Summer is the perfect time to engage in arts and crafts, especially for older adults living in care facilities.
The warm weather and longer days provide an excellent backdrop for creative activities that can bring joy, stimulate the mind, and even enhance motor skills.
Whether it’s painting, crafting, or simply enjoying the process of making something beautiful, summer arts and crafts are a wonderful way to spend a warm day.
Here are eight engaging ideas tailored for older adults to dive into this summer:
1. Nature-Inspired Painting
Harness the beauty of the summer landscape by creating nature-inspired paintings.
Or set up an outdoor painting station with canvases, brushes, and paints and encourage participants to paint what they see around them — flowers, trees, or even the sky.
This activity not only taps into creativity but also allows residents to appreciate the beauty of their surroundings. Plus, it’s fantastic to use those summer arts and crafts skills to create something meaningful and beautiful.
2. DIY Bird Feeders
Bird-watching can be a relaxing and enjoyable activity. Crafting DIY bird feeders is a great way to attract more feathered friends to the garden.
Use materials like pinecones, peanut butter, and birdseed, or get creative with recycled materials like milk cartons or plastic bottles.
This craft project is simple and fun, resulting in a rewarding experience for residents as they watch birds enjoy their handmade feeders. It’s a perfect blend of summer arts and crafts with a touch of nature.
3. Flower Pressing and Bookmark Making
Flower pressing is a timeless activity that can be both meditative and rewarding.
Gather a variety of flowers and leaves, press them between heavy books or in a flower press, and after a few weeks, use them to create beautiful bookmarks.
This activity not only preserves a piece of summer but also results in a useful and decorative item. Incorporating these pressed flowers into bookmarks is a wonderful summer arts and crafts project that can be cherished for years.
4. Handmade Sun Catchers
At Macc Care, we believe you can brighten up any room with handmade sun catchers.
Using materials like clear plastic lids, coloured tissue paper, and glue, residents can create vibrant and colourful sun catchers. These are materials you’ll have in your crafts box already if you’re a trusty artist, but if not you can pick these up from most supermarkets!
Suncatchers are a fantastic way to bring a bit of that summer sparkle indoors through arts and crafts.
5. Garden Stepping Stones
For a more hands-on project, try making garden stepping stones.
Residents can use quick-dry cement and moulds to shape the stones, then decorate them with colourful tiles, stones, or even handprints.
This is a great summer arts and crafts activity that allows for personalisation and creativity, and the finished stones can be placed in the care home’s garden for everyone to enjoy.
You can discover more about the benefits of gardening by reading our top five activities for seniors.
6. Decorated Plant Pots
Personalise the garden or resident rooms with decorated plant pots.
Provide plain terracotta pots, paints, and brushes, and let residents’ creativity flow. You can paint colourful patterns, flowers, or even abstract designs — let your imagination run wild!
This summer arts and crafts project is not only enjoyable but also adds a touch of personal flair to your residents’ living environment.
7. Fabric Dyeing
Fabric dyeing can be a fun and colourful activity, perfect for a warm summer day.
Using natural dyes made from items like berries, tea, and flowers, or using tie-dye kits, residents can create beautiful, one-of-a-kind fabric pieces.
Whether it’s scarves, napkins, or pillowcases, this summer arts and crafts activity allows for endless creativity and results in vibrant, useful items.
8. Memory Quilts
Creating memory quilts is a wonderful way to preserve personal history and create something beautiful.
Residents can contribute pieces of old clothing, fabric scraps, or other materials that have personal significance. Working together, they can sew these pieces into a quilt that tells a collective story.
This summer arts and crafts project not only fosters a sense of community but also results in a cherished keepsake.
If you’d like to find out more about the benefits of walking in the morning, please contact a member of our team today.
Alternatively, check out our recent blog and explore 5 different ways to socialise in a care home.