Lovely senior life

[For Seniors] Introducing May-themed Origami!

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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.

[For Seniors] Introducing Origami Inspired by May! (91–100)

Kintaro

[Origami Activity] Customizable!! May: Kintaro Bear Edition

Kintaro

May is known for Children’s Day.

On Children’s Day, some people display Kintaro instead of traditional samurai dolls.

Kintaro is a symbol of good health, making him perfect for a day that celebrates children’s healthy growth.

So here’s an origami idea for May: Kintaro.

In this idea, you’ll make Kintaro by separating him into the head, body, and clothing.

In fact, you only fold the head and body—the clothing is simply a quarter sheet of origami paper cut into a diamond shape and glued onto the body! Both the head and body use basic folds with no difficult steps, so seniors can enjoy folding them as well.

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strawberry

[Craft Idea] Strawberries (April–May, Spring) (Wall Decorations) (Senior Recreation/OT/Daycare) (Early Childhood Education) (Origami) (Group Craft Activity) (DIY/Papercraft)

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!

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Azalea / Satsuki azalea

[Craft Idea] Azaleas and Satsuki Azaleas – Flower Crafts (April/May) (Wall Decorations) (Activities for Older Adults) (Early Childhood/Educational) (Flowers) (Creative Projects) (OT)

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!

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Ladybugs and clover

[Craft Idea] Ladybug and Clover – Spring (April/May) – Activities for Older Adults, Wall Decorations, Early Childhood Education, Creative Crafts, Bug Crafts, Occupational Therapy (OT)

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!

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honeybee

[Craft Idea] Honeybees and Flower Garden (April/May Spring) (Wall Decorations) (Senior Recreation/OT/Day Service) (Early Childhood Education) (3D) (DIY/Papercraft)

honeybee

In spring, bees fly from flower to flower collecting nectar.

So this time, I’d like to share a craft idea for making a bee.

First, cut yellow origami paper into a gourd shape.

This will be the bee’s body, so use a pen to draw the striped pattern on the rear and the face.

Next, attach the wings and antennae cut from origami paper in the same way.

Make a small slit at the rear, overlap the left and right sides, and glue them together.

This will give it a slightly three-dimensional look.

Finally, add a stinger to the rear, and it’s complete! Be sure to display it above a flower field.

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In conclusion

This time, we introduced origami themed around May.

It’s such a pleasant season—why not enjoy creating pieces at a relaxed pace by the window while soaking up the cheerful weather? We’ve gathered models ranging from easy to a bit more challenging.

Origami activities can be great brain training for seniors, and completing a piece brings a real sense of accomplishment.

We hope you find this helpful!