Last Updated on July 2, 2024 by Alaina Bullock
As seniors get older, their ability to do tasks as they used to gets diminished. They have difficulties with hand-eye coordination as well as remembering simple things, especially if they suffer from age-related ailments such as dementia or arthritis.
However, fun and safe crafts for the elderly are beneficial in many ways, not only in keeping them entertained but also in keeping their minds sharp and in giving them stimulating things to do outside their normal daily activities. If your loved one lives in a nursing home setting, they likely have an activities director who helps assemble some activities for them to do. You can also help assemble some fun DIY crafts for seniors that your loved ones will enjoy for a variety of reasons. These crafts can be some they do on their own or crafts they do with other friends and family as a bonding and socializing experience. Learn about 7 easy DIY projects that are fun crafts for seniors.
Pressing Flowers
This DIY project does two things: it gets your senior loved ones outside where they can enjoy nature, and it allows them to easily preserve beautiful flowers that caught their eye so they can enjoy them anytime they wish. Encourage your senior loved one to pick their favorite blooms (within reason) on their next walk or other outdoor activity, then help them press these petals between the pages of a book or a flower pressing kit.
Note: for fall or late-season crafts, your senior loved ones can also press leaves or grass stems.
Tying Fleece Blankets
Fleece is a soft material that is versatile, colorful, lightweight, and not super expensive. It can be cut into a blanket length and width, then smaller cuts can be made around the edges of the material, which are then tied to finish the blanket off. Seniors can easily make these blankets to give as gifts or to keep for themselves.
You can find fleece for sale at local craft stores or supermarkets, in many cases. Sometimes you can find fleece at thrift stores as well if you’re needing to gather supplies on the cheap.
Making Pinecone Birdseed Feeders
Seniors who love bird watching can make pinecone birdseed feeders by rolling a pinecone (either long or traditional style, it doesn’t matter) in peanut butter or another type of nut fat and then sprinkling birdseed onto the sticky mixture. These ‘feeders’ can then be hung on branches where seniors can then watch grateful and hungry birds swoop down for a snack. This is a year-round craft that encourages creativity and hand-eye coordination.
Making Macaroni Necklaces
This child-friendly craft is equally engaging for seniors, especially those who struggle with minute tasks because of age-related joint stiffness. Macaroni necklaces or garlands are fun to make, and macaroni can be dyed beforehand with food coloring so the resulting project is colorful and fun! This is a great senior project that can be done with the grandkids along with seniors for a fun group project and family bonding moment.
Making Simple Snacks
Who doesn’t love a yummy snack? Seniors can put together no-fuss snacks that can be enjoyed by everyone, from cake cheese balls with delicious sprinkles to lavender vanilla cupcakes. If they are cooking in a supervised setting, they are less likely to hurt themselves or others by accident.
Keep in mind any nursing home or assisted living restrictions that may exist for in-room cooking. If there are cooking restrictions, stick to snack assembly projects that don’t require any cooking at all like these caprese skewers that seniors can easily do, such as mixing cereals and nuts for trail mix and other snacks.
Assembling Scrapbooks Or Gratitude Journals
These easy crafts are both fun to do and help keep a loved one’s memory sharp. This is a type of craft that can be done by putting photographs, newspaper clippings, magazine clippings, letters, and other items together in a book that seniors can assemble themselves.
Gratitude journals and scrapbooks can help seniors feel more uplifted and boost them up when their morale is low. Keep in mind that elderly people are often lonely and feel neglected in their living situations, especially if they live alone or are under the care of professionals or family members who are not giving them the attention and care they need.
If you suspect elder abuse or neglect in your loved one as you’re assisting them in their fun and enjoyable crafts, don’t hesitate to contact nursing neglect legal professionals to investigate your loved one’s situation and intervene as needed.
Arranging A Scavenger Hunt
What’s great about a scavenger hunt is that it can be done both indoors and outdoors and can be changed up with different objects or people/animals to be found every time. A scavenger hunt is a thrilling activity that young and old alike can partake in and helps seniors feel more engaged in their surroundings.
You can set up a scavenger hunt for an entire nursing home community to get involved in or arrange a simple little scavenger hunt for your senior loved one and family members who want to join in. Pick different themes or seasons and have fun!
Wrapping Up
Keeping seniors active and challenging their minds is a great way to encourage a healthier lifestyle and give them a better quality of life. Mix and match the fun and safe crafts seniors can do so you can keep them engaged in multiple ways. Or, come up with other crafts of your own to keep your senior loved ones active.