by Growing Needs | Mar 13, 2023 | Lifestyle & Wellness, Lifestyle habits
What do you do when you need to keep the children and grandparents engaged while you run an errand or take a short break? How about trying to get them to start folding some paper? I don’t mean just folding any old piece of paper aimlessly with no end in mind. I am talking about Origami, the art of folding paper. Origami (“Ori” meaning “folding”, and “gami” meaning “paper” in Japanese) is the art of folding paper with the aim of transforming a nondescript piece of square paper into an amazing 3D paper sculpture.
The great thing about origami is that with so very little, you can do so much.
To begin with, Origami doesn’t take up much space or cost a lot of money to do. All you need is some sheets of paper and a flat surface (usually a table) where you can work on. If you are really pressed for space, even the floor will suffice!
With these spartan resources, the activity of origami can be tailored to suit the interests and abilities of a wide range of persons across different ages. Beginning with simple projects like folding a paper airplane, helicopter, heart or house, one can slowly move up the scale to more intermediate items such as a cube, a ball, a crane or a hopping frog. The possibilities are endless, and even the most experienced and advanced paper folding enthusiasts can find projects that will engage and challenge them while bringing much joy and many hours of entertainment. Just take a look at some of these amazing projects!
The practice of Origami also contains many mental, physical, social and emotional elements that will benefit both seniors and children alike. These include aspects such as cognitive manipulations, fine motor skills, creativity, self-expression and stress reduction. As such, it has been found that origami can have therapeutic benefits for people recovering from injury or surgeries and people struggling with ADHD, anxiety, autism and depression. Socially, Origami can be enjoyed alone as well as in a community. It is an activity that can help bridge the gap between children and grandparents and a great touch point for making new friends as well. It is no wonder that this is often a popular activity at child care and elderly centers alike.
To get you started on your journey, here are some project videos to whet your appetite:
Growing Needs grew out of our own encounters with caring for our aging parents and reflecting on the Growing Needs that we ourselves would face as we advance in years. We hope to build a community that will learn, share and contribute towards caring for the growing needs of our loved ones.
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