Eight Easter Crafts for Seniors 2019

By Anna Hazard

Introduction

Here are a selection of Easter themed crafts that are family friendly and suitable for seniors or others with arthritis or hand dexterity and strength issues. While the tutorials avoid more strenuous hand activities such as sewing, manipulating heavy objects, or puncturing thick objects,  arthritis crafting tools can be used to make certain steps easier for those with more severe hand issues.
 
The focus is on inexpensive and easy-to-make crafts that use basic materials that can be commonly found around the house or purchased at local craft, hobby, or grocery stores. Crafts range in a wide style from classy & elegant to cute and colorful with an emphasis on finished items suitable as normal house decor or as holiday related gifts

Tutorials

Easter Garland

• Here are a selection of easy-to-make Easter themed garlands that use a variety of common household products or inexpensive crafts items such as twine, yarn, felt and a variety of paper such as cardstock, cardboard, scrapbook, and tissue. The main skills involved include cutting, gluing, and manipulating paper which is suitable for a wide range of hand dexterity or strength levels as long as the user is capable of handling scissors, hole punches, glue guns or other gluing implements.
• Carrot Garland | Pompom Bunny Tails Garland | Easter Peeps Garland | Yarn Chick Garland

Easter Wreath

• Easter wreaths are generally more time and material intensive than their garland counterparts, but are also more sturdy and generally long lasting. All wreath styles will require a wreath frame underbase with pre-made metal, foam, straw, or basket-style ones being recommended. Thrifty crafters can often sub in cheaper pool noodles as bases & depending upon the exact wreath's style. Materials can vary widely, ranging from candy marshmallows, to plastic eggs, ribbons, decorative mesh, pipe cleaners, and Easter grass. The main skills required include gluing, pinning, wrapping, and rearranging small items. Since many of the wreathes require manipulating smaller items (such as pins, skewers, or toothpicks) these tutorials require a slightly higher hand dexterity level.
• Real Peeps Wreath | Plastic Egg & Ribbon Wreath | EGG-ceptionally Easy Easter Deco Mesh Wreath | Door Basket Wreath

Easter Tree Centerpieces

• These centerpiece crafts come in a variety of styles from cone style trees, to decorated branches, to lollipop look-alike topiaries. The main supplies needed are basic crafting or Easter items such as foam cones, foam balls, dowels, yarn or embroidery floss, small balloons, as well as foam eggs (or emptied real eggs) and plastic Easter grass. The main skills required include gluing, painting, and manipulating yarn/floss or other smaller sized objects (such as jelly beans). In particular the use of more breakable ingredients such as real egg shells will require a slightly higher hand dexterity and strength level to help prevent dropping the more fragile items. Pair these items with the Easter vase tutorials below as their base for a more flamboyant look.
• Sweet Floweret | Red Ted Art | Craft Sisters (Jelly Bean Topiary) | New England (String Easter Egg Tree)

Easter Vases

• These vases and planters can be combined with Easter foliage decorations to create an eye-catching centerpiece or other design decor both indoor and outdoor. The main bases are inexpensive and easy-to find, including paper mache, upcycled soda bottles, terracotta pots, or recycled jars (for those with enough hand strength to handle larger more fragile materials). Skills required include painting, manipulating paper, gluing, and cutting which make the tutorials suitable for a wide range of abilities. Preparation in advance or extra assistance may be required when it comes to more tricky craft steps with the bottle planter's plastic.
• Bunny Vase | Eggshell Base | Chick Planter | Bunny Planter

Easter Ornaments

• Here are an assortment of do-it-yourself Easter themed ornaments that can be used as standalone decor or in conjunction with the previously mentioned Easter Tree centerpiece crafts. They are available in many styles with a wide range of ingredients from dough based (using cornflour to home made salt dough) to paper mache pinatas, to threads and buttons. The main skills required include kneading, mixing ingredients, cutting, gluing, and manipulating paper which makes the crafts suitable for those with a wide range of hand strength levels. The carrot tutorial will require enough hand dexterity to string buttons.
• Salt Dough Eggs | Egg Pinatas | Button Carrots | Blossom Bunny

Fancy Easter Eggs

• Here are a selection of fancy-styled decorated easter eggs that would be suitable for gifts or for general seasonal decor. The tutorials use a wide range of products as their bases with the more fragile real egg shells potentially requiring preparation in advance or additional assistance for those seniors with more limited hand dexterity & strength capabilities. Other skills required for these crafts include manipulating paper and other smaller sized objects, cutting, gluing, painting, and drawing on curves surfaces.
• Marbled Bronze Real Eggs | Decoupage Plastic Eggs | Papier-Mache Easter Eggs | Decorated Foam Eggs

Easter Terrarium

• Another craft suitable for an Easter themed centerpiece (or even a more general themed bit of decor meant for year round enjoyment) are handcrafted terrariums in a variety of styles. The main bases can be created from whatever is easiest at hand, including clear plastic Easter eggs, recycled jars, votive candle holders, or other clear glasses. Those tutorials that use fragile or easily breakable supplies as their main materials will require a steadier hand with enough finger strength & dexterity to not pose an undue risk of dropping the terrarium. Painting, cutting, and manipulating smaller sized items are the main skills required with other additional materials including moss or other plants (either fake or alive), dirt, sand, pipe cleaners, real or plastic eggs, or Easter themed candy depending upon the exact style of terrarium being created. 
• Easter Egg Terrarium | Candy Terrarium | Mini Jar Terrarium | Egg & Moss Terrarium

Easter Pompoms

• These handmade Easter themed pompoms are easy-to-make using plain yarn as their main basic material. Other supplies needed depending upon the exact design include beads, felt, paper, cardboard, and twine & wire (or pre-made pipe cleaners & chenille sticks for those who don't require freestanding animals). While these crafts can be made using official pompom makers that can be bought from local craft or hobby stores, cardboard is an easy and inexpensive substitute. As the main skills required including cutting, manipulating yarn, and gluing, these crafts are suitable for people with a wide range of hand strength & dexterity levels.
• Eggs | Lying Bunny | Bunny Booty | Chicks