[For Seniors] Enjoy at Day Service: A Roundup of May Craft Ideas
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.
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[For Seniors] Enjoy at Day Service: May Craft Ideas Summary (31–40)
Making a May wall calendar
When May arrives, some of you may picture a refreshing blue sky with carp streamers swimming grandly across it.
There are likely older adults who used to raise carp streamers at home, too.
Here is a calendar featuring carp streamers that will bring back memories of May.
Make carp streamers out of origami or construction paper and attach them to the calendar backing.
For the scales, use glue to stick on origami or construction paper cut into scale shapes one by one, or cut round stickers in half and apply them as scales.
Using your hands so much also helps stimulate the brain.
If you add paper kashiwa-mochi made from construction paper to the calendar as well, you’ll have a piece that feels even more like May.
Making a calendar with a carnation stamp
Let’s try making a calendar using a carnation rubber stamp carved from an eraser.
Eraser stamps are made by carving an eraser, and you can create a calendar with a unique, handcrafted charm that’s different from store-bought stamps.
A carnation stamp that evokes Mother’s Day can help older adults feel the season.
Of course, you could also make a calendar with stamps themed around May, such as the 88th Night (Hachiju-hachiya) or carp streamers (koinobori).
Eraser stamps don’t require much force and are easy to carve, so older adults should find the project approachable.
Making a calendar with pressed flowers
When May comes around, you often see flower beds and planters beautifully filled with colorful blooms, don’t you? Here’s a calendar that uses pressed flowers, reminiscent of a flower meadow.
Pressed pansies, gerberas, and white clover might be nice choices.
Let’s start by attaching the pressed flowers to the calendar backing.
Place the pressed flowers wherever you like on the backing.
The beauty of pressed flowers may bring a sense of calm even to older adults.
It seems you can make pressed flowers using an iron or a microwave.
Why not try making pressed flowers yourself?
Making a peony calendar
Peonies come into bloom from April to May, so a peony-themed calendar is perfect for May.
Try making peonies out of tissue paper or origami and adding them to the calendar.
Large peony blossoms in red, white, or pink will brighten it up beautifully.
Some older adults may especially love peonies.
As they make the calendar, it may also bring back memories of May’s fresh, pleasant season.
It sounds like a project you can enjoy while chatting happily with those around you.
A simple rose
Here’s a felt rose you can make in five minutes.
Cut a piece of felt into a 10 cm circle, then cut it in a spiral and roll it from the outer edge to form the flower.
Make a hole to pass the stem through.
Curl the tip of a green chenille stem (pipe cleaner), apply glue, thread it through the bottom of the flower, and secure it—that’s it, you’re done in no time.
Cutting the flower’s edge in a wavy pattern gives it a different look, too.
You can use it without a stem on wreaths or flower crowns, or make many to create a bouquet—there are lots of ways to enjoy it.
It’s safe and easy, so it’s also recommended for cognitive decline prevention activities and as occupational therapy in senior care facilities.
[For Seniors] Enjoy at Day Service: Summary of May Craft Ideas (41–50)
crocheted Koinobori (carp streamer)
Children’s Day on May 5, a major event in May that celebrates children’s growth, wouldn’t be complete without carp streamers.
This craft project suggests making a garland inspired by those carp streamers using crochet to give it a soft look.
The process is simple: crochet a tube with yarn, change colors partway to create a gradient, and finish it with the look of a carp streamer.
The fine, repetitive step of connecting each loop one by one also makes it a perfect finger exercise.
Kabuto hanging ornament
On Children’s Day, we display kabuto helmets, whose stylish appearance carries the wish for children to grow up strong.
This project recreates a kabuto decoration using tsumami-zaiku (pinched fabric craft), paying close attention to fabric patterns for a colorful finish.
The base is made from thick paperboard: cut it into triangles, cover them with fabric, and then add the kabuto embellishments.
By combining folded parts, you can add volume overall and create a more three-dimensional helmet.
As the number of parts increases, the work becomes more intricate, so aiming for a thoroughly decorated kabuto is recommended.