St. Patrick’s Day is a fun and exciting holiday that can be enjoyed by adults and children alike! From crafts to activities like searching for leprechauns, there are so many wonderful ways to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with toddlers.
In this guide, you will find specific instructions on how to make the day fun and age-appropriate for toddlers. From green-themed snacks to St. Patrick’s Day art projects, you are sure to get your littlest ones into the holiday spirit! Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with these toddler-friendly festivities and get ready for some Pot of Gold-level fun!
Group activities for toddlers to do for st patrick’s day
St. Patrick’s day is a celebration that kids, particularly toddlers, would enjoy. A fun way to celebrate St Patrick’s Day is by doing activities as a group. Group activities such as arts and crafts and songs can create more engagement with the kids, and give them a chance to express their creativity.
Here are some group activities for toddlers to do for St. Patrick’s day.
Shamrock Scavenger Hunt
Shamrock Scavenger Hunt is a great way to keep your little ones entertained on St. Patrick’s Day. Gather different-colored construction paper and make one shamrock craft for each of your toddlers. You can use the shamrocks as clues or clues that lead to bigger prizes such as a toy or small treat.
Give them all the same instructions and then split them into teams, or send out each one with their own “Clue Shamrock” map to use when searching for their hidden prize. For an extra challenge, you can add tasks, like setting up a picnic in the backyard or counting the stairs in your home!
Letting those toddlers think they are hunting leprechauns is sure to spark their imaginations and have them loving this game even more than they would normally!
Leprechaun Hat Craft
Making a leprechaun hat is a great way to get toddlers interested in St. Patrick’s Day festivities. All you need are some construction paper, scissors and glue. With just a few simple steps, you’ll have your little ones celebrating the luck of the Irish!
To start, cut two strips of green construction paper and one strip of black. Once they are all the same size and shape, glue them together into a triangle making sure to meet all corners. This is the top of your hat!
Next, cut out small strips of green construction paper for the brim of the hat and glue them around the bottom. Finally, add a few details like fringe or buttons to make it look more like a leprechaun hat. Your toddler can paint small shamrocks or draw symbols on their finished product for an extra festive touch!
Making leprechaun hats is an easy and fun way for toddlers to get involved in St. Patrick’s Day celebrations. Not only will this craft help build creativity and hand-eye coordination, but it also makes for great decor once complete!
St. Patrick’s Day Parade
No St. Patrick’s Day celebration is complete without a parade and it’s an activity that your little one will love. So, blow up some colorful balloons, bake a batch of green cupcakes and bring out the musical instruments – it’s going to be eye-popping fun!
First things first, encourage the toddlers to dress up in their favorite green outfit and create vibrant signs for the parade. You can also make up a song or two with simple lyrics along with hand motions for easy singing. Kids love toys so get some horses, trolls and leprechauns to join in the fun as well!
Then once you have your full entourage ready, march around the house and garden area while singing fun songs together. Not only will this activity bring out each child’s creativity but it is also sure to be an excellent photo opportunity – so don’t forget to snap plenty of pics!
Games
St. Patrick’s Day is a great time to get together with family, enjoy traditional Irish recipes, and have fun with toddlers. To make the day even more special, here are some toddler-friendly group activities that will keep the little ones entertained and engaged.
From lucky charms to leprechaun-friendly crafts, these games are sure to be a hit!
Lucky Charms Guessing Game
The Lucky Charms Guessing Game is a great way to engage toddlers in a lively, fun-filled St. Patrick’s Day themed activity. Simply gather up a selection of large colorful marshmallows (the traditional lucky charms) and hide them around the house or yard. Then ask toddlers to find them and guess what type of charm it is, such as a horseshoe, star, heart or clover.
Toddlers are sure to love this game as they get the opportunity to discover the hidden charms while having fun at the same time! To make things more exciting, you can incorporate simple math into the game by asking children to identify how many of each shape are hidden around the house or yard. You can also add some healthy competition by timing how fast each child finds their charm and then rewarding the winner with an extra marshmallow! The possibilities for this easily adaptable game are endless and will bring plenty of smiles and giggles on St. Patrick’s Day!
Irish Jig Dance-Off
Irish jig dances, or ceilidh dances as they are known in Ireland, were traditionally used to celebrate special occasions and mark social events. These lively folk dances are simple enough for toddlers to master with some practice, but interesting enough to keep your little ones engaged.
To keep the energy high and make the dance a true competition, you can divide the group into two teams, give each group several moves that they must complete in a certain order or award points for unique steps. For added fun and nostalgia, gather traditional Irish instruments like penny whistles and bodhrans (Irish drum) for each team or use recorders or harmonicas for all the contestants. If you have access to an actual fiddler would be even better! To make sure everyone knows the steps, have each team create their own version of an Irish jig dance-off accompanied by their own musical accompaniment. Choose simple steps such as clapping hands, hopping on one foot while spinning around in a circle or patting knees.
For smaller children who might not be able to do the full dance moves required in this game yet, consider making up additional hand movements such as shaking fists and wiggling fingers instead of feet movements. As long as the instructions are given slowly with multiple demonstrations it is likely that even young kids will get enough motivation from their peers to participate on some level — it’s amazing how infectious enthusiasm is! When everyone has had a chance to perform their Irish jig dance-offs then decide upon a winning team by awarding points for accuracy, enthusiasm and general entertainment value.
St. Patrick’s Day Bingo
St. Patrick’s Day Bingo is an easy and fun way to introduce celebrations to toddlers. This toddler-friendly game can be adapted in multiple ways. Using two dice, draw a 3X3 grid with nine boxes, each marked with five eligible St. Patrick’s Day themed items such as shamrocks, leprechauns, pots of gold, rainbows or four leaf clovers.
During the game, roll the dice together and fill in squares one by one until one of the players gets three items in a line (vertically, horizontally or diagonally). The winner gets a small reward such as a sticker or color page to reinforce positive behavior and create an atmosphere of celebration and engagement for young children. As an added bonus, postcards featuring images of St. Patrick’s Day-related items can be used to set up the game quickly, making it a mess-free activity for toddlers who like to explore their surroundings through physical play but need some guidance from parents or caregivers.
In addition to St.Patrick’s Day Bingo, family members can play other age-appropriate activities like rainbow races and treasure hunts for kids that drive home team spirit during the St.Patrick’s Day celebrations while having fun together!
Snacks
St. Patrick’s Day is a great opportunity to have some group activities with your toddlers. Celebrating with some festive snacks can be a great way to make the day special and engaging for everyone.
Here are some toddler-friendly snack ideas adding a little Irish flare to their day.
Rainbow Fruit Platter
For a festive and healthy treat, create a rainbow-inspired fruit platter. Feel free to use any fruits you have on hand, but here are a few suggestions:
-Red: Strawberries and cherries
-Orange: Apples, cantaloupe and tangerines
-Yellow: Bananas, oranges and yellow Bell peppers
-Green: Kiwi, honeydew melon slices and green grapes
-Blue/purple: Blueberries and grapes
Complete the snack with an edible pot of gold of such goodies as bite-sized pretzel sticks or cut up pieces of cheese. Another fun idea is to use festive cookie cutters like shamrocks or leprechauns to make the fruit pieces even more fun for toddlers. Serve with plain yogurt or nut butter for extra protein.
Pot of Gold Cupcakes
Pot of Gold Cupcakes are a fun and festive way to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with your toddler! These adorable cupcakes are easy to make and will be sure to bring a smile to your little one’s face.
To make Pot of Gold Cupcakes, you will need yellow cupcake mix, food coloring, vanilla frosting in both green and white, golden candy coins, and gold sanding sugar. Begin by making yellow cupcakes according to the instructions on the mix box. Once they have cooled completely, use the food coloring to tint them green. Add a generous swirl of white frosting on top of each cupcake and place three golden candy coins in the center of each one to form a “pot of gold”. Finally, sprinkle a bit of sanding sugar around it for sparkle!
These special treats are a great way for toddlers to get into the spirit of St. Patrick’s Day while also having an afternoon snack that is both healthy and fun. For added fun, you can also have your toddler help you decorate these festive treats!
Rainbow Veggie Tray
Rainbow veggie trays are a colorful and nutritious option for celebrating St. Patrick’s Day with toddlers. You can make them as involved or straightforward as you wish, depending on the abilities of your toddler. For younger toddlers, it is a great activity to help improve fine motor skills as they practice transferring vegetables from one bowl to another. If you have older toddlers, this is an opportunity to teach new words such as “napkin” and “platter.”
Veggie Options:
-Red: cherry tomatoes, cut bell peppers
-Orange: carrot sticks, orange stand-up portion cups
-Yellow: grape tomatoes, diced yellow pepper
-Green: cubes of cucumber with skin on
-Purple: halved radishes, purple cabbage
Optional Extras:
Dipping sauces (hummus and ranch dressing are favorites), celery sticks with cream cheese filling and vinaigrette dressing for the vegetables. No matter which vegetables you choose, arranging them in a rainbow pattern will add a festive flair to your tray!
Conclusion
Celebrating St. Patrick’s Day is a wonderful way to teach toddlers about the traditions of Irish culture and share the spirit of the holiday with your favorite little ones. Whether you opt for traditional Irish dishes or some more creative activities and crafts, there are endless ways to get your toddler involved in the festivities.
Plus, making St. Patrick’s Day fun for toddlers will help ensure that it will remain a special occasion for your family for years to come. So don your green and get creative – happy celebrating!