We are well on our way through March and you know what that means! St. Patricks day is coming up soon! But do you ever wonder how to really get your preschooler involved? Well this post will give you some fun ideas for how to celebrate St. Patricks with your kids. They’ll be sure to have fun, enjoy the celebration, and maybe even take away a little fun facts as well.
So let’s jump right in.
*Get Your Kids Excited About it!
The first thing that you’ll want to decide is how to introduce this holiday to your little ones. Is this a very traditional and cultural holiday for your family? Is it more of a fun spirited festive holiday? Whatever you decide, be clear with the intention in the beginning so you know how to introduce it.
1. Holiday Rooted in Tradition
If this is the route you’re taking then you might want to start with a fun fable that your kids can enjoy. Sometimes if you talk about something with too much history or detail, you’ll lose their engagement. This isn’t a bad thing. It doesn’t mean that they don’t care or that you’re boring. It might just be a little to complex for them right now. But do not worry, even if you use a folktale based approach, it will still help them learn about where the holidays and tradition originated from.
2. Just for Fun!
This is also another great approach and can be done with less of a structured approach. You can talk about the different fun things you can do on St. Patricks Day such as the parade, or maybe a preschool class party. You can also talk about doing green themed activities or cooking green themed food. All of it is meant just have a really fun and creative day.
*Fun Activities
This going to be the funnest part! After you introduce what St. Patricks Day is about for your family, it’s time to plan some fun activities! The four listed below have always been a hit with our preschoolers. Because we are in a preschool most of the activities will be toddler and preschool friendly but you can definitely add a few elements to make these projects and ideas more complex as well.
1. Lucky Charm Sensory Bin
This is definitely a delicious idea to use. Prep your kids by letting them taste a few bites of cereal first or you’ll see them trying to sneak some during the activity. Next, fill a large bin with two or three boxes of lucky charms debating on the size of your container. Add in some measuring cups, small ladles, and small plastic cups. And voila you have a fun St. Patty’s themed measuring bin.
2. Pot of Gold Arts and Crafts
Prep your activity by getting yellow construction paper, gold glitter, glue, and a picture of your little one. Next, trace the shape of a pot of gold the size of the paper. Try and have your kids put the glue following the stencil outline. Also, spread some glue on the inside of the pot of gold. Next, do some hand over hand work and help them sprinkle enough glitter so all the glue is coated. Shake the glitter about slightly and you can either sprinkle the rest into a save container or simply toss the excess in the trash bin. Lastly, you are going to take the picture of your child and place it in the center of the pot of gold. Make sure it is big enough and voila! Your very own personal pot of lovely gold treasure. You can even give it to grandma and grandpa as a gift.
3. Leprechaun Scavenger Hunt
This game is pretty self explanatory and can be as simple or as tricky as you want to make it. The game is that the mischievous leprechaun has stolen the gold and has hidden it somewhere no one knows. The scavenger clues will get them closer and closer to the treasure at the end. After they solve all the clues, they’ll find the hidden gold (chocolate gold coins) and partake in the feast! Be sure to make the clues appropriate to the age of the children who are playing.
4. Food Fun
Of course we have to touch on all the amazing food fun ideas you can have with this holiday as well. I am sure everyone has seen the green bagels, green eggs, you can even make green cereal milk, or the traditional green and white cupcakes. All of these are fun festive ideas to incorporate throughout your day.
But here are some that would be an awesome healthy addition as well… green smoothies, vegetable quesadilla using spinach tortillas (you cannot taste the difference, I promise), frozen green grapes for snack, cucumber sandwiches, and noodles (zucchini noodles) for a fun take on pasta night at home.
*Summary
Any of these ideas would be great to incorporate into your special St. Patty’s Day celebration. But the overall point is to spend time with your family and have fun. Whether you try one or all of items listed above, be sure to share in the laughter and joy these celebrations can bring.
Have a wonderful St. Patricks day and definitely share with us if you try any of these :).
And as always, If you have any questions, comments, or ideas please share them in the comments section below with your fellow parents! And definitely subscribe to the newsletter for updates and ongoing happenings at TylekTeaches.com. The subscription link is just on the right hand side of this post. See you there!
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