Easter is a time of celebration, however it can be trickier to get out of the house as we age. Here's some craft ideas to bring the Easter fun to them!
Easter is just around the corner, and it’s a great holiday for bringing the family together, but how can you enjoy Easter while making sure that the older generation are still included if they find it tricky getting out of the house?
With our list of senior-friendly craft ideas, you can bring the Easter fun to them. Not only can crafts help with fine motor skills and cognitive ability, evoking happy memories and offering older people the chance to share skills that they learned when they were younger with children and grandchildren.
What’s more, you can get everything you need for these crafts from local businesses right here in Northumberland.
Knitting
From Easter bunnies and chicks to Easter eggs, why not get the knitting needles out and get creative over the long weekend? Grandparents will love passing this skill onto the younger generation, and you can use these free knitting patterns from the Noble Knits blog.
For wool and other knitting supplies, you can head to Fine Fettle Fibres in Felton, Morpeth. They even offer knitting workshops to beginners!
Easter flower arranging
Flowers are a real treat for all the senses, and can be great for bringing back happy memories to those living with dementia. You can get creative with seasonal flowers (daffodils are a must!) and if you’re not sure where to start, you can ask Apple Blossom Florists on Regent Street in Blyth for their advice.
Salt dough Easter shapes
For those with memory loss, salt dough crafts are a great way to get creative, without needing lots of fancy equipment. Salt dough can be made with flour, salt and water, and can be rolled into any shape before being baked in the oven. You can even leave it out to dry in a warm place before painting it.
You can get the salt dough ingredients from any local supermarket, and for art supplies, why not try Lateral Art in Morpeth, or Frameworks in Blyth?
Easter Bunny treat cups
Using paper or plastic cups and cardboard to create bunny ears, you can make fun Easter treat cups to fill with you family’s favourite sweet treats! You can cut bunny ears out of card, and you could even use wrapping paper to make the inner ear, then you can draw faces on the cups and fill with some tasty treats – you could get some traditional sweets that older adults will remember from their youth! To find these, try Sweet MemoriesSweet Shop in Ashington, or Mr Simms Sweet Shop in Morpeth.
Pine Cone Bird Feeders
One of the best things about Easter is all the new wildlife that come out in the Spring time, and watching the birds in the garden is a peaceful activity that all can enjoy. To make an easy bird feeder, you can use a pine cone from a local park. Simply spread peanut butter on the pine cone (you may need to support your loved one with this depending on their mobility needs) and sprinkle with bird seed to attract the birds.
To find birdseed, you can head to the well-known Joe’s Pet Shop or My Pet HQ in Morpeth,Pawfectly Natural in Blyth, or Taylor’s Pet Supplies in Ashington.
Tips to support family living with Dementia with crafts