Lovely senior life

[For Seniors] Crafts to Make in March! Recommended Project Ideas

Social worker / Care workermoko
My name is Moko, a mother of three who admired my mother and worked in the care industry as a care worker and as a medical social worker (MSW) in a hospital. I will be drawing on my previous experience to write mainly about caregiving. Thank you in advance.
Certified Care Worker / Former Day Service StaffAbe Eri
I worked at a day service for seven years and obtained my Certified Care Worker qualification in 2019. I have provided meal assistance and bathing assistance, as well as led recreational activities that involve physical movement and cognitive stimulation. I enjoy drawing and crafting. My motto is: “With a smile, anything is possible!” and I try to live joyfully every day. I’m also doting on my beloved Chihuahua.

March is full of delightful motifs like peach and cherry blossoms, as well as fun events such as Hinamatsuri (Girls’ Day).

In this article, we’ll introduce craft ideas recommended for seniors to enjoy in March! By mainly using soft colors like pink, white, and pale green for origami and construction paper, you can create bright, cheerful pieces—making both the crafting process and the finished display exciting.

When making origami crafts, adding patterned paper can change the atmosphere and give your work a unique touch! Feel free to use these ideas as references in care facilities such as day service centers.

[For Seniors] Crafts You’ll Want to Make in March! Recommended Project Ideas (111–120)

Hanging ornaments of plum blossoms and Japanese bush warblers

[Easy Craft] [100-yen Store DIY] Plum Blossoms and Bush Warbler [Spring Craft] #diy #easycraft #daiso #dayservice #recreation #elderly #craft #kawaii #kids

Hanging ornaments of plum blossoms and Japanese bush warblers

Here’s a seasonal hanging decoration you can make with materials from a 100-yen shop.

First, make the base: cut paper straws into short pieces and thread a pipe cleaner through them to form a pentagon.

Next, the Japanese bush warbler.

Cut green origami paper and washi paper into circles, layer them, and glue them together.

Add a beak and tail from origami, and stick on eye stickers to finish the bird.

For the plum blossoms, cut pink origami into small circles, layer and glue them, and add a bead at the center.

Attach the decorations to the base, add a hanging string, and it’s complete.

The plum blossoms and bush warbler seem to herald the arrival of spring.

Please give it a try and display it!

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Ohina-dama

How to Make Hinadama [Hinamatsuri Craft] [100 Yen Store DIY] [Easy Craft] #100yen #daiso #diy #recreation #dayservice #origami #Hinamatsuri #winter #care

Ohina-dama

Here’s a recommendation for March’s Hinamatsuri: beanbag-shaped hina dolls.

You can make them with items from a 100-yen shop.

Prepare chirimen crepe fabric, insert a backing sheet, stuff it with cotton, and sew a small beanbag.

Then attach the faces and small accessories of the Emperor and Empress made from construction paper or cardstock, and you’re done.

Create a small platform for the beanbag hina dolls to sit on and display them—it will look lovely.

They’re great to place on a table at home for older adults, too.

As they make them, some seniors might recall the Hinamatsuri celebrations they shared with their families in the past.

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Japanese bush warbler

[Made with One Sheet of Origami] Easy and Cute Bush Warbler (Facing Left) Folding Tutorial ◇ Origami Japanese Bush Warbler — Spring Little Bird, Uguisu ◇

Japanese bush warbler

When you hear the call “hoo-hokekyo,” it makes you think, “Spring is here,” doesn’t it? The Japanese bush warbler (uguisu) is familiar to many people, including seniors, as a bird that heralds spring.

So let’s try making a calendar with an uguisu motif.

You could use origami or a coloring-page design—either works nicely.

It’s also a great idea to add plum or peach blossoms.

There’s even a traditional auspicious expression, ‘ume ni uguisu’ (plum blossoms with a bush warbler).

Plum blossoms and the bush warbler are a well-matched pair, and because the two together symbolize harmony, the phrase is used to represent good fortune.

Incorporating this combination into your calendar’s layout would likely result in a lovely piece.

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Camellia brooch made of felt

[No-sew, can also be a brooch] Easy felt camellia craft suitable for care facilities and community salons where needles and thread can’t be used

Camellia brooch made of felt

The blooming season for camellias varies by type, but it runs from late November to early April.

They often bloom from February to April in particular, so they’re considered flowers that herald spring.

Let’s try making a seasonal camellia out of felt.

Cut six circles from felt and apply double-sided tape slightly offset from the center.

Fold each felt circle in half where you applied the tape.

Using the stamen you made as the center, wrap the six folded felt pieces around it.

Add leaves to finish the flower.

Attach a safety pin using double-sided tape and felt to complete it.

This is a project that seniors who enjoy sewing are likely to appreciate, even in facilities where using needles is difficult.

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Collage of cherry blossoms

Cherry Blossom Collage — Handmade Spring Recreation — All materials from the 100-yen shop!

Collage of cherry blossoms

Why not feel the arrival of spring with a cherry blossom collage? Prepare a sheet of stiff black cardstock and cut it in half.

Use a cherry blossom craft punch to cut designs from patterned paper or origami, making lots of blossoms.

Draw the tree trunk on the black cardstock with a white colored pencil, then glue on the blossoms.

Layer them so they overlap and fill in the gaps.

When applying glue, don’t coat the entire piece—apply it only to part of each blossom and attach it lightly to create a three-dimensional effect.

The contrast of vivid blossoms against the black cardstock makes for a beautiful piece.

Because it uses fine finger movements, it’s great for finger dexterity training for seniors.

Consider incorporating it into craft recreation activities at senior care facilities.

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dandelion

[Origami] I tried folding “dandelion leaves” ☆Origami☆ How to make dandelion leaves.

dandelion

When you think of spring flowers like dandelions, it’s not just their soft, cute blooms that stand out—the jagged leaves characteristic of the Aster family are also distinctive.

Why not pay attention to the leaves as well when making them with origami? First, fold the four corners of the paper toward the center, then continue folding so that triangular sections stick out on the left and right.

Combine two of these finished pieces, and you’ll have a jagged leaf.

Try making dandelions using different folding methods and enjoy pairing them with the leaves.

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Hina dolls in clear pockets

[Hinamatsuri Craft] Easy with Clear Pockets! How to Make Hina Dolls [Ashitaba Channel]

Hina dolls in clear pockets

These are soft, cute Hina dolls made with clear pockets and tissue paper.

You can enjoy the finished pieces even after making them by displaying them in seniors’ rooms and more.

Crumple tissue paper in colors inspired by the Emperor (odairi-sama) and Empress (ohina-sama), roll it into balls, and place it into clear pockets to form the bodies.

Since you use your hands and fingertips, it can help stimulate the brain.

Attach a face drawn on construction paper to the body you just made to complete the doll.

Prepare a decorated paper plate or backing, paste the dolls on, and hang it on the wall.

With a little creativity—like making it into a wreath—it becomes a lovely interior decoration or display piece.

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