Happy St. Patrick’s Day! The day of rainbows, leprechauns, corned beef and cabbage, and lots of beer (well, at least for the grownups!). If you are anything like me, you are completely unprepared! Every single holiday creeps up on me, no matter how big or small. I love to celebrate, and I always look for great, simple activities with my three kiddos. That’s part of the reason why I LOVE Pinterest.
By no means do I consider myself a “crafty” mom, but Pinterest has saved me on several occasions, especially when I am left unprepared for that school party or need a fun craft to keep everyone busy. So here are a bunch of great St. Patrick’s Day Pinterest ideas to help save the day!
Hands-on Fun
What kid doesn’t love squishing their little fingers in playdough or gooey slime? Try following FCMB contributor Stacey’s super easy DIY playdough recipe. To make it special for tomorrow, make it green and add some sparkly glitter. Want to mix it up a little bit? Why not try making some St. Paddy’s Day slime? This fun sensory play can be even more fun for the kiddos if you give them gold coins, cookie cutters, or even green sequins and beads.
Painting
Painting with my little ones (especially my 2-year-old twins) gives me a little bit of anxiety. I can’t handle the mess! But of course I will bust it all out on a special occasion, and in order to really celebrate I might push myself over the edge and do some finger painting! Little fingerprints or big handprints can make for the cutest crafts! Whether or not you neatly finger-paint a rainbow or use your whole hand, the outcome will be refrigerator-worthy nonetheless. Just make sure to keep lots of baby wipes nearby!
Science Experiments
Are your kiddos super curious about everything? “Why” is the most commonly used word in my house. So, WHY not celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with a few science experiments? Try making this fabulous Rainbow Jar using a few everyday household products to explore the concept of density. Your kids will also love watching Leprechaun baking soda science to explore a chemical change.
Games
My favorite games to play are the ones where my kids don’t even realize that they are learning! Try playing this fun math game with fruit loops to help practice counting and addition. Or this ABC scavenger hunt that is perfect for teaching your preschooler the alphabet and letter sounds. You can also keep their bodies moving with a fun relay race. And who doesn’t love a simple matching game? You can do this by matching colors or shapes. It’s even better when Hershey’s kisses are involved.
Special Treats
Food is always the best part of any celebration! Gather your little chefs into the kitchen and make some green chocolate-covered popcorn, fruit salad, pudding, or even green mac-n-cheese! If you want, you can keep it super simple and serve up some green veggies, fruits, and dips, or go ahead and follow a rainbow theme.
