Thanksgiving Crafts for Seniors
Thanksgiving and its traditions, spicy smells, and autumn colors provide an ideal setting to bring out the creative side of the older generation. Making holiday crafts that reflect the spirit of the historic holiday can remind people of all ages of the joys being alive, regardless of life circumstances.
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Thankful Board
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Bulletin boards remind people about things to do, groceries to buy and people to call. A Thanksgiving board has a similar purpose---both to remind people of things they are grateful for and also to provide some holiday decor. Cut out leaf shapes from a variety of autumn-colored pieces of construction paper (brown, red, orange, yellow, green). Have the seniors write something they are grateful for on each paper leaf and pin it to the board in between their to-do lists and other mementos. This is a simple and colorful craft that reflects the meaning of Thanksgiving.
Popcorn Ear
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The traditional popcorn ear Thanksgiving craft is not only a fun activity for kids, but also for senior citizens. This craft is also great for those with less dexterous hands. First, pop some plain popcorn and allow it to cool. Draw an ear of corn, complete with the husk and stalk, on a piece of printer paper. Generously lather school glue on the ear of corn. Have the seniors to stick pieces of popped popcorn onto the glue in order to make a 3-D popcorn ear. Once dried, the popcorn ear makes a delightful fridge or door decoration.
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Classic Cornucopia
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The food-filled cornucopia, or horn of plenty, is a traditional symbol of Thanksgiving. Seniors can make their very own cornucopia to add holiday zest and classic Thanksgiving decor to their surroundings. Most craft stores sell cornucopias and stuffers during the weeks leading up to Thanksgiving. Set some cornucopias, a number of small squash varieties and some hay in the middle of a table and let seniors design their own cornucopias. A filled cornucopia makes a lovely table center piece and room decoration.
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References
- Photo Credit cornucopia image by Liz Van Steenburgh from Fotolia.com
