Lovely senior life

[For Senior Care Facilities] Easy! September Craft Ideas to Feel the Autumn Season

Care Worker Initial Training Certification ObtainedNakajima Junko
Leveraging my experience working as a care worker at a day service, I am currently active as a writer in the caregiving and welfare fields. Beyond writing, I hope to expand my work into web design and illustration. I am a mother of three who has begun studying to become a certified social worker.

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!

[For Senior Facilities] Simple! September Craft Ideas to Feel Autumn (21–30)

Quilling art: grapes

[Great for your first try!] Create autumn crafts with quilling art #easycrafts #athomeplay #stayhome #simplecrafts #quillingart #preschoolcrafts #ideasforpreschool

Quilling art: grapes

This is a grape art piece made with quilling, where you roll narrow strips of paper.

Cut construction paper into long, thin strips and roll them around a chopstick.

Since it uses the fingertips, it can also help stimulate the brains of older adults.

Make several rolled pieces and glue them onto a backing so they resemble grape berries.

It already looks like grapes at this stage, but we’ll add a bit more.

Prepare circular cutouts of origami paper in colors like purple or pink.

When you glue these circles on top of the rolled paper attached to the backing, it creates a grape-like, realistic effect.

Displaying the grape artwork in a frame made from tree branches is also recommended.

You can even use branches you find while taking a walk in a park.

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Making grapes with coffee filters

Make two at once! Grape craft with coffee filters 🍇 #preschoolcrafts #kindergarten #nursery #kidsartsandcrafts #craftvideo #autumncrafts #grapegrowing

Making grapes with coffee filters

Here’s an introduction to a grape craft using coffee filters.

You might hear older adults ask, “Can you really do crafts with coffee filters?” Yes, you can.

Coffee filters don’t tear even when you place something moist on them.

This craft uses that water-resistant property.

Cut the coffee filter into round shapes like grapes.

Use liquid glue to stick them onto a backing sheet.

Then paint them with your preferred grape-colored paint.

If you peel off the filters before the paint fully dries, the paint will bleed through and create a grape-like image on the backing sheet.

You can also take the peeled-off filters and stick them on another sheet to make more grapes.

It’s fun to create two different styles of artwork in one go.

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Dragonfly craft

Dragonflies ~crafts of dragonflies~ (with templates) (September, autumn) (easy craft) (wall decoration) (senior recreational activity) (creative occupational therapy) (preschool/early education) (origami)

Dragonfly craft

The sight of dragonflies darting about against the backdrop of a sunset is one of the quintessential scenes that evokes autumn, isn’t it? Let’s recreate that landscape of dragonflies silhouetted by the setting sun using origami.

The key is how to make the dragonfly: roll a strip of red origami paper into a slender tube for the body, then attach parts like the eyes and wings to give it a three-dimensional look.

Next, paste elements like the setting sun and plants such as pampas grass onto a backing sheet, and layer the dragonflies on top to complete the scene.

Choosing different colors for the dragonflies to create your own unique style is another fun aspect.

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Torn-paper collage: Moon-viewing rabbit

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Handmade calendar created with torn-paper collageSmall-scale multifunctional in-home care #Habikino City Care service provider Recreation Calendar #Chigiri-e Staff recruitment
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Otsukimi (moon-viewing) is one of Japan’s long-standing traditions.

So, let’s make a moon-viewing scene with a rabbit for the September calendar using torn-paper collage.

Because you use your fingertips to tear and paste the paper onto a backing sheet, this kind of collage can also serve as brain training.

The September moon-viewing is known as Jūgoya or the Harvest Moon and is held on the full moon around September 15.

It became cherished as an autumn harvest festival, and because people offered taro as a prayer for a good harvest, it came to be called Imomeigetsu (“Taro Moon”).

Many older adults may also be very familiar with September’s moon-viewing.

Try making it while chatting about Otsukimi.

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Wreath of dragonflies and cosmos flowers

A wreath of dragonflies and cosmos ✨ #preschoolcrafts #autumncrafts

Wreath of dragonflies and cosmos flowers

Cosmos flowers are one of the symbols of autumn, aren’t they? You might also have chances to see dragonflies gliding smoothly through the autumn sky.

Let’s make a wreath with cosmos and dragonflies as motifs to capture that autumn feeling.

We’ll give the dragonfly wings and cosmos petals a gradient effect.

Scribble with several colors of water-based pens on aluminum foil, then mist it with water.

Place the paper for the dragonfly wings and cosmos petals on top to transfer the colors onto the paper.

The soft, delicate gradient—hard to achieve with a brush—looks beautiful.

For the wreath base, using a paper plate with the center cut out makes it easy.

Attach the dragonflies and cosmos to the wreath to finish.

This autumn craft should help older adults feel the season as well.

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Grape wreath made with chirimen fabric

Craft Art: Fragrance of Autumn Grape Wreath ~with how-to instructions

Grape wreath made with chirimen fabric

Here’s how to make a grape wreath using chirimen fabric and covered buttons.

Cut the chirimen fabric into circles.

Place the rounded side of a covered button in the center of a fabric circle and secure it with glue as if wrapping it.

Once wrapped, press in the remaining part of the covered button with the metal side facing up.

This completes a grape berry.

Attach the grape berries to a backing sheet to form a bunch of grapes.

Decorate the wreath base with paper grape leaves and the grape bunches.

The texture of chirimen fabric adds warmth to the piece.

It’s a craft that older adults are likely to enjoy as a lovely grape-themed project.

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Grape brooch made with tsumami-zaiku

⁂ Tsumami-zaiku ⁂ A cute, plump grape brooch 🍇

Grape brooch made with tsumami-zaiku

Tsumami-zaiku is made by folding small pieces of fabric.

Although it involves lots of delicate work, seniors who enjoy handicrafts or are good with their hands may find it fun to make.

Let’s try making a grape brooch, a great autumn craft using tsumami-zaiku.

Create the folded pieces and secure them with glue, then attach them to a base fabric in the shape of grapes.

Cut the base fabric into a grape shape, insert a piece of cardstock, and sew felt onto the back.

Add a brooch pin to complete the brooch.

The finished piece looks cute when attached to a bag or clothing.

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