[For Seniors] Introducing May-themed Origami!
Origami is a popular recreational activity in senior care facilities.
Finger exercises are effective for stimulating the brain, and displaying completed pieces or feeling a sense of accomplishment adds to the enjoyment.
May is a month filled with events, such as Children’s Day and Mother’s Day.
So this time, we’ll introduce origami with a May theme.
Origami that activates both the fingers and the brain while feeling the season—and offers a sense of achievement—can be considered an ideal recreation for older adults.
By all means, try making May-themed origami together with the older adults around you.
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- Simple origami that can be folded from a single sheet
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[For Seniors] Introducing May-Themed Origami! (81–90)
Tulip
Here’s an idea for folding a three-dimensional spring flower, a tulip.
First, make a “zabuton fold” with the origami paper, then fold it in half into a triangle twice.
Open up the overlapping triangular sections to squash-fold them into squares.
On both sides, fold the left and right corners diagonally upward so they align with the center line.
Next, turn and shift the paper so that the sides you just folded are on the inside, and slightly fold the lower left and right edges of the sides you haven’t touched yet inward.
Finally, gently open the top opening while pushing inward, and the tulip flower is complete.
If you make a stem and leaves with another sheet of origami and attach them, it will look just like a real tulip!
Tulips and windmills
The wall decorations of tulips and windmills that evoke a spring atmosphere feature a bright, warm design.
Cut red and yellow origami paper to make tulip petals.
By snipping the tips of the petals and overlapping them with glue, you create a three-dimensional effect.
Make the stems and leaves with green origami paper; when arranged on the wall, it gives the impression of a field of spring flowers spreading out.
For the windmills, cut out the base and cross-shaped parts and assemble them into a windmill shape.
Finely cut the propeller parts, add windows and decorations, and glue them on for even more depth.
The vivid colors of the tulips and the windmill design create wall art that conveys the warmth of spring.
Mother’s Day wreath
Here’s a cute wreath idea perfect for Mother’s Day.
You’ll make four parts—the wreath base, a ribbon, ShellieMay, and carnations—and then glue them together to finish.
For the base, make seven identical pieces and attach them to form a ring.
The ribbon can be made from a single sheet of origami paper.
For ShellieMay, fold the face and body separately, then draw the facial features with a pen to finish.
For the carnations, use small origami sheets and cut them into circles with scissors that create a zigzag edge.
Stack several layers to make each flower.
One alone will look a bit sparse on the wreath, so make a few.
Once all the parts are ready, glue them onto the base with good balance, and you’re done!
windmill
Would you like to make a pinwheel out of origami, a perfect item for feeling the spring breeze? You can actually use it, and it also works well as a wall decoration.
First, we’ll make the crease lines.
With the colored side of the origami paper facing up, fold it in half into a square twice, then open it up and make a “zabuton” fold (bring all corners to the center).
Next, fold all four corners to the center again.
Once done, unfold the paper completely.
Fold the top and bottom edges to meet the center line, then fold the left and right edges to the center as well.
Open the folded sections and squash-fold them to make two boat shapes.
Then, on the boats that sit diagonally from each other, fold two corners outward.
Your pinwheel is complete.
If you plan to use it, attach the pinwheel to a wooden stick with a pin to serve as the handle.
strawberry
Let’s make strawberries out of origami to decorate your walls! First, cut red origami paper into the shape of a strawberry and draw the seeds with a pen.
Make a slit in the middle at the top of the strawberry, overlap the left and right sides, and glue them together.
Attach them so that the crossed part looks slightly puffed.
Next, use green origami paper to make the calyx and leaves.
Start by creating a template, trace it onto the origami, then cut it out with scissors.
Once the leaves are cut, fold them in half, then make diagonal folds on the front and back in turn to create the look of leaf veins.
Glue the three parts together, and your strawberry is complete!
Azalea / Satsuki azalea
Spring is the season when azaleas are at their best.
So for a May origami idea, here’s how to make an azalea.
First, take a small sheet of origami paper and fold it into a square twice, then unfold it back to the state where it’s folded in half.
Align the left edge with the center crease, make a crease only at the upper-left corner, then unfold.
Next, align the bottom edge with the top edge and make a crease only at the lower-right corner.
Mark both creases with a pen or similar tool.
Hold the lower-right corner and fold so that the two marks line up.
Flip the paper over, then tuck the lower-right corner inward to match the shape below.
Flip the paper over again, fold it in half by bringing the left and right edges together, and the folding steps are complete.
Draw half of a petal outline and cut it out with scissors; when you open it up, you’ll have an azalea flower.
Curl the petal tips outward to add a more flower-like look.
Make stamens from another piece of origami paper and glue them in the center, then attach leaves to the back to finish.
If you’re decorating a wall, make lots of them to display together!
[For Seniors] Introducing Origami Inspired by May! (91–100)
Ladybugs and clover
Let me show you how to make ladybugs and clovers, which you often see on spring walks! For the ladybug, cut a circular piece from black origami paper, make a single slit from the center toward the edge, then overlap and glue the edges to form a cone.
This will be the body, so cut out the wings, round wing spots, eyes, and antennae from origami paper as well and glue them on.
For the clover, fold the origami paper into a square twice, then into a triangle once.
Draw half of a heart shape along the fold and cut it out with scissors to make a four-leaf clover.
It looks adorable if you place the ladybug on top of the clover as a decoration—highly recommended!