[For Seniors] Enjoy and Beat the Summer Heat! July Craft Ideas

Wind chime decorations made with thread

How to make a wind chime decoration with thread: a simple summer vacation craft for elementary school students and senior recreation

Wind chimes are a uniquely Japanese symbol of summer, aren’t they? Just gazing at them makes you feel the season’s arrival.

How about making your own wind chime by hand? This time, I’ll introduce a very simple handmade wind chime you can create.

First, inflate a balloon and wrap thread around it.

Then harden it with glue and let it dry.

Add decorations as you like, and in no time it’s finished.

You’ll have a one-of-a-kind wind chime that exists nowhere else in the world! Hang it by the window, and you’ll feel the essence of summer.

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Nanaka

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Wall decoration made with colored construction paper: wind chimes

[Papercraft] Summer Wall Decoration “Wind Chimes” Made with Colored Construction Paper — papercraft wind chimes

Because colored construction paper is vibrant and comes in many varieties, it’s easy to express a sense of the seasons and individuality, which makes crafting even more enjoyable.

For example, you can draw goldfish or morning glories for a summery feel, or stick to cool shades of blue—let your imagination run free.

This time, we’ll introduce an easy-to-make wind chime using colored paper.

It’s a familiar material for many older adults as well, so it’s a simple craft they can try with ease.

First, follow the steps to cut and paste the origami paper.

When it comes to popular wind chime motifs, goldfish are a classic.

They evoke the refreshing feeling of summer, so they’re highly recommended.

Add fireworks, and you’ll have a wind chime that lets you fully enjoy the summer season!

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Nanaka

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Stained-glass-style wind chime made with transparent origami

Wind chimes made with 100-yen shop materials | Stained glass style | #childcare #nurseryteacher #crafts

If you want a wind chime that’s enjoyable even just to look at, a stained-glass-style wind chime is a great choice.

As we age, some people find it harder to hear sounds.

Even for those folks, this stained-glass look lets you fully savor the refined beauty of summer, thanks to its vibrant appearance.

It’s also very easy to make: simply stick transparent origami onto a clear plastic cup! You’ll end up with a wind chime that looks high-end, as if you bought it at a store.

The way it appears changes with the light, gently stimulating the senses and helping you enjoy a calm, soothing moment.

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Nanaka

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Make a summer greeting card

Simple: Summer Greetings

As soon as June passes and July begins, we reach Shōsho, the time when people start sending summer greeting cards (shochū-mimai).

Shōsho usually falls around July 7 each year, and the period for sending shochū-mimai lasts until about August 7, the day before the start of autumn (Risshū).

So how about a recreational activity in June where you make shochū-mimai? With a few ideas—like writing with a brush pen or using stamps carved from erasers—you can create lovely greeting cards.

You could send the finished cards to family members or facility staff.

It’s a recreation that brings a sense of the approaching summer.

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Nakajima Junko

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Tanabata wall decoration-making

[Craft Idea] Tanabata Star Festival Decorations (July) (Wall Decorations) (Activities for Older Adults, Occupational Therapy, Daycare, Childcare) (Eggplant, Cucumber, Watermelon, Stars, Lanterns, Shell Decorations, Paper Chains, Streamers, Bamboo Leaves, Tanzaku Wish Strips)

In July, as summer gradually comes into full swing, Tanabata is a major event—a festival with a strong romantic image of gazing up at the sky.

How about decorating your room with a starry-sky theme inspired by Tanabata to heighten the festive mood even more? In the story behind the festival, the Milky Way is especially important.

Make an origami Milky Way the centerpiece, and decorate around it with various motifs.

It’s fun that the choice of colors and motifs lets the creator’s personality shine through.

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kappamaki

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A child wearing a raincoat

Origami [Child Wearing a Raincoat]

During the rainy season, we tend to stay indoors more and go out less.

But it all depends on how you look at it.

Instead of thinking, “I can’t go out,” why not see it as a great chance to enjoy time at home? This time, we’re introducing an origami idea: a “child in a raincoat.” You’ll use two colors of origami paper, which means lots of finger movement.

Some steps are a bit complex, but that makes it great stimulation for the brain, so you can expect brain-training benefits as well.

The finished piece can also be used as a finger puppet.

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kojifumi

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Hydrangeas and a snail

Easy with a stapler: Make a hydrangea with origami (with audio commentary)

Here’s a lovely idea featuring beautifully colorful hydrangeas and a little snail.

First, prepare small sheets of origami paper.

If you don’t have small ones, you can quarter a standard sheet to make the same size.

Crease the paper, secure it with a stapler, then open it up to form a flower.

Once you’ve made about ten, gather the flowers and glue them together.

If you attach them closely, you can create a full, realistic hydrangea look.

With such pretty hydrangeas, even the snail seems to be having fun.

Even on gloomy, rain-prone days, this decoration will brighten up your room—so give it a try!

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kojifumi

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