Recommended November craft ideas for day service centers
November, when autumn deepens and you can finally feel the approach of winter.
As this season arrives, the iconic sights of autumn—starting with the colorful leaves—are coming to an end.
Because of that, some people may want to go out and soak up as much of autumn as possible, but find it difficult to leave home.
In this article, we’re introducing craft ideas recommended for November that allow seniors to enjoy the feeling of autumn without going out! We’ve gathered a variety of crafts, including ones that evoke fall foliage and seasonal flavors.
Please make use of them for craft activities in day service programs.
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Recommended November craft ideas for day service (61–70)
Tissue paper chrysanthemum
At first glance, tissue-paper chrysanthemums look like they require meticulous work, but they’re actually very easy to make.
Stack two sheets of tissue paper, accordion-fold them, and staple the center.
Round off both ends with scissors, then simply fluff the layers outward to form petals.
If your hands are dry it can be hard to separate the layers, so put a small amount of moisturizer on the back of your hand and dab your fingertips in it as you open the petals.
Stick a round label in the center of the flower to finish the chrysanthemum.
The leaves are easy with a template! If you use colored pencils to draw veins while the paper rests on a soft cloth, you’ll get realistic, dimensional leaves.
Acorn balancing toy
Yajirobe, known as one of Japan’s traditional toys.
Let’s make a seasonal item using acorns, an autumn fruit! Prepare well-shaped acorns, boil the ones that sink in water for about 20 minutes, then cool them in water.
Using a gimlet or similar tool, make holes in the acorns and thread bamboo skewers through them.
The key is to be mindful of the balance toy’s angle and insert the skewers downward.
Using acorns of similar size makes it easier to achieve good balance.
If you’re looking for craft ideas with acorns, give this a try!
Acorn spinning top
Let’s make acorn tops using the acorns you can find in abundance at parks in autumn.
There are many kinds—like sawtooth oaks and Quercus variabilis—but this is a simple toy you can make with any acorns you pick up.
It’s fun and easy for children and seniors alike, so give it a try.
To make one, first stabilize an acorn, drill a hole, and insert a toothpick.
That’s basically it, but the shaft will be too long and the balance will be off.
Find the length that spins well and trim it a little shorter.
Now you’ve got an acorn top that spins vigorously.
Acorn mascot
Surprisingly, you can make a cute Totoro doll using acorns you’ve picked up.
It doesn’t take much time, and you can easily create an adorable Totoro, so give it a try.
Totoro, a popular Studio Ghibli character, is loved by both adults and children for its chubby, roly-poly look—and that shape matches perfectly with acorns.
All you need to prepare is a white correction pen and a black permanent marker.
After wiping the surface of the acorn clean, first use the white pen to color the belly and eyes.
Once it’s dry, draw the pupils and patterns with the black pen, and your Totoro is complete.
Maple Leaf Wreath
There’s probably no one—man or woman—who grew up without doing some origami.
You’ve folded so many shuriken or trick boats you’ve lost count, right? Skilled people can even make a monkey or an elephant from a single sheet of paper.
So how about making an autumn-themed maple-leaf wreath out of origami? Once you master the basic way to fold a maple leaf, all that’s left is linking them together.
It would make a delightful small prize or award medal for gatherings of seniors.
It’s also nice to exchange wreaths you’ve made yourselves at birthday parties and the like.
Wall decoration: bagworm
This is a bagworm wall decoration you can make just by sticking on torn pieces of origami paper.
Punch a hole in the bottom of a paper cup and thread a string through it.
Take three colors of origami paper, crumple them to add wrinkles, and tear them into long, thin strips.
Glue the torn pieces onto the paper cup, and add eyes or other decorations if you like—your dangling bagworm is complete! It’s easy to make by simply tearing with your fingertips, so it’s perfect for recreational activities for seniors.
With some color tweaks, it could also work as a Halloween or Christmas decoration.
Origami: cricket
The chirping of insects that echoes in autumn is a seasonal tradition.
There are many insects with beautiful calls, such as pine crickets, bell crickets, and field crickets, but this time let’s fold a three-dimensional cricket with origami.
It’s easy to make, so even older adults can enjoy crafting it.
Since it uses just a single sheet of origami paper, you don’t need extra materials or difficult techniques.
The finished piece is three-dimensional, so you can display it on a desk or put it on a wall.
It might also be fun to make them in various colors and sizes.