St. Patrick's Day

Printable Coloring Pages for St. Patrick's Day: Lucky Hat   Pot of Gold   Lucky Horseshoe

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Shamrocks
Have children cover a white shamrock shape with green crepe paper. With a spray bottle filled with water, mist the paper until wet and let dry. The dye will remain on the paper to colour it green. This also works with 'bleeding' tissue paper.
Ruth (RUTHJRC)

Snakes
Paint one side of a paper plate, let dry and then paint the other side. Draw a swirl onto the plate starting at the outside and finishing in the center. Cut it out. Once cut, the plate will become a long snake. Add eyes and a forked tongue to the front of the snake.
Ruth (RUTHJRC)

Shamrock People
Have children cut out a large shamrock from green construction paper. They can use strips of paper (folded accordian style if they like) for the arms and legs. Smaller shamrocks in a different shade of green can be added for hands and feet. Use markers to draw on a face or cut from paper.
Ruth (RUTHJRC)

Rainbows
Cut a large rainbow shape from paper and attach to the wall. Have children cut and paste paper or tissue paper to fill in the rainbow.
Ruth (RUTHJRC)

Blarney Stone
Paint a rock with glitter paint. Let dry and use for a decoration or paper weight.
Ruth (RUTHJRC)

Lucky Magic Wand
green construction paper
scissors
glue
stapler
gold glitter
green straw
thin ribbon in both green and gold

Cut three heart shapes from the green paper. Glue the tips of the three shapes together to form a shamrock. Staple the center of the shamrock to the end of the straw to make a handle. Decorate the shamrock with gold glitter. Cut three or more 3 foot ribbons. Hold the ribbons together and staple them to the back of the shamrock at the center so that the ends hang down from the shamrock wand. Cut several tiny shamrocks and staple them along the ribbons. The kids will have fun trying to catch a leprechaun with their Luck Magic Wand!

Shamrock People
green construction paper
scissors
glue
ribbon or string

Cut large shamrock shape out of green paper. Fold white paper accordion style for arms and legs. Cut small shamrocks for hands and feet. Glue at ends of accordion arms and legs. Decorate large shamrock as a face. Tie a piece of ribbon/string to the top (apply paper reinforcers or scotch tape to prevent tearing) so they can be hung from the ceiling, or the kids can have fun taking their new friend around the room!

Shamrock Prints
Dip shamrock shaped cookie cutters into green paint and stamp on paper. No cookie cutter? Use a raw potato, or a bell pepper (cut in half and carve out a shamrock shape), or a bell pepper.

Coffee Filter Shamrock
coffee filter
2 small containers to hold water
water
blue and yellow food coloring
cotton swabs

Cut coffee filter in the shape of a shamrock. Put water in two containers. Add yellow food color in one and blue in the other. Give the children cotton swabs and let them paint a design on the filter.

Magic Stones
Have children choose a rock from outside. Provide glitter glue and craft gems to decorate.
Ruth (RUTHJRC)

Leprechaun Traps
Supply recyle material for the children to create their own leprechaun trap.
Ruth (RUTHJRC)

Handprint Rainbow
Have children make arcs of hanprints in varying colours on large paper to create a rainbow.
Ruth (RUTHJRC)

Paper Maché Pot of Gold
Blow up a large balloon and tape 3 eggcups in a triange shape so pot will stand to the bottom. Roll newspaper and attach to either side for handles. Paper maché half way up the balloon, the handles, and the tripod feet. When dry, paint black and decorate with paper shamrocks or stickers. Fill with chocolate gold coins - or hide the coins and have children hunt for them and fill up the pot of gold.
Ruth (RUTHJRC)

Shamrock Napkin Rings
These will help dress up your holiday table! Cut a paper towel tube in 2 inch rings. Paint green. When dry, have children cut out a shamrock from green construction paper and glue onto the ring. Add a green napkin to the holder. If also using for place settings, names can be added to the center of the shamrock.
Ruth (RUTHJRC)

Shamrock Potato Prints
Cut out a shamrock shape from 1/2 potato. Dip in green paint and stamp onto paper. Have a mix of shamrocks that are cut into the potato and those that are cut out.
Ruth (RUTHJRC)

Furry Shamrocks
green sponges
grass seed
water

Cut sponges into shamrock shapes. Wet sponges with water and add grass seeds. In a few days the grass seeds will sprout giving each shamrock "hair"!

Shamrock Puzzles
Cut out (or have the kids do it) a large shamrock from white paper. Let the kids decorate to their hearts content using crayons, felt, paint (let dry before this next step). Have the kids cut the shamrock into smaller pieces (like a puzzle shape) - scramble the pieces up and put back together!

Shamrock Search
Take children into back yard or a park and have them look for four leaf clovers. This can be done inside as well by making construction paper clover and 1 four leaf shamrock and hide them all over the house/playroom!

Leprechaun Mischief
While the children are out playing or before they arrive make some silly changes in the room like putting things out of place, hiding things, leaving gold chocolate coins, etc. Leave green footprints!

Lucky Coins
Scatter gold chocolate coins in yard before children arrive and have fun searching for the "luck" left by the leprechauns.

Pot of Gold Treasure Hunt
Hide gold chocolate coins around the room and place them in the pot at the end of the rainbow (from craft ideas). Share the coins in circle or each child can take one as they leave for home.
Ruth (RUTHJRC)

Sort Lucky Charms
box of Lucky Charms cereal
containers to use for sorting

For St. Patrick's Day, you can have younger children sort the cereal into, pink hearts, yellow moons, orange stars, green clovers, blue diamonds and purple horseshoes into separate cups, eating what they'd like as they go. Older children can then count how many marshmallows are in each cup, and make a bar graph to compare the numbers. You can also have the children arrange the "charms" into a rainbow. Another idea is to use these to make patterns and have the child finish them, or make patterns of their own!
Sharon (GRITS4EVR)

Sensory
Scented Playdough - use green koolaid and jello when making this scented playdough.
Ruth (RUTHJRC)

Hot Potato
Children pass a potato around the circle to music - the one holding the potato when the music stops is caught.
Ruth (RUTHJRC)

Gold Coin Toss
Have a black pot and several gold coins (loonies work well here in Canada). Have children toss the coins into the pot. You can have several pots set up with varying points alloted to each and older children can keep score or play up to a set amount of points as in first person to reach 500 points wins.
Ruth (RUTHJRC)

Decorating
We are going to decorate the windows with a rainbow and shamrocks.
Leah (ABCSAND123S)

Leprechaun Visits
The leprechaun will visit at nap time while all the kids are asleep...he will leave each child a note with clues on how to find their pot of gold. We will have the leprechaun play several tricks during the day... maybe hiding shoes, or pillows in unusual places.
Leah (ABCSAND123S)

I'm a Little Leprechaun
(Sung to "I'm a Little Teapot")

I'm a little leprechaun
Dressed in green,
The tiniest man
That you have ever seen.
If you ever catch me, so it's told,
I'll give you my pot of gold.

Happy St. Patrick's Day
(Hold up one finger at a time, or put five little leprechauns on the felt board)

Five little leprechauns dressed in green
They're the happiest I've ever seen.
This leprechaun has a big gold ring.
This leprechaun has a song to sing.
This leprechaun wears a funny wig.
This leprechaun likes to dance the jig.
This leprechaun nods his head to say,
"We wish you a happy St. Patrick's Day!"

Five Little Leprechauns
(Use five fingers or five leprechauns on the felt board)

Five little leprechauns knocked at my door,
One chased a rainbow, then there were four.
Four little leprechauns oh so wee,
One picked a shamrock, they there were three.
Three little leprechauns hiding in my shoe,
One found a toadstool, then there were two.
Two little leprechauns dancing in the sun,
One went in search of gold, then there was one.
One little leprechaun on the run,
He shined his shoe buckles, then there was none.

The Leprechaun (Fingerplay)

A leprechaun is small and green,
(Use hand to indicate a small person.)
He hides where he cannot be seen.
(Cover eyes with hands.)
But if you catch one on this day,
(Shake finger.)
He must give his gold away.
(Pretend to put gold in pocket.)

Patrick The Leprechaun
Patrick is a leprechaun
He has a sack of gold
He hides it in a special place
Between two stumps, I'm told

I think I once saw Patrick
Out in the woods at play
He smiled and laughed and winked his eye
And then he ran away

Don't try to follow Patrick
To find his treasure sack
He'll twist and jump and run away
And he never will come back.

Do your Ears Point Up?
(Sung to "Do Your Ears Hang Low")

Do your ears point up?
Do you have a lot of luck?
For gold do you dig?
Can you dance an Irish jig?
If you answered, "Yes,"
You're a leprechaun, I'd guess!
Do your ears point up?

Leprechaun Lime Finger Jell-O
Add 4 cups boiling water to 4 envelopes unflavored gelatin and 3 packages lime Jell-O. Pour into 13x9 pan and chill to set. Cut into squares.

Leprechaun Lunch
Make your favorite deviled egg filling. Add a few drops of green good coloring. Fill the sandwich with the "green" egg filling. Cut a 1" strip of sandwich (stem). Cut the remaining sandwich into 4 equal squares. Arrange on a plate in shamrock shape. Serve with celery and cucumber sticks (leave the skin on!) and ranch dip tinted green!)

Peppermint Patty Brownies
1 1/2 cups butter or margarine softened
3 cups sugar
5 eggs
1 tbsp. vanilla extract
2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup baking cocoa
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 package (13 oz) chocolate covered peppermint patties

In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Combine the dry ingredients; add to creamed mixture and mix well. Spread about two thirds of the batter in a greased 13X9 pan. Arrange peppermint patties over top. Carefully spread remaining batter over patties. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes or until edges begin to pull away from sides of pan and a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean (top will appear uneven). Cool completely before serving.

St. Patrick Day Cupcakes
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
2/3 cup sugar
1 package (3.4 ounces) instant pistachio pudding mix
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 ISP salt
2 eggs
1 1/4 cups milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Green food coloring, optional
Cream Cheese frosting

Combine dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, beat eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla; add to dry ingredients and mix until blended. Fill paper lined muffin cups three fourths full. Bake at 375 degrees for 18-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack. If desired add food coloring to frosting. Frost cupcakes.

Lucky Leprechaun Salad
1 regular size cool whip
1 can mandarin oranges
1 small can crushed pinapple
1 regular size lime jello
1 cottage cheese (16 oz)

Mix together all ingredients, chill. Serve

Pot'O Gold
2 cans tomato soup
2 cans water
1 tube biscuits
1/2 pond sharp cheese

Mix soup and water in big pot and bring to boil. Flatten each biscuit and wrap around a cube of cheese, drop into boiling soup, cover and cook for 5 mins. :)

Have Lucky Charms for breakfast.
Leah (ABCSAND123S)

Rainbow Spaghetti
Cook regular spaghetti noodles and drain. Fill gallon baggies 1/4 full of water. Add food color to color water. Add part of cooked spaghetti and lightly squish around in baggie until noodles change color. Drain and put in seperate bowls for each color or arrange on plate in a rainbow shape.
Leah (ABCSAND123S)