Easy Crafts for Seniors

There are many easy crafts for seniors that allow those with limited dexterity, low vision and other physical or mental limitations to enjoy the creativity and feeling of accomplishment that crafting provides.

More Senior Activity Ideas

For many seniors, crafting has been a pastime they have enjoyed for most of their lives. For others, they discovered the enjoyment and rewards of crafting in their retirement years.

Regardless of whether a senior is new to crafting or has been crafting for a lifetime, mental or physical limitations that often accompany aging make it difficult for some seniors to enjoy certain crafts. However, by slightly adapting the craft or using special equipment, most senior citizens are able to once again enjoy a favorite pastime. There are a number of easy crafts for seniors that many people didn't realize they would enjoy learning.

The importance of arts and crafts activities for senior citizens extends far beyond the creation of an object.

• For seniors living in nursing homes, assisted living facilities or who are members of senior citizen centers, making crafts brings people together. It helps them to have a sense of belonging and develop friendships.
• Many seniors that live alone find making crafts an enjoyable way to pass the time.
• Crafting helps to keep the mind sharp and stimulated.
• Working with crafts that involve using the hands, for example molding polymer clay, helps to exercise the senior’s fingers and hands.
• Working on crafts reduces depression in some senior citizens.

Not all of the following craft ideas are suitable for all seniors. Most can be modified and adapted to suit the special needs of individuals. Many of these simple crafts make beautiful gifts for family, friends or caretakers. Often projects that are listed as crafts for kids make great choices for adults also. Always make sure the craft ideas chosen are appropriate for adults.

A easy and fun craft for seniors is working with polymer clay. Even those with limited dexterity can generally mold the clay without difficulty.

The following are several simple ideas for polymer clay crafts:

• Bendable bookmarks
• Beads
• Pencil holders
• Vases
• Picture frames
• Holiday ornaments

The Internet offers excellent websites full of wonderful easy crafting ideas and projects for working with polymer clay.

• Sculpey includes many great polymer clay craft ideas, as well as crafting supplies, products ands kits for sale.
• The Polymer Clay Superstore
• Judy Maddigan’s Push Molds

For seniors with an interest in photography, taking the pictures is fun, but knowing how to incorporate them into crafts is even more fun. Whether the photographs are of friends and family, the beauty of nature or cats and dogs, the following simple crafts incorporate the photographs into the finished product.

• Make a collage
• Learn to scrapbook
• Create photo magnets

Seniors that are not interested in taking pictures can still enjoy making photo crafts using pictures cut out of magazines.

For seniors who love creating things from fabric, needles with large split eyes, glue guns and velcro help to make many projects easier. Other craft fabric aids include:

• Hands free magnifier that hangs around the neck
• Magnifier on a stand
• Butler Floss Needle Threaders
• Snip Loop Scissors

If you love to crochet or knit but are having difficulty holding the hooks or needles, use a thicker one and go to a heavier gauge yarn. There are also beautiful no-sew fleece fabric crafts that are easy to make include beautiful scarves, tote bags and pillows.

• Painting using large brushes or sponges dipped in bowls of paint
• Decoupage
• Make a bird feeder
• Mosaics
• Plastic canvas projects
• Foam board projects

• LoveToKnow Crafts has more than 600 craft ideas!
• Senior Kaboodle provides many simple craft ideas for seniors.
• Among the many aids offered by Dynamic Living is a crochet aid that holds the yarn in the right position.
• All Free Crafts

Easy crafts for seniors are an excellent way to keep minds busy while fostering a sense of accomplishment and pride.

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