Lovely senior life

[For Seniors] Enjoy at Day Service: A Roundup of May Craft 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.
Worked as a certified care worker for 17 years.Nanaka
I’ve been working as a certified care worker for 17 years. I’m Nanaka, a caregiving web writer. I decided to pursue this profession because I wanted a job that would help people. Having worked in day care for many years, I’ve experienced a wide variety of recreational activities. Exercise set to music, in particular, always created a cheerful atmosphere and was very well received. I’d be delighted to continue delivering writing that resonates with readers through caregiving-related articles. Thank you for your support.

May is a lovely season of fresh green leaves, isn’t it?

Here are some easy craft ideas perfect for day-service activities in May.

May is full of events like Children’s Day and Mother’s Day.We’ve gathered craft ideas that tie in with those occasions.

Many of the projects introduced here can be taken home and displayed, so you can enjoy looking at them at home.

They also make great gifts for your grandchildren.

Some can even be used for a garden tea party or a stroll, so be sure to give them a try.

[For Seniors] Enjoy at Day Service: May Craft Ideas Roundup (81–90)

Wisteria flowers brimming with charm

[Craft idea] Wisteria flowers (May, spring) (wall decorations) (recreation for seniors/occupational therapy/daycare) (early childhood education) (origami) (DIY papercraft) (group craft activity) (Fuji Musume - Wisteria Maiden)

Wisteria flowers brimming with charm

Wisteria blooms beautiful pale purple flowers from mid-April to mid-May.

Countless blossoms hang from its long vines, captivating all who see them.

Let’s recreate that scene as a wall decoration.

Make lots of small petals and stick them onto origami paper shaped like tree branches.

The more petals, the lovelier it looks, so let’s invite seniors to help! For the branches, crumple construction paper first and then cut out the shapes.

Once you’ve made the wisteria maiden and the leaves, attach everything to a large sheet of paper, such as poster paper, to complete the piece.

It’s a charming wall display of a wisteria maiden gazing up at a curtain of wisteria.

Seeing the decorated mural may help some seniors feel the spirit of May.

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Kashiwa-mochi decorations

(100-yen shop) Children's Day decorations: How to make kashiwa mochi [DIY] Kashiwa mochi

Kashiwa-mochi decorations

Perfect for a May craft activity! Here’s how to make a kashiwa-mochi decoration using materials from a 100-yen shop.

Mark a guideline on a polystyrene ball and cut it in half with a craft knife.

Follow the line and round off the edges of the cut surface so it looks curved.

Glue on white fabric, then trim any excess fabric with scissors.

Wrap it with a kashiwa (oak) leaf made from green felt, and your kashiwa-mochi decoration is done in no time.

In senior care facilities, you can prepare any steps involving blades in advance to ensure safety, making this a great option for recreation.

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clover

(Origami / copy paper) Easy! How to make a clover [DIY]

clover

Here’s how to make an easy and cute clover.

A craft punch that cuts paper into heart shapes makes it go faster, but you can use scissors too.

Prepare two sheets of green paper—one dark and one light—and cut out heart shapes.

Layer the leaves with a piece of wire sandwiched between them, and glue them together.

Make several of these.

Bend the leaves, bundle them, and wrap them with green floral tape to form three-leaf or four-leaf clovers.

Pour pebbles or beads into a small container and insert the clovers to enjoy them like houseplants.

Since it’s safe to make, it’s also recommended as a recreation activity in senior facilities.

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Kintaro

[Children’s Day Origami] Easy! Cute Kintaro Folding Instructions / Origami Koinobori

Kintaro

On Children’s Day in May, many households display Kintaro dolls.

They are put up with the wish that children will grow up kind and lively like Kintaro.

So for a May origami craft, let’s try folding Kintaro.

If you fold the face, hair, and body with separate sheets of origami paper, you can create a piece that looks just like the real Kintaro.

The folds aren’t very complicated and are simple enough that older adults may also find this project easy to do.

Adding an origami carp streamer to the finished piece or mounting it on a backing board for display will make it look wonderful.

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Koi carp streamers leaping

[Children’s Day Origami] How to fold a cute koi-nobori (carp streamer) 2 with voice commentary ☆ Origami Japanese carp streamer tutorial — decoration for the May seasonal festival

Koi carp streamers leaping

When you think of koinobori, many of you probably picture them swimming energetically across the sky.

This time, we’ll introduce an origami koinobori craft with a lively, dynamic look.

You’ll make the body and head using two sheets of origami paper.

The finished piece looks as if it’s leaping, just like a real koinobori.

Using patterned paper enhances the koinobori’s feel even more.

For older adults, making koinobori may bring back memories of Children’s Day and the Boys’ Festival.

Once finished, you can attach a stick to make a tabletop koinobori, or paste it onto a wreath for display—there are many ways to enjoy your creation.

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Swimming carp streamers

Swimming carp streamer craft (May craft) (3D) (activities for seniors) (easy craft) (seasonal craft) (kids' craft) (creative) (childcare)

Swimming carp streamers

Perfect for May craft recreation and for finger dexterity training! Here’s a carp streamer (koinobori) that looks like it’s really swimming.

First, roll an A4 sheet of copy paper into a tube to make the body.

Decide which end will be the head, draw in the eye, and cut a V-shaped notch at the tail end.

Make scales out of origami paper and stick them onto the body, and in no time your koinobori is complete.

If you add a crease around the middle of the body, it will look like it’s billowing in the wind as if swimming.

You can also make a windsock or pinwheel to decorate, but pasting lots of koinobori onto a large sheet of drawing paper would be quite striking too.

In senior care facilities, people often enjoy lively conversations while looking at each other’s creations, so the fun continues even after the crafting is done.

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[For Seniors] Enjoy at Day Service: May Craft Ideas Roundup (91–100)

onion

[Craft Idea] Onion Crafting (May, Spring) (Senior Activities) (Early Childhood Education) (Wall Decorations) (Vegetables) (Scenery)

onion

Many older people have experience growing vegetables, don’t they? This time, we’re introducing an origami onion that will bring back those memories.

It’s very easy to make.

Crumple a sheet of copy paper into a ball, leaving a hollow space in the center.

Do the same with green origami paper—crumple it and shape it into leaves with the green side facing out.

Insert the leaves into the copy paper and glue them in place.

Finally, crumple brown origami paper and wrap it around the copy paper.

Wrap it so the white part doesn’t show, and your onion is complete.

Make two of them and tie them together with jute twine to evoke the image of onions hanging under the eaves.

It might even spark stories like, “I used to make these when I was young.” Because there are many hands-on steps, this is also recommended for finger dexterity training and as a recreational activity.

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