Top 5 Crafts to Keep Seniors' Minds Active

At any age, learning a new craft can be fun and engaging. But picking up a new craft has an added bonus for seniors. The National Institute on Aging encourages older adults to learn new activities to keep their minds active and to maintain their cognitive (brain) health. A home caregiver can help a senior find free online classes for almost any craft. Since the internet has so many classes to choose from, here's a curated list of popular crafts with links to free tutorials. Except for container gardening, the best crafts for seniors only require materials that are already available in most homes.

Drawing

Artist Darlene Nguyen thought there should be one place online where beginners could learn all of their basic drawing skills. So she created it. Nguyen offers a free drawing course for beginners on her website RapidFireArt. The course starts with sketching and moves to fundamental techniques for proportion, linear perspective, shading, and more. It’s a great course for senior artists who are just starting out.

Container Gardening

Nothing brightens a patio better than pots full of blooming annuals. A container garden is also perfect for growing herbs and veggies. And a green thumb isn't necessary to learn how to plant and care for a container garden. The important thing is having access to the right information. Good Housekeeping's guide to container gardening boasts it teaches "everything you need to know" to be successful. Seniors can brighten up their living spaces and enjoy the outdoors with this engaging activity.

Journaling

For an activity that's long on health benefits, look to journaling. It has the potential to relieve stress, improve memory, and lift moods. While journaling about daily life is popular, seniors have the freedom to write about any topic imaginable. To get started, here's a beginner's guide to journal writing that also includes prompts.

Baking

Food blogger, author, and television personality Sarah Graham believes anyone can learn to be an excellent baker. Her course, The Art of Baking, covers the fundamentals, pastry techniques, and what most people really want to know: how to make goodies like cookies and cake.

For seniors who aren't interested in sweets, making homemade bread is an alternative. Learning to make bread might seem intimidating to seniors with little baking experience. Yet there's no need for them to worry. Here's an easy route to homemade, no-knead bread. After tasting the first bite of warm bread they made themselves, senior loved ones may insist on skipping the bread aisle the next time you’re at the grocery store.

Origami

What's origami? It's the art of folding paper to create beautiful designs. It’s one fo the best crafts for seniors, as it engages both the mind and hands. Although special origami paper exists, seniors can create origami figures with any paper they have. Origami enthusiast Evan Zodl has produced video tutorials for folders of all levels. Your senior loved one can get started with simple projects like making a heart or a butterfly. There's a playlist for beginners on his YouTube channel EZ Origami.

Helping seniors navigate the internet to explore new crafts is just one example of what a home caregiver can do. Providers of live-in home care can assist seniors with personal care and other activities that make their lives easier. Contact us to learn more.