Simple, easy, mess-free and fun, these St. Patrick’s Day activities might just be better than a pot of leprechaun’s gold.
Gone are my days of going out for green beer at a bar on St. Patrick’s Day. This fun holiday has been taken over with the magic of rainbows, pots of gold, and leprechauns since I have become a mom. And with this wonderful celebration of magic, mischief, and all things green, comes a bazillion ideas for activities, recipes, games, and more for it on Pinterest. Don’t get me wrong, I love Pinterest. It is the Mecca for finding holiday inspiration but can also be very overwhelming. So many of the St. Patrick’s Day ideas are gorgeous and amazing but also super time consuming, expensive, messy, and a ton of work!! All things I don’t have to spare. So today, I am sharing a real mom’s guide to St. Patrick’s Day activities for kids. I have done each one of these activities with my children over the years so I can vouch for how doable, affordable, and realistic they are. So whether you are Irish or not, I hope these ideas will help you get into the holiday spirit and enjoy celebrating St. Patrick’s Day with your family.
Have the Kids Make A Leprechaun Trap
My children look forward to this activity every year. But the key to making it stress-free is have your KIDS make the trap, not YOU!! Of course you want to supervise for safety especially when they are using scissors, glue and tape, but let the kids design, create, and make their own trap. It‘s okay if the trap does not match, is rickety, or does not make sense (remember, they are catching leprechauns after all). Use this time to pause and take in every moment of their creativity as you watch them build.
I let my kids raid the recycling bin for jars and boxes. They use all the art supplies, craft supplies, and even the holiday gift wrap and ribbon for building and decorating their trap. Each year, their leprechaun trap is wonderfully different and unique and honestly, I think I look forward to them building it more than they do.
Scavenger Hunt
What’s more fun than going on a scavenger hunt in your own home? I started this activity when my oldest was in kindergarten and old enough to read most of the clues. He had a blast running around the house reading and deciphering each note.
8 clue cards & a treat topper to fit any size ziploc baggie from Ministering Printables 
5 Step Scavenger Hunt from Mom on the Side
All hunts lead to a treasure, so be sure to have some fun treats, trinkets, and goodies at the final hiding spot. Here is what I like to use to make my leprechaun treasure.
Treasure Hunt for Preschool Age
This creative St. Patrick’s Day activity is a fun way to mix playtime and learning. I did this with numbers and letters with my children when they were young. They liked it so much I re-hid the labeled coins a couple of times so they could hunt for them again and again.
To do this simple craft, first label chocolate or plastic coins with letters or numbers. Next, trace the coins onto a plain sheet of paper and write the number or letter from that coin on to the traced circle. Last, hide the coins and let your little one have fun finding them and placing it on the paper with it’s letter or number match.
Lucky Charm Rice Crispy Treats
Lucky Charm cereal and St. Patrick’s Day go hand in hand so what better way to mix the two than by making ooey gooey marshmallow bars. This simple 3 ingredient no bake recipe is quick and delicious treat for your little leprechauns.
Celebrating the holidays with your family should be fun and stress-free. I hope this real mom’s guide to St. Patrick’s Day Activities for kids can help make it that way for you. Let me know in the comments below what you are doing for St. Patrick’s Day and don’t forget to wear green!
