[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.
- [For Seniors] Enjoy May: A Collection of Seasonal Craft and Wall Decoration Ideas
- [For Seniors] Celebrate Children's Day: Make Your Own Koinobori (Carp Streamers)
- [For Seniors] Recommended Events for May: A Roundup of Ideas That Get Everyone Engaged
- [For Seniors] May-Themed Wall Decoration Ideas Full of Seasonal Flair
- [For Seniors] May Calendar Craft: Fun and Easy
- [Recreation] Summary of Recommended Origami Ideas for Seniors
- [For Seniors] Fun Origami That Also Works as Rehabilitation
- [For Seniors] Enjoy Something New Every Day! Today’s Origami
- [Easy!] Flower paper-cut art you can make using just scissors
- [For Seniors] Enjoy at Day Service: A Roundup of May Craft Ideas
- [For Seniors] Perfect for June: Introducing simple origami projects
- Simple origami that can be folded from a single sheet
- [For Seniors] Enjoy May! Recommended Recreational Activities and Games
[For Seniors] Introducing Origami Related to May! (11–20)
paper cup koinobori
Let’s make a carp streamer (koinobori) using a paper cup.
If you use pre-colored paper cups, it’s easier.
If you only have white cups, try covering them with origami paper.
Cut or tear origami paper or paper tape and stick the pieces onto the cup—this creates the scales, and torn scales give each koinobori a unique look.
Add eyes with round stickers and attach a tail fin made from strips of origami paper.
Fix a chenille stem (pipe cleaner) or string to the head, tie it to a straw, and you’re done.
With the straw attached, you can place it in a vase and set it on a table.
Displaying them in a facility can help older adults enjoy the seasonal atmosphere.
Koinobori chopstick sleeve
To help seniors feel the seasons, some senior and nursing care facilities offer special seasonal meals, don’t they? In those moments, we’d like to introduce a carp streamer–themed chopstick sleeve that’s lovely to set quietly on the table.
Let’s fold a chopstick sleeve using origami.
If you use gold or red origami paper for the sleeve, you’ll end up with a festive design perfect for celebratory occasions.
Attach a carp streamer made from origami to the sleeve as well.
As you fold, some seniors may recall past Boys’ Day (Tango no Sekku) celebrations.
Besides carp streamers, you can also attach other seasonal decorations to the sleeve so it can be used throughout the year.
Please try arranging and customizing your own version.
lily of the valley
Lily of the valley blooms around April to May and is strongly associated with heralding the arrival of spring.
In this project, we’ll recreate this quintessential spring flower with origami, making the bell-shaped blossoms in three dimensions.
First, cut white origami paper into a flat shape like spread petals, then attach it to a long, rolled stem piece.
From there, overlap and adjust each petal to form the bell shape.
Once the flower components are complete, attach them to a backing sheet decorated with leaves and other parts to finish.
Aim for a design where the flowers appear to pop out.
Tulip wreath
Tulips are one of the flowers that color the spring season, and their rich variety of hues conveys the excitement of spring.
This is a wreath that captures that springtime joy by arranging colorful tulips on a circular base.
It’s recommended to make the wreath base in green to evoke leaves; create triangular pieces and insert adjacent pieces into the gaps to form a circle.
Then just add tulips and other decorations to the base to finish.
To make the tulips really stand out, it’s important to use folds to give them a three-dimensional look.
Sumire
Violets are purple flowers that you see in spring—they have a sense of Japanese tradition and also a cool image, don’t they? How about making violet flowers out of origami and using them to decorate a wall? Cut the origami paper into small rectangles, then cut those into petal shapes.
Add curves to each piece, layer them to form the whole flower, and then attach the stem and leaf parts to complete it.
The way you angle the pieces to show how the flower grows might also be important.
carnation
May has Mother’s Day, doesn’t it? Speaking of Mother’s Day, carnations are the classic gift.
So as a May origami idea, here’s how to make a carnation.
First, make a “zabuton” fold to crease the paper, then open it and fold each of the four corners inward along the creases.
Flip the paper over, fold it in half vertically, then fold the left and right corners up to meet the top corner; repeat the same fold once more.
Open the paper—you’ll see radial creases.
Add creases to fill in the gaps between them, then press the center downward with a stick or similar tool to shape it into a flower, and you’re done! It looks lovely as-is on a wall display, and if you want to make a bouquet, create the receptacle, stem, and leaves from green origami paper and attach them.
[For Seniors] Introducing May-Themed Origami! (21–30)
Samurai helmet ornament
Here’s a helmet you can make with origami by folding just four times.
It’s easy, so it’s perfect for a quick activity with seniors.
Cut the origami paper into a rectangle, then fold it into the shape of a helmet.
If you use double-sided colored paper or traditional Japanese patterns, it will look even more helmet-like.
The folding method is simple, so it should be easy for seniors to try.
Finish by adding a crest to the front of the helmet with origami.
You can display it on a wreath as is, or paste it onto a backing sheet for a lovely look.