Creative Horse Craft for Aged Care Residents –A Fun Activity for Lunar New Year or Raceday Events

This simple and engaging horse craft activity is a great way to celebrate Chinese/Lunar New Year, especially if you’re welcoming the Year of the Horse. It also doubles beautifully for other themed days such as Horse’s Birthday, Melbourne Cup, or Kentucky Derby celebrations in aged care.

Residents love the creativity, the colour, and the chance to personalise their own little racing scenes.

What You’ll Need

This craft uses readily available and affordable supplies:

Small plastic toy horse (perfect if your group prefers not to paint)
Optional: wooden or cardboard horses to paint
Cheap photo frames from discount stores or op shops
Craft paints and paintbrushes
Coloured cardboard or scrapbook paper
Green felt or artificial turf paper (for “grass”)
Small props: mini flowers, fences, glitter, pom-poms, stickers
Glue, scissors, markers

Setting Up the Craft Table

I usually set up a long table with all supplies spread out so residents can browse and choose what they like.

Some love painting the horses in bright racing colours, while others prefer leaving the horses plain and decorating the background instead.
Place a few example sceneries on the table for inspiration—green fields or racetracks.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Prepare the Frame

Remove the glass for safety and replace the backing with coloured paper or felt. This becomes the landscape where residents will place their horse.

2. Decorate the Background

Decorate the frame backing (the landscape) with props. Residents can paint rolling hills or a racetrack. Add props like fences, flowers, racing numbers, or mini flower garlands. You can also create a 3D effect using layered paper.

3. Prepare and Position the Horse to Display

If the horses are not pre-coloured plastic, residents can paint the wooden or cardboard horses in bright racing colours. Encourage residents to choose a pose or colour theme that represents them.

The plastic horse is then glued into the frame, standing proudly as the centrepiece.

Finally, display their creations. These finished pieces look wonderful on community boards, dining room walls, or displayed during themed celebrations.

Why Residents Love This Activity

This craft is a favourite for several reasons:

Simple but expressive – even those with limited dexterity can participate.
Multi-sensory – involves textures of felt, painting, gluing, and arranging props.
Great conversation starter – leads to reminiscing about riding horses or watching races.
Beautiful keepsakes – residents love taking them back to their rooms or gifting them to family.