If St. Patrick’s Day parades and other local events aren’t an option for your family, that doesn’t mean you have to skip the fun holiday altogether. Whether you want to celebrate your Irish heritage, teach your kids about Irish history, or just want to indulge in a day of lighthearted fun, there are plenty of ways to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day at home. It’s a great way to break up your daily routine and get your kids interested in something other than their favorite TV show or video game. The best part is, it’s relatively easy to pull off an epic day of St. Patty’s Day festivities.
Here are a few ideas your kids will love.
1. Eat Your Greens
You could use this as a way to get your kids to eat their vegetables, but we’re actually thinking of getting a little creative with this one. Inspired by that green beer we’ve all probably sipped on in the past, you can add green food coloring to make every meal of the day as festive as possible. Add green food coloring to your pancake mix, make a pistachio salad, or check out this recipe for green popcorn.
2. Dress The Part
Speaking of green, wearing green clothes on St. Patrick’s Day is a must, not to mention an easy way to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day at home. Help your kids go through their closets and pull out their favorite green attire. If their wardrobe is lacking in the green department, let them open a gift comprised of fun St. Patrick’s Day clothes. A pair of green tights and a leprechaun t-shirt will definitely help them embrace the holiday.
3. Set a Leprechaun Trap
Leprechauns technically don’t have anything to do with St. Patty’s Day, but these mythical creatures are part of Irish folklore. Legends say these tiny bearded men are attracted to all things shiny and enjoy more than a bit of mischief. You can fuel your child’s imagination and creativity by designing and building your very own leprechaun trap. You might not catch anything, but those tricky leprechauns might leave behind a few treats or a funny message to amuse the kids. We found the cute trap pictured below from Crafts by Amanda.
4. Hunt for Gold
Who said leprechauns were the only ones attracted to shiny things? A gold hunt is a fun way to get kids moving. Get a bag of those cheap gold coins or chocolate coins. You could even use pennies if you’re planning this last minute. Hide them around the house and tell your kids to hunt them down. You can make it easy for little kids, or make it more challenging by drawing a map to the hidden treasure or handing out clues.
5. Get Crafty
There are so many cute St. Patrick’s Day crafts. They range from simple ideas perfect the tiniest fingers to more elaborate projects that will interest even your older kids. Make paper shamrocks, leprechaun stick puppets, or paint beautiful rainbows.
6. Rainbow Scavenger Hunt
Scavenger hunts are always fun activities for kids. For this idea, first make sure your kids know all the colors of the rainbow. Let them paint or color their own to help them learn, or print out a colorful rainbow for them to use as a guide. Then, send them on a scavenger hunt to find one object that matches each color of the rainbow. This activity can be done either inside or outside depending on the weather.
7. Learn About Irish Culture
While St. Patrick’s Day has definitely evolved and separated somewhat from its original meaning, it’s still important to educate kids on why we celebrate the holiday in the first place. You can still eat green foods and trap leprechauns, but it’s a good idea to include a lesson on Irish culture while you celebrate St. Patrick’s Day at home. You can read a book about Irish heritage, watch a video, or do a school-style lesson on the subject. The important part is that your kids learn something either about their own heritage or about a culture different than their own.
With these ideas, your kids won’t be thinking about missing out on a parade or party. They prove that celebrating St. Patrick’s Day at home is just as much fun. It might just inspire an annual tradition your kids will always remember.
Amanda Schmitt
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