For Seniors: Easy Crafts Recommended for October
October brings cooler, more comfortable weather.
There are events like the Harvest Moon (Jūgoya), Sports Day, and Halloween.
As the phrase “autumn is for ____” suggests, the mild climate makes it easier to get out and do things, making us want to enjoy our favorite activities and try new challenges.
Let’s create autumn-themed crafts so that older adults can also feel the season!
In connection with the idea of “autumn is for ____,” it could be nice to spark lively conversations with older adults about what to enjoy in autumn.
Be sure to make use of this “October Crafts for Older Adults.”
They say “autumn is for reading” because, among the four seasons, autumn has the shortest daylight hours, and the longer nights are perfect for reading.
- [Day Service] Craft Ideas for Seniors to Make in October
- [Day Service] Handmade Autumn Crafts: Take-Home Project Ideas
- For Seniors: Simple and Lovely Crafts – A Collection of Take-Home Project Ideas for Day Service
- [For Seniors] Wall Decorations to Enjoy October
- [For Seniors] Fall Wall Decoration Ideas
- Simple, Recommended Autumn Crafts for Seniors
- [For Seniors] Simple crafts that feel like autumn: a fun creative activity
- [For Seniors] Recreation Games Related to October Events
- Useful in care facilities! Ideas for autumn wall decorations
- [For Seniors] Day-service activities also recommended! Craft ideas for November
- [For Seniors] Introducing Fun Crafts Made with Plastic Bottle Caps
- [For Seniors] Let’s Get Excited with Halloween Crafts! Fun and Easy Decoration Ideas
- [For Seniors] Autumn Origami to Enjoy in October
[For Seniors] Easy! Recommended Crafts for October (91–100)
Cute cosmos
The flower name “cosmos” is written with the characters for autumn and cherry blossom (秋桜) because its petals resemble those of cherry blossoms.
This time, let’s make a cosmos flower with origami.
By folding a single sheet of paper finely to create each petal, you can nicely express the flower’s distinctive jagged notches.
Since a cosmos has eight petals, prepare eight sheets of origami.
Also, the yellow central disk of the flower, made by snipping fine cuts into the paper, turns out beautifully.
If it strikes you as somewhat similar to a chrysanthemum, that’s because cosmos is a member of the Asteraceae family and is also known by another name, “Ōshagiku” (literally, great spring wheel chrysanthemum).
Handmade pumpkin garland
If you want to enjoy the Halloween mood easily, handmade garlands are recommended! A garland that instantly brightens up a wall can also lift the spirits of older adults.
By combining strips of construction paper, you can make simple yet cute pumpkins.
You can also make these pumpkins in different colors! If cutting the paper into strips feels tedious, paper tape is a convenient alternative.
Adding other Halloween motifs to the garland—not just pumpkins—will make it even more festive.
origami mushroom
Autumn is the season when leaves pile up on the ground, and it strongly evokes the image of mushrooms growing beneath them.
Let’s make one of these autumn symbols—a mushroom—using a single sheet of origami paper.
The steps bring the colored side to the cap and the white reverse side to the stem.
Pay close attention to the reverse folds to create a clear step between the cap and the stem, then refine the shape with small adjustments to give it an overall rounded look.
It already looks like a mushroom as is, but it’s also fun to develop creativity by drawing your own patterns to make it look even more mushroom-like.
Matsutake mushroom origami
Let’s recreate the matsutake mushroom—an iconic flavor of Japan’s autumn—using origami.
A key point is to use both sides of the paper to clearly show the color difference between the cap and the stem, while shaping the overall form with a gentle roundness.
Once the piece is neatly folded, it’s also a good idea to draw patterns to make it look even more like a matsutake.
Try imagining a seasonal scene where matsutake are arranged—such as a circular layout inspired by a woven basket—so the mushrooms feel naturally grouped and evocative of the season.
Chinese bellflower
When you hear “plants of October,” what comes to mind? The one I’d like to introduce here is the balloon flower (kikyo).
Kikyo is a seasonal word for autumn and is also one of the Seven Flowers of Autumn.
Its most notable feature is its vivid purple appearance.
Although it has been declining in recent years and is hard to enjoy in the wild, you can easily capture its charm with origami.
It also makes a striking accent when added after folding other plants.
Or try folding it with origami papers in various shades and textures of purple and display them side by side.
