[For Senior Care Facilities] Easy! September Craft Ideas to Feel the Autumn Season
When it comes to September events and observances, the Mid-Autumn Moon, Respect-for-the-Aged Day, and the autumn equinoctial week come to mind.
These are long-standing traditions in Japan, so they should be familiar to many older adults.
In this context, we’re introducing simple craft activities suitable for senior facilities such as day service centers.
We’ve gathered many projects perfect for September, featuring motifs like moon-viewing rabbits and themes of longevity and health.
They’re fun to make, attractive to display, and likely to give a sense of accomplishment! Although summer is ending and autumn is approaching, some regions still experience hot days.
Craft activities are great because they can be done indoors and are accessible even for those who find physical movement challenging.
Please give them a try!
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- Wall decoration ideas for seniors recommended for September
[For Senior Care Facilities] Easy! September Craft Ideas to Feel the Autumn (91–100)
Cosmos in 2 Minutes! Easy Version
Here’s a very easy way to make cosmos flowers using scrap materials.
Fold origami paper three times, then use pinking shears to make cuts on one side.
Snip between the petals with scissors, apply double-sided tape to the bottom, and roll a plastic bottle cap onto it to secure.
Stuff the inside of the bottle cap with crumpled yellow tissue paper, curl the petals, and you’re done.
If you’ve got lots of spare plastic bottle caps, why not take this opportunity to put them to use?
Cosmos Plate Artwork Made with Tissue-Paper Collage
How about making cosmos flowers out of tissue paper and decorating a paper plate to create a cosmos picture plate? Fold the tissue paper into thirds, then fold a corner into a triangle to make a square.
Fold that up and cut out petal shapes—this lets you make three cosmos flowers at once.
Use your preferred colors of tissue paper, such as red, pink, or white.
Brush a layer of glue thinned with water onto the paper plate, then arrange the cosmos on top.
Brush more glue over the flowers to set them in place.
If you also decorate the rim of the paper plate with tissue paper in colors you like, let it dry thoroughly and you’re done.
Knit Ball Moon-Viewing Dango
Cute, round tsukimi dango you can make with crochet.
Some seniors may enjoy sewing and needlework, so how about working on a little each day starting a bit before the moon-viewing festival? You can get all the yarn and tools at a 100-yen shop, so it won’t cost much.
Even if you’re new to crochet, feel free to give it a try.
Since these are made with yarn, once you make them you can reuse them every year—that’s a nice bonus.
You can also make a sanpō (offering tray) to go with them and enjoy a lovely autumn display.
Lampshade made of paper
Why not try making a lampshade inspired by seasonal flowers? A lampshade is a shade that covers a lamp or bulb, and the materials and designs you use can create many different kinds of light.
This time, let’s make one using shoji paper and washi.
Tear the shoji paper and washi, or fold them into flower shapes and cut them out in advance.
Dilute craft glue with water and brush it onto an inflated balloon.
The key is to apply the glue over an area that matches the size of the shoji paper you’ll attach.
Once you’ve covered the entire surface with shoji paper, add the flower pieces made from washi.
Finally, coat the entire surface with the diluted glue, let it dry, and then pop the balloon.
You’ll have a beautiful spherical lampshade.
It’s also nice to place a dollar-store LED light inside for display.
Seniors are likely to be very pleased with such a lovely creation.
Crane and Turtle
The third Monday of September is Respect for the Aged Day.
With wishes for continued health and longevity, how about making a wall decoration of cranes and turtles for the occasion? A simple method is to cut out each part from construction paper and assemble them, but creating a three-dimensional craft using items like paper plates or plastic wrap tubes is also recommended.
For the crane’s wings, using white fabric or white tissue paper will give a soft impression.
Try making many pieces—cranes at rest, cranes in flight, and turtles surrounding them—to create a lively and festive display!
In conclusion
Craft activities themed around September are also recommended for older adults who may find it harder to feel the seasons.
As they create, some might find themselves reminiscing about memories spent with family.
It’s great to take your time and focus deeply, but it also seems fun to make things while chatting with other seniors.
Please use these September craft ideas as inspiration and enjoy a wonderful time.