The trick is to make firm creases first and then proceed with the folds.
Since there aren’t many steps, it’s easy for anyone to enjoy—from seniors to children.
Finish by adding the fish’s eye, scales, and fin patterns, and you’re done! It can also be used as a wall decoration, so it’s a great choice for activities in senior care facilities.