As the season casts its silvery cloak and the nights draw in, there’s no better time to hunker down and cosy up than winter. One of the best activities for relaxed mornings and slow afternoons during this time of year, winter crafts offer a great way to occupy hands and minds during this season of resetting and rebalancing.
Popular pastimes for all, the best winter crafts for dementia patients provide a rewarding outlet and sense of fun. Supporting coordination skills, encouraging creativity, evoking memories, and offering a real sense of accomplishment, these activities have a wealth of benefits.
Here are some of the best winter crafts for dementia patients that can be easily adapted and thoroughly enjoyed – bringing an extra splash of warmth and colour to the season.
One of the best winter crafts for dementia patients, scrapbooking is an ideal winter activity for sharing moments together and making an invaluable memory book. Sparking anecdotes and encouraging conversations, it combines creativity and storytelling for a wonderful way to preserve the past and present. To get started, gather family photos, holiday mementos, flight stubs, event tickets, maps and so on and combine with colourful paper and safe adhesives to create an engaging, dynamic storyboard. To add a festive winter twist, you can also add seasonal decorations such as favourite winter recipes, decorative snowflakes, cut-out Christmas trees and more. For an ongoing sense of accomplishment, take it page by page and add more detail throughout the winter.
Creating Christmas and greeting cards is undoubtedly one of the best winter crafts for dementia patients. Able to be carefully adapted to ability and needs, this activity can be simplified or made more intricate and can be tailored to artistic preference. To begin, place a selection of blank cards, multi-coloured paints or pens, glue (of the glitter or regular variety) and stencils on a table and let the creativity flow. For those who find cutting or drawing a challenge, pre-cut shapes can also be ready-made for ease. Once finished, leave cards to dry and then complete with personalised messages ready to be sent to family members and friends. Celebrating holiday traditions, fuelling creativity, and spreading festive cheer, this is a winter craft not to be missed.
If you are considering some of the best winter crafts for dementia patients, then making paper snowflakes may be a good one to consider. Believed to have stemmed from the Japanese art of Kirigami, which involves folding and cutting pieces of paper, paper snowflakes have been popular in the UK since Victorian times. An activity that can be tailored to be as detailed or straightforward as desired, it offers both an absorbing way to pass the time and a great option for creating timeless decorations for the home. For those living with dementia, this winter craft can also be used to practise coordination and motor skills and afford a real sense of achievement.
Painting is a fantastic way to get creative in the wintertime and is a great seasonal craft for those living with dementia. Well-known for its therapeutic benefits, it has long been celebrated as a means of relieving stress, expressing emotions, focusing concentration, promoting mindfulness, and improving motor skills too. If you’re seeking a soothing winter craft for dementia patients, try painting activities using seasonal colour palettes, from blues, whites and silvers to reds, golds, and greens, and use a variety of brushes and sponges to create different effects. From frosty village scenes and snow-topped trees to painting presents by the fire, there is endless inspiration for winter scenes. To make painting easier, use washable paints and brushes with large, easy-to-grip handles. For a more sensory experience, finger painting is also a great alternative.
Making DIY ornaments is a fun and festive method for crafting personalised keepsakes and creating bespoke decorations to hang on the tree. Whether you’re continuing a well-established family tradition or trying something new, it can be enjoyed one-to-one or within a group for a social celebration. If you’re not sure where to begin or are looking for fresh ideas, then decorating pinecones with glitter and paint, creating felt snowmen, and making salt dough ornaments are all great options. Pipe cleaners, foam, ribbons, and more can all be used to add an extra sparkle or texture – just perfect for adding a personal, creative touch and brightening living spaces this winter.
Decorating miniature Christmas trees is a lovely way to connect with cherished pastimes. Particularly fun for groups, it works well by assigning mini trees to each person, along with a selection of lightweight, easy-to-handle decorations that can be added to individual trees. Once each person has their tree, they can then arrange ornaments as they wish, adding ribbons, personalised ornaments, miniature pinecones, and garlands for a uniquely festive touch. One of the best winter crafts for dementia patients, this creative activity can be enjoyed individually, two-to-one, or in larger groups, depending on needs and requirements.
For winter crafts for dementia patients with an outdoor twist, pinecone bird feeders combine creativity with nature. Gather a collection of pinecones and purchase a bird-friendly nut butter (one that’s organic and low in salt) and a bag of birdseed. With everything assembled, crafters can then spread the nut butter on the pinecones, before rolling or dipping the cones in seeds. Afterwards, place the finished cones atop a regular bird table or tie them on with twine, then sit back and watch as birds fly over to snack on these delicious, nature-friendly offerings. Providing birds a nutritional boost in the hardy months of winter, as well as a lovely way for dementia patients to connect with nature, this is a craft that can be enjoyed year after year.
At Wisteria House Dementia Care, we are dedicated to providing a safe, nurturing, and enriching environment for those living with dementia. Always on hand, our team of friendly, professionally trained staff are committed to the highest standards of care. To find out more, please do get in touch.
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