Cozy Keepsake Ornament Creation

Purpose of the Activity

This activity is designed to provide a joyful and engaging creative outlet for residents. It supports fine motor skills through cutting, gluing, and wrapping yarn. It also offers sensory stimulation with various textures like soft yarn, smooth ribbon, and fuzzy pipe cleaners. Crafting together in a group setting encourages socialization, reminiscing about past holiday traditions, and peer support. Most importantly, it gives residents a sense of purpose and accomplishment as they create a beautiful, personal keepsake they can display in their room, hang on a community tree, or give to a loved one.

Materials Needed

Bases: Sturdy construction paper or cardstock in various festive colors (red, green, white, blue, gold).
Adhesives: Non-toxic craft glue or glue sticks.
Cutting Tools: Blunt-tipped scissors for residents and regular scissors for staff.
Decorative Yarns: A variety of colors and textures (chunky, thin, sparkly).
Ribbons: Assorted thin ribbons or pre-cut ribbon loops for hanging.
Pipe Cleaners: Festive colors like red, green, silver, and gold.
Drawing Tools: Washable markers, crayons, or colored pencils.
Hole Punch: A standard single hole punch.
Optional Embellishments: Cotton balls, small pom-poms, plastic jewels, or glitter glue (use with supervision).
Setup Supplies: Tablecloths to protect surfaces, small bowls or trays to organize materials, and wet wipes for easy cleanup.

Estimated Duration

45 to 60 minutes

Ideal Group Size

4 to 6 residents per staff member to ensure everyone can receive adequate attention and assistance.