[Day Service] Craft Ideas for Seniors to Make in October
Autumn is full of delicious foods and is a comfortable season to spend time in, so it’s easy to make progress with your hobbies.
Many seniors may also be looking forward to enjoying the beautiful autumn leaves.
In this article, we introduce recommended craft ideas for October.
We’ve gathered many ideas, including decorations themed on maple leaves—the quintessential symbol of autumn—pumpkin decorations perfect for Halloween, stylish pieces that can be displayed as interior decor, and craft ideas useful for recreational activities at day service centers.
If you’d like, give them a try!
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- [For Seniors] Fall Wall Decoration Ideas
- [For Seniors] Recommended for September! Craft Idea Collection
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- [For Seniors] Autumn Origami to Enjoy in October
- [For Senior Care Facilities] Easy! September Craft Ideas to Feel the Autumn Season
- [For Senior Care Facilities] Feel the Autumn! Collection of Maple Leaf Wall Decoration Ideas
[Day Service] Craft ideas for seniors to make in October (71–80)
Endless Piñata
This is a craft idea where candy pops out when you hit it—perfect for surprises! It’s one of those items that will liven up a Halloween party, so be sure to enjoy making it together with seniors.
First, decorate a deep paper plate with washi tape or similar materials, and attach strong magnets around the rim of another paper plate.
Next, punch a hole at the top of the plates, thread twine through, and secure the two plates together.
Finally, put in the candy and hang it up—that’s it! It looks like a kusudama (a Japanese party ball), but seniors may not be very familiar with it.
Precisely because it’s unfamiliar, it might be an exciting experience.
jack-o’-lantern
How about a pumpkin lantern made from reused plastic bottles? By taking advantage of the bumps on the bottom of the bottle, you can achieve a pumpkin-like shape! Use two cut-off bottoms from plastic bottles, finely cut crepe paper in your favorite colors, and stick it on with glue thinned with water.
If you don’t have crepe paper, tissue paper or washi paper will work too.
Let it dry thoroughly, add a pumpkin face, and it’s done! You can fill it with candy or put in an LED light to use as a lampshade—there are lots of fun ways to enjoy it!
Spider web
If you want decorations with a spooky Halloween vibe, how about making spiderwebs? Just fold origami paper four times, draw a spiderweb pattern, and cut—it’s easy enough for seniors to make, too.
Using large origami paper can create a striking wall decoration.
You can also make spiders, ghosts, and jack-o’-lanterns from other sheets and attach them to the web for a lively touch.
Try making lots in Halloween colors like red, purple, and black.
cosmos
Let’s make cosmos flowers, a symbol of autumn, using origami.
One of the defining features of cosmos is that they bloom in a variety of colors like pink and purple, so it’s a great idea to use multiple colors and create a cosmos field.
The key is to fold the origami in two layers to form the petals; by shaping this part carefully, you’ll end up with a three-dimensional cosmos.
Soft creases can enhance the beauty, but they also make the shape more prone to collapsing, so it might be a good idea to glue the overlapping sections in place.
Box of cosmos flowers
Let me introduce how to make a cosmos flower with origami.
If you carefully craft the flower’s center, it will have a more three-dimensional look.
Use scissors to trim around the edges, then curl the parts with tweezers or a similar tool.
After that, secure it with glue to make it stable.
Pink petals are the most famous for cosmos, but they also come in orange, yellow, white, and red.
Having older adults choose origami in their favorite colors or patterns brings out individuality, which is lovely.
Making a bouquet and using it as wall decor is also recommended.
The colorful cosmos are sure to brighten your mood just by looking at them.
walking stick
Let’s make Halloween friends out of origami and turn them into cute wands! They’re perfect for decorations or as gifts for your grandchildren.
Fold pumpkins, ghosts, and bats with origami, then slightly offset another sheet, fold it into a triangle, and roll it tightly from the edge to create the wand, and combine them.
There are many origami Halloween motif videos available, ranging from easy to difficult, so pick ones that are easy for older adults to make!
tassel garland
Just cut and tie! Let’s make a very simple tassel garland.
Gather old clothes you no longer wear or fabric scraps, and cut out lots of rectangles measuring 20 cm by 2 cm.
Then prepare some twine or paper string and simply tie the fabric strips onto it.
Using fabrics with different colors and patterns will make a very festive garland.
Since the only steps are cutting and tying, it’s easy to chat and have fun while you work.
Ask older adults to help too, starting with collecting clothes they no longer wear.