Take the green theme a step further and find one thing you and your family can do to have a positive impact on the environment. Plant a tree, recycle paper, switch to cloth napkins — choose whatever works for your family and do it. The rewards you’ll reap for that are even better than the mythical pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.
St. Patrick’s Day activities for kids
St. Patrick’s Day offers a great opportunity to teach your kids about another culture, make a craft or two, enjoy some food and, of course, go green!
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Although St. Patrick’s Day was originally a religious holiday celebrating Ireland’s primary patron saint, it’s become more widely celebrated by people around the world, regardless of ethnic background and religion.
Break out the books
Start the day with a story that helps your kids understand who St. Patrick really was and how the holiday originated. Tomie dePaola’s Patrick: Patron Saint of Ireland is an accurate and age-appropriate biography that helps distinguish between legend and fact. This book may be easier for children familiar with Catholic customs to understand, but the language is clear enough that is should be accessible to all families.
For a little more Irish history, read The St. Patrick’s Day Shillelagh, by Janet Nolan. This story of a family leaving Ireland for America demonstrates the importance of holding onto family traditions even in a new place. Use it as a springboard to talk about your own family’s heirlooms and customs, and a way to introduce the concepts of immigration and tolerance.
Once you’ve learned the history of the holiday, settle down for a fun read with There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Clover! by Lucille Colandro. It’s the silly tale of a woman who swallows things and part of a very funny series of books. Also check out The Luckiest St. Patrick’s Day Ever, by Teddy Slater, which is a fun story perfect for ages 4 and up.
Create crafts to make together
- Make a shamrock necklace. Cut and decorate a shamrock from green construction paper or craft foam, and use a hole punch to make a hole in it. Thread a short piece of green or gold yarn or chenille stem through the hole. Decorate the shamrock with crayons, markers, glitter or whatever else you choose. Then, cut strips of yellow and green construction paper and use them to make a paper chain. Attach the shamrock to the paper chain, and parade around in your finery.
- Create St. Patrick’s Day rings. Glue small green pom-poms onto green or gold chenille stems to make rings or bracelets. Pipe cleaners and beads are a fun way to make bracelets — and easy for little ones to string.
- Prepare patterns or stencils of St. Patrick’s Day shapes — shamrocks, rainbows, pots of gold and so on. Then trace the patterns on green construction paper using green crayons. Next, apply a thin coat of white tempera paint over the entire page. The wax in the crayon repels the paint and makes the drawing pop off the page for a cool effect.
Check out these St. Patrick’s Day party ideas for kids >>
Cereal Box Leprechaun Hat (Goodie Bag)
Materials
- Empty cereal box
- Green craft paint
- Elmer’s glue
- Gold glitter scrapbook paper
- Hot glue and gun
- Pencil
- Scissors
- Black cardstock
- Small paper plate
- Paper hole punch (not pictured)
- Green decorative paper shreds (not pictured)
Getting Started
I loved the idea of using a Kix’s cereal box to make a leprechaun’s hat. PLUS, its a 2-in-1 craft! Of course it’s a leprechaun hat, but it’s also a goodie bag for the kids to take home. I suggest having ALL the pieces already cut to easily put the hats together.
Step 1 – Create Your Top and Bottom Hat Pieces
CUT your cereal box (leaving out the two large sides). I used one side to trace out the bottom of the hat using a paper plate. Then, I folded the OTHER piece and glued it together with hot glue (to keep it firmly in place for the top of the hat).
Now the kids are ready to take over.
Step 2 – Paint Your Hat Pieces
NOW, it’s the kids’ turn. Have them paint the outer parts of their hats using green paint. Let dry for 20 minutes.
Step 3 – Cut and Add Your Buckle
Pre-cut your black strips and glittery buckles for the kids. Have them add a little glue to the black cardstock, and GENTLY wrap it around the bottom part of the hat. Then, add the glittery buckle with a little glue.
Step 4 – Glue Your Hat Together
Go around the BOTTOM part of the hat with some glue, and firmly press it in the middle of your circle. Let dry for 30 minutes before use.
Step 5 – Add Your Strap
While the kids are playing, add some small holes to the TOP of their hats. Then, tie in a decorative ribbon for your handle. FINALLY, fill with decorative paper shreds and goodies for the kids to take home!
Finished Leprechaun Hat
Shamrock Watercolor Art
Materials
- White cardstock
- White crayon
- Watercolor paint
- Paint brush
- Assorted shamrock shapes
Getting Started
Watercolors are ALWAYS a kid favorite. Have the kids discover shamrocks using this crayon resist watercolor craft. Grab some watercolors, a white crayon and a couple DIFFERENT shamrock shapes to begin.
Step 1 – Trace Your Shamrocks
Trace out your shamrock shapes using a white crayon (make sure you have nice THICK outlines of the shamrocks for the kids to paint over).
Step 2 – Paint on Your Watercolors
Now, it’s time for the KIDS to search for their hidden shamrocks. Just give ’em some watercolor paint and watch them DISCOVER the clovers!!
Finished Shamrock Watercolor Art
Toilet Paper Roll Shamrock Creature
Materials
- Toilet paper roll
- Googly eyes
- Scissors
- Craft glue
- Green craft paint
- Shamrock shape
- Green glitter
- 2 types of green scrapbook paper
- Pencil
- Paint brush
- Black marker
Getting Started
These little shamrock people are such a fun craft for a kids party. AND, they’re super easy to make (just have the materials prepped before hand). Choose a FEW different scrapbook paper patterns and a toilet paper roll to start.
Step 1 – Paint Your Toilet Paper Roll
Paint your toilet paper roll and sprinkle on a little glitter (if the kids want to give their toilet paper roll some EXTRA sparkle)!!
Step 2 – Trace Your Shamrock and Make Your Face
Use a shamrock shape to trace out the head on PATTERNED scrapbook paper. Cut it out, and have the kids decorate their faces.
Step 3 – Make Your Arms
Use scrapbook paper for your ARMS and bend them accordion-style.
Step 4 – Add Your Arms and Head
Have the kids add a small amount of glue to the head and arms. Then, FIRMLY press them on the toilet paper roll.
Finished Shamrock Creature
