[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
[For Seniors] Introducing Origami Inspired by May! (41–50)
Wisteria swaying
How about a hanging wisteria decoration with a realistic, three-dimensional look? Prepare purple, light purple, and yellow-green origami paper, bamboo skewers, and string.
The flowers are made from quarter-size origami sheets, so please cut them in advance.
Fold the colored side in half, then fold in half two more times.
Draw petal shapes with a pencil and cut them out.
Use a bamboo skewer to curl the tips of the petals into a gentle curve.
Make a small stick-shaped piece and attach it to the petals to complete each flower.
Then, adhere the flowers onto a long, narrow strip of yellow-green origami to build up a three-dimensional floral cluster.
Attach a string and hang it by the window—watch it sway softly in the breeze.
[For Seniors] Introducing Origami Related to May! (51–60)
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!
Hydrangea decoration
Here’s how to make a hydrangea decoration with origami.
First, prepare origami paper in the color you want for your hydrangeas.
Cut it into small squares, then fold it vertically, horizontally, and diagonally to make crease lines.
Fold it small, make a few cuts, and when you open it up, it will form the shape of a flower.
Attach eight flowers to a round piece of origami paper, and your hydrangea is complete.
Use green origami paper to make leaves, and create a frame in any color you like to decorate it.
It’s fun to think about where to place each flower, isn’t it? Adding little raindrops as accents really brings out the rainy season mood.
Give it a try!
Hydrangea Snail
Here’s a cute and playful hydrangea snail made with origami.
Both the hydrangea and the snail are easy to fold, and you can mix and match them however you like.
First, make the snail out of origami paper.
Cut out the eye parts to give it a sweet expression.
For the hydrangea, fold a small square of origami and round off the top and bottom edges with scissors.
When you open it up, you’ll have an adorable flower.
Attach the hydrangea flower to the snail’s back, and it’s done.
You can change the snail’s expression with the eyes and create your own unique hydrangea snail by varying how you place the flowers.
Since there are no difficult steps, it’s also recommended for activities in senior care facilities.
Hydrangea decoration
When we think of the rainy season, hydrangeas come to mind, don’t they? Many people find their hearts soothed just by gazing at their colorful blooms.
This time, we’ll introduce a hydrangea decoration that brightens up the rainy season.
First, prepare your favorite origami paper and fold it in half.
Draw a circle with a pencil, then tear along the line by hand to cut it out.
Paste two sheets of origami onto construction paper, then layer the torn pieces of origami on top.
There are no difficult steps, so it’s a craft that seniors can enjoy with ease—highly recommended.
Finally, sprinkle on beads or stickers, and in no time you’ll have a lovely hydrangea decoration finished.
Simple hydrangea
When you think of the rainy season, do hydrangea flowers come to mind? Let’s try making hydrangeas out of origami, blooming beautifully in a gentle, steady rain.
There are many ways to fold hydrangeas, but here we’ll introduce an easy method that combines multiple parts.
We’ll fold the cluster of flowers and the leaf pieces.
Since there aren’t many complicated folds, it may be easy for older adults to work on as well.
Once you glue the parts together, it’s complete.
You can hang it on the wall, stick it on a calendar, and more—the possibilities expand with your ideas.
Pink hydrangeas spilling out from the forehead
We’re pleased to introduce an adorable pink hydrangea decoration that overflows from its frame.
First, prepare small pieces of pink origami paper and cut them into quarters.
Fold each piece into a triangle twice, then stand and fold each side halfway front and back, pressing flat as you go.
Round off the left and right corners with scissors, fold one layer back, and crease it well.
Once you have the crease, open up the petal.
Repeat the same steps for all the prepared papers.
Make the leaves, and once they’re ready, start attaching everything to the frame.
Finish by placing a bead in the center of each flower.
It’s perfect as a room decor accent, too.