St. Patrick’s Day Activities for the Family

St. Patrick’ Day is a holiday that many of us associate with eating corned beef and cabbage, drinking green beer or simply wearing green. Perhaps we tune in to our city’s annual St. Patrick’s Day parade or actually attend the festivities. However, what other activities can the entire family enjoy on St. Patrick’s Day? With a little time and planning, children can get involved in some creative and fun activities that will surely make this holiday one to look forward to every year.

St. Patrick’s Day isn’t complete without the leprechaun. You and your children can make your own leprechaun puppets out of a few simple materials. Using a brown paper lunch bag, construction paper, markers and glue, children can use their own creativity and make their puppet as unique as they please. If you are looking to get even more innovative, go to your local craft store and purchase additional items to employ when making your leprechaun such as glitter or glue-on eyes. Have children start out by creating and designing the face, limbs and torso of the leprechaun by using the construction paper. Afterwards, they should glue the head on the flap part of the lunch bag and place the limbs and torso accordingly. By placing their hand inside the bag they can have fun playing with their puppet. Parents can make their own puppets as well and even put on a puppet show for the kids! Other great craft ideas that are straightforward and appropriate for children of all ages include decorating Kleenex boxes with St. Patrick’s Day inspired art or making wreaths of shamrocks with paper plates. All you need are art supplies, a lot of green construction paper and a bit of imagination!

Hosting a party for the children and their friends is another festive way for the family to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. For party refreshments, add some green food coloring to your favorite clear soda and serve some yummy Irish-inspired treats. Irish soda bread or homemade sugar cookies with green sprinkles are some tasty choices. Be sure to incorporate some crafts and games in to the party as well. Try playing the traditional bingo game by using cut-outs of leprechauns, rainbows or shamrocks as game pieces. If the weather is nice enough outdoors, parents can have fun setting up a “shamrock hunt” while children attempt to find the most shamrocks. With all the green outside already, finding shamrocks poses quite the challenge! Before the party is over, have the children enter a drawing where they write their name on a piece of paper and place it in a “pot of gold”. The lucky winner of this random drawing can win a prize. Also, don’t forget that no party is complete without St. Patrick’s Day decorations!

By utilizing these suggestions in addition to your own creativity, St. Patrick’s Day can be transformed in to an entertaining and fun holiday with the family. “Thinking beyond corned beef and cabbage” can thoroughly change the way your family celebrates this holiday every year, and the best part is you don’t have to be Irish to join the celebration!

Megan Gates is an active blogger who provides written work to the blogosphere pertaining to NYC Rentals, Hamptons Homes for sale, home improvement and the latest architecture, design, fashion and travel. Follow her on twitter @MEGatesDesign.