20 St. Patricks Day Craft Ideas For Kids
St. Patrick’s Day is a great time to get crafty with kids! Whether you’re looking for simple paper crafts, fun sensory activities, or creative keepsakes, there’s something for every little leprechaun.
St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated every year on March 17 in honor of St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland. It started as a religious holiday but has grown into a global celebration of Irish culture with parades, feasts, and festive traditions. Here’s a breakdown of its history, symbols, and how people celebrate it:
The History of St. Patrick’s Day
- St. Patrick was born in Britain in the late 4th century and was kidnapped by Irish raiders at the age of 16.
- After escaping, he became a Christian missionary and later returned to Ireland to spread Christianity.
- According to legend, he used the shamrock to explain the concept of the Holy Trinity (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit).
- St. Patrick’s Day was originally a religious feast day but became a national holiday in Ireland.
Popular Symbols & Their Meanings
- Shamrocks 🍀: Represent luck and St. Patrick’s teaching of the Trinity.
- Leprechauns 🧑🎩: Mythical Irish fairies known for their mischief and love for gold.
- Pots of Gold 🏆: Stemming from folklore about leprechauns hiding their treasure at the end of a rainbow.
- The Color Green 💚: Represents Ireland (nicknamed the “Emerald Isle”) and is believed to bring good luck.
- Irish Music & Dance 🎶: Traditional Irish folk music and step dancing are a big part of celebrations.
How People Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day
- Parades & Festivals 🎉: Cities worldwide, including New York, Chicago, and Dublin, hold large parades.
- Wearing Green 👕: People wear green to avoid getting “pinched” (a fun tradition based on Irish folklore).
- Dyeing the Chicago River Green 🌊: A famous annual tradition in Chicago, USA.
- Irish Food & Drinks 🍽️: People enjoy traditional dishes like corned beef and cabbage, Irish stew, and soda bread.
- Drinking Guinness 🍺: This famous Irish beer is popular at celebrations.
- Leprechaun Traps 🏠: A fun activity where kids try to “catch” leprechauns with homemade traps.
St. Patrick’s Day Around the World
Though it started in Ireland, St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated in many countries, including the United States, Canada, Australia, and even Japan. Irish communities worldwide take part in the festivities, making it one of the most widely celebrated national holidays.
These 20 St. Patrick’s Day craft ideas will bring the magic of rainbows, shamrocks, and gold to your home or classroom.
1. Paper Plate Leprechaun
Turn a paper plate into a fun leprechaun face with orange tissue paper for a beard, googly eyes, and a green construction paper hat.
2. Shamrock Handprint Art
Trace your child’s hand on green paper, cut it out, and arrange three handprints into a shamrock shape. A fun keepsake for years to come!
3. Rainbow Pasta Necklace
Dye pasta in rainbow colors, let it dry, and string it together for a colorful St. Patrick’s Day necklace.
4. Pot of Gold Paper Craft
Make a black pot from construction paper and fill it with shiny gold foil-wrapped chocolates or yellow paper circles.
5. Leprechaun Hat Headband
Cut out a simple leprechaun hat from green cardstock and attach it to a headband for an adorable St. Patrick’s Day accessory.
6. DIY Lucky Charm Bracelets
String together green and gold beads or cereal (like Lucky Charms) to make festive bracelets kids can wear or eat!
7. Coffee Filter Rainbow
Use markers to color coffee filters in rainbow shades, then spray them lightly with water to watch the colors blend beautifully.
8. Shamrock Potato Stamping
Cut a potato in half, carve a shamrock shape into it, dip it in green paint, and stamp away on paper or fabric!
9. Leprechaun Popsicle Stick Puppet
Glue popsicle sticks together and paint them to create a little leprechaun puppet with a felt hat and cotton ball beard.
10. Rainbow Paper Chain
Cut strips of construction paper in rainbow colors and loop them together to create a fun St. Patrick’s Day decoration.
11. Salt Dough Shamrocks
Mix salt, flour, and water to create a dough, then cut out shamrock shapes. Bake, paint, and decorate!
12. Toilet Paper Roll Leprechaun
Wrap an empty toilet paper roll in orange and green paper to make a cute leprechaun with a felt hat and pom-pom nose.
13. Lucky Penny Hunt
Paint pennies gold and hide them around the house for kids to find and collect in a homemade pot of gold.
14. St. Patrick’s Day Slime
Make green slime using glue, baking soda, and contact lens solution, then add gold glitter for a festive touch!
15. Shamrock Wands
Cut out a shamrock shape, attach it to a wooden dowel, and decorate with glitter and ribbons for a magical wand.
16. Handprint Rainbow
Paint your child’s hand in different rainbow colors and press it onto paper to create a handprint rainbow masterpiece.
17. Leprechaun Footprints
Dip a sponge in green paint, cut it into a footprint shape, and stamp tiny “leprechaun” footprints leading to a pot of gold!
18. Paper Shamrock Garland
Cut out shamrocks from green paper, punch holes, and string them together for a festive garland.
19. Gold Coin Treasure Box
Decorate a small box with gold glitter and stickers, then fill it with chocolate coins or small trinkets.
20. Leprechaun Traps
Build a leprechaun trap using a shoebox, paper, and decorations. Kids will love trying to “catch” a mischievous leprechaun!
