Available all year round, apples are one of the most versatile fruits available for crafting. You can incorporate them into activities with ease, making apple crafts one great activity for seniors or people with hand dexterity problems. Our apple craft ideas are more than just caramel apples: from centerpieces to gift-away gifts and party decor, we have a myriad of artistry apple crafts for seniors. Let’s take a look at our ever-famous easy apple crafts for seniors and the elderly below! You may modify them where necessary to assist your seniors if they have any limitations.
Apple Frog
Have lots of smiles with our whimsical apple craft frog, which is not only perky and fun but easy to craft as well. The list of items you need is a few, with a large green apple being a must. The cherry on top? It’s all safe for the elderly and kids. It is also edible after you take off the googly eyes, the legs, and arms. Even the mouth and nose are edible, as in our crafts, we make them using edible food coloring gels. You may use online templates for a perfect shape of the legs and face of your frog. Here’s what you need and what to do.
List of Items:
- Large-screen apple
- Two green cone-shaped candies or large green gumdrops
- Black edible food coloring gel and a pen or fine tip black marker.
- Medium-sized googly eyes
- White frosting in a tube or craft glue
- Decorative paper, or green paper
If you want your apple craft to be edible, then use frosting to adhere pieces together instead of glue. Use an edible marker gel against a regular one for it to be completely edible. However, if you cant use frosting or edible gels, make sure to peel off and wash your craft well when you eat it after a while!
How to Craft:
Take a template of a frog and draw its legs on a colorful paper, cutting it out. Adhere these legs with glue or frosting with the apple body. Make sure to fold the feet and bend the paper knee to make it stick out.
After attaching the legs, move to the other body parts. Stick green candy on the top of the head as the eyes of the frog with glue or frosting. After this, glue googly eyes on these candies. To finish off your cute, whimsical apple frog, use a marker to draw the nose and mouth.
This very easy and lots of fun apple craft makes cute gifts, centerpieces, and giveaways. You could even make one for each place setting if you don’t have too many people.
Apple Candle Holder
Perfect for lighting up your house with the sweet and crisp smell of apples, apple candle holders make one great decorative piece. They are also easy to make for seniors. The cherry on top? The items needed are available in almost all households with ease! Let’s have a look at the list of things you need and a step by step guide on how to craft it.
List of Items:
- Large red apple
- Knife
- Spoon for scooping
- Lemon or lemon juice
- Tea light or votive candle
- Ribbon or raffia
- Upside down candle holder (or another stand)
- Plate or shallow dish
- Candies or nuts
How to Craft:
As for any of the apple craft ideas, choose a large apple that stands nice and upright: the red round ones are the best for these. Insert either a tea-light candle or a votive candle in it. On top of the apple, trace a circle around the largest part of the candle.
Cover your knife and spoon with lemon juice to prevent the apple from becoming brown as you cut through. Cut a hole just a little bigger than the size you traced, and as deep as you’d like. It will allow the candle to sit inside the cut well. Make sure to rub lemon juice right away as you cut, dropping the candle inside the hole.
You can use a variety of objects for the stand, even float one or two in a bowl of water. Many use inexpensive glass candle holders as the pedestal, turning it upside down. They also look nice nested on the top of a wine glass. If you are making this apple craft as a gift, think of a keepsake candle holder like a wine glass that you can use to pass it on.
Set the apple in the indentation of the bottom side of the candle holder. Next, tie on a raffia bow or use ribbon. Center the apple pedestal on a small glass plate, spreading out adequate amounts of candies. Surround the pedestal with a candle. You may use gumdrops or nuts as well for a better look. Carefully light the candle: Voila! You have an excellent apple centerpiece or gift.
Granny Apple Doll
The apple doll has traditionally been one of the favorite folk apple craft ideas, dating back over a hundred years. Although it may take time, it is one easy apple craft project. Fun for all ages, including seniors and kids, it is one of the senior activity ideas that can be done individually, or in a group. Throw a get-together bringing everyone together, share items like beads, fabrics, and other decorative pieces. You can make this doll mostly from items you have around your home.
Seniors with hand dexterity problems may require help with some parts of this craft. It is also best to do this project either in fall when it is not humid as apples mold.
List of Items:
- A large sized, firm apple (or two)
- Bottle of lemon juice
- 2 Tbsp of salt
- Small knife for carving the face
- Long wire or wood skewer
- Beads, seeds, or cloves for eyes, or googly eyes from craft store
- Doll’s wig for hair, wool, or cotton
- Empty, dry water bottle (16 to 20 oz.)
- Fabric or craft glue (as needed)
- Fabric for clothing, cut in a 12” x 14,” to 16” rectangle.
How to Craft:
Start with the head of the doll, peeling off your apple. Make sure to rub lemon juice all over the fruit to prevent any brown spots. Scoop out two u-shaped hollows for the eyes, cutting slits. Cut wedges for the nose, so it sticks out of the face. For a smile, cut a slit. You may cut wedges under the cheeks and chin to make face structures more prominent. We recommend being bold with your cravings as apples may shrink, causing them to diminish. When done, let it sit in a bowl of lemon juice with salt for an hour.
Hang dry the fruit then, inserting wires or wood skewers in it. As this can take up to several weeks, one alternative option is to oven your fruit at 200 degrees F. After this, let it either hang in non-humid areas for two days or use a dehydrator. Your apple will feel spongy and try, with a somewhat shriveled look. Feel free to re-cut or pinch if some lines disappear.
Apply a thin layer of Varathane then, adding beads into the eyes sockets and affix with crafting glue. Apple seeds or whole cloves work well too. Use a thin red marker or paint to fill in the mouth line. Paint in pink cheeks with diluted watercolors. Attach the hair.
It will be meaningful if you can use fabric from a garment or apron with this apple craft that was either special to the person making the doll or for whom you are making the doll.
With a needle and thread, stitch a simple line across one edge of the fabric, about ¾ inch from the edge. If it is not possible to sew, you can wrap the fabric around the bottle and put a rubber band around the neck to secure it.
Tie lace or a ribbon around the neck to finish it off. If you’re good at sewing, you can make a shawl of lace to drape around the neck. You can also glue on small squares to look like pockets.
Other small touches can be sewing on buttons or sewing an apron. Remember, you can make many items with fabric glue instead of sewing them. Craft stores have all kinds of cute doll items, including granny glasses.
You can also hang a piece of jewelry (like an old earring or necklace item) around the neck on a ribbon. Use your imagination to decorate!
Finally, assemble your granny doll. Place the head on an empty dry water bottle about halfway with small pebbles to weigh it down. To position the apple head on the bottle, gently stick the wire or skewer down into the bottle.
Spicy Aromatic Apple Wreaths
Apple wreaths are easy and fun apple crafts. With a delicious aroma like apple pies, apple wreaths are fancy decorative pieces right for just any occasion. Decide on yours, and then the color scheme you want for ribbon and any other decorations. Since apples are in stores all year round, you can modify these ideas for any season or holiday. They are one popular senior activity.
List of Items:
- Bottle of lemon juice
- 2 tsp salt
- About ten apples
- 2 tsp Allspice
- 2 tsp Nutmeg
- 1 tsp Cloves
- 6 – 7 tsp Cinnamon
- Other items for the wreath: cranberries, chunks of sugared ginger, pinecones, etc.
- 10” to 12” of florist wire
- One yard of ribbon
How to Craft:
Pour the lemon juice and salt into a mixing bowl, cutting apples into thin circular slices to dip in it for 10 minutes. Make sure your apple is well-submerged. Once you pat dry these slices with paper towels, stir all spices in another bowl. Coat your apples with the spicy preparation.
Spread apples thinly on a cookie sheet. Bake at 150 F degrees for 6 to 7 hours, until dried. They will still be slightly soft. Remove from the oven and cool. You can either fold each slice in half; or again into quarters, depending on the look you want. Decorate your wreath now, putting all items together!
The Bottomline
Use these easy apple craft ideas for seniors and edlerly for a great time with your loved ones. If you are into crafts for patriotic commemorations, have a look at our Fun 4th of July Crafts.