We all know that to live a long, healthy life, you should eat well, exercise daily, and prioritize sleep. But did you also know that flexing your creative muscles helps you thrive as you age? Research suggests that participating in the arts may improve the health, well-being, and independence of older adults. And besides—it’s just plain fun! Whether you’re recently retired or simply looking for ways to spend your quiet time, we’ve gathered 5 beautiful craft ideas for seniors to express their creativity.
Our craft ideas cover a wide range of motor abilities, independence levels, and budgets. Grab your paint brushes, knitting needles, and scissors!
Paint By Numbers
Experience the meditative magic of painting with a simple, guided task that helps you unleash your inner artist by using pre-filled paint pots to create a masterpiece of your very own. There are tons of different paint-by-number sets available, whether you’re looking to create custom portraits of your pet or family, or recreate a masterpiece, too. The best part? Using paint by numbers can be beneficial for mental health—matching colors, shapes, and numbers helps you identify and organize visual information, while also enhancing your memory.
Pressing Flowers
Pressing flowers has been around for centuries, and it isn’t going out of style anytime soon. Gather your favorite blooms from your neighborhood, backyard, or a special bouquet, and get to work preserving them in a beautiful display of art. All you’ll need is your favorite flowers, a newspaper, and a book with plenty of weight. Then it’s time to let nature do its magic! Display your pressed flowers in a beautiful photo frame, or use them to create an intricate accent on your next scrapbook or journal page.
Greeting Cards
Cards are a great way to foster connection between you and your loved ones, and they’re pretty to boot. You don’t need a fancy Cricut or scrapbooking supplies to create show-stopping greeting cards for your family and friends—although it certainly does help. To begin, gather craft paper, markers, scissors, and stickers or other embellishments to fancy up your card. Then, let your imagination run wild! Creating greeting cards is a purposeful craft that allows its maker to be as creative as they like. Get inspired by greeting card templates, or make your own and let your creativity shine.
Painted Rocks
Painting can be a therapeutic activity, and it doesn’t have to be difficult. Making painted rocks is a great way to stretch your creative muscles while creating a beautiful gift or home decor accessory. Keep them for yourself, or give them away as a random act of kindness, too. We recommend picking smooth flat rocks to make it easier and washing them before decorating to remove any dirt or debris that might distract from your design. Use an outdoor or multi-surface paint for best results.
Create paperweights, fairy houses, and whatever your heart desires.
Scrapbooks
Scrapbooks are a great way to express yourself, preserve memories, and spend time just for yourself. It’s an age-old craft, and for good reason. Studies show that creating memory books can help reduce stress by allowing you to share your stories creatively. While you can opt for colorful supplies from your local craft store, you can also get started with some of your favorite photographs and a simple photo album. Get creative and add other mementos, like tickets, invitations, letters, and doodles to add your own spark to your photo journal.
Senior Outlook Today is your go-to source for information, inspiration, and connection as you navigate the later years of life. Our team of experts and writers is dedicated to providing relevant and engaging content for seniors, covering topics such as health and wellness, finances, technology and travel.
