St. Patrick’s Day Crafts for the Little Ones

St. Patrick’s Day is the time of year where everything turns green, leprechauns abound and kids get another excuse to make fun crafts. Whether your child is a fan of shamrocks, leprechauns, rainbows, or pots of gold, the following roundup of crafts will ensure that your little ones will have plenty to keep their minds and hands occupied on St. Patrick’s Day.

1. Handprint Rainbow
This simple yet engaging craft is not only perfect for celebrating St. Patrick’s Day, but it can also serve to help children memorize the seven colors of the rainbow. The craft involves constructing a rainbow using multi-colored paper cutouts of your child’s handprint. You can work with your child to practice naming the colors of the rainbow in order (R.O.Y.G.B.I.V.) while they’re working on the craft, so that you can “sneak in” some educational concepts while they’re having fun. Leanne over at DLTK provides the detailed instructions for this craft.

2. St. Patty’s Day Hat
Kids love making goofy hats, and this St. Patty’s Day hat definitely fits the bill (no pun intended). It features two of the most famous symbols of St. Patrick’s Day: Shamrocks and a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, arranged in way that is sure to get some double-takes. Using green and white card stock, some markers and crayons, a glue stick, and a printable hat pattern, your child can create a St. Patrick’s Day themed hat that is sure to be a hit. For the step-by-step instructions, check out Free Kids Crafts.

3. Shamrock Puppy Craft
You might not know this, but an upside-down shamrock bears a remarkable resemblance to a dog’s face – well, at least in the world of St. Patrick’s Day crafts! Using nothing more than construction paper, some crayons or markers, and a love for puppies, your little one can create this ultra-cute shamrock puppy to add a little bit of whimsy to their St. Patrick’s Day crafting adventures. Chrysa over at Jinxy Kids provides all of the details – including the adorable printable shamrock puppy pattern – to pull this craft off.

4. Hand Print Shamrock
This classic St. Patrick’s Day craft is suitable for the tiny toddlers as well as the older kids who can do most of the steps on their own. The hand print shamrock does require quite a bit of cutting, so it’s a great way to give your little one some good practice time with the safety scissors. Allison at No Time for Flash Cards provides you with the materials list as well as the detailed instructions for this fun craft.

5. Paper Cup Leprechaun
Leave it up to the fine folks at Activity Village to figure out how to transform a lowly paper cup into a lively leprechaun. This craft is slightly more involved than the other ones listed above, so you will need to be more hands-on during the crafting process to ensure that your child applies all of the materials in their proper place. When they’re done, though, they’ll be super-excited about the results, as they will have brought to life a fantastic paper cup leprechaun for St. Patty’s Day!

Okay, you’ve got five excellent ideas to provide your little ones with a fun and educational crafting time. Have a happy and crafty St. Patrick’s Day!