With March comes the celebration of St. Patrick's Day! Beyond the parades and green clothes, St. Patrick's Day offers a wonderful opportunity to engage with Irish culture. And by leaning into the holiday’s spirit, you can enrich your little ones’ lives by learning & bonding as a family!
St. Patrick’s Day dates back to the 17th century. It began as a religious feast day to honor St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland. Over the centuries, it has transformed into a global celebration of Irish identity—with immigrants taking their traditions and customs to different cities around the world!
In the spirit of making St. Patrick's Day more memorable for your children, we’ve compiled this list of ideas for family fun. Read on to discover engaging activities, games & movies everyone will love!
Get crafty, St. Patrick’s Day style.
From coloring to creating, beads to poems, themed activities can be a great way to celebrate the holiday with imaginative play. Here are some fun ideas for St. Patrick’s Day crafts for children!
Rainbow Beaded Bracelets: Rainbows are closely tied to St. Patrick’s Day, and what child doesn’t love beading their own bracelets? Grab some colored beads, an elastic cord, and scissors (make sure they’re kid-friendly, or leave this part to the adults). Then, create rainbow bracelets by stringing beads in the order of the rainbow. Don’t forget to mention our old friend, ROY G. BIV.
Little Sleepies Shamrock Worksheet: Download our St. Patrick’s Day worksheet. Read the poem together, then color the clover before filling it out with wishes & gratitude!
Did you know? If you’re wondering where leprechauns & pots of gold come from, they can be traced back to Irish folklore. The mischievous creatures hide gold at the end of rainbows—and if you catch them, they may grant you three wishes in exchange for their release!
Clover Stamp Art: Make clover stamps out of potatoes! For this, you’ll need colored paints (definitely green, but why not start with a rainbow of options?), construction paper, potatoes & knives (again, for the grown-ups). Cut the potatoes into clovers—both three and four-leafed. Explain to the kiddos that four-leafed clovers are extra lucky! Then, dip the cut potato into the paint, stamping to create cute clover patterns.
Play St. Patrick’s Day inspired games!
Take the celebration of all things green to a whole new level with these St. Patrick’s Day inspired games. They’re meant to not only entertain, but also foster color recognition skills, creativity and teamwork. Let the family fun begin!
Green Scavenger Hunt: Engage the little ones in a Green Scavenger Hunt where they search for various green items in and around the house or backyard. You can hide whatever you have handy. A few of our brilliant ideas? Zucchinis, green crayons, green cans of food, pens, scarves and baseball hats!
Green Bag Toss: Work on your kiddos’ coordination by setting up a bean bag toss game with green-colored targets. Kids can take turns tossing bean bags onto the targets while aiming for the green zones.
Green Painting: Add a little nature to the party—and keep things sustainable!—by organizing a painting session using green leaves and twigs as brushes. Kids can dip them in green paint and create beautiful artwork on construction paper!
Tuck them in for snuggles & stories.
These mom-approved books are the perfect way to share the St. Patrick’s Day story. Grab your favorite Little Sleepies Cloud Blanket and snuggle up for storytime!
- The Night Before St. Patrick's Day by Natasha Wing
- How to Catch a Leprechaun by Adam Wallace
- That's What Leprechauns Do by Eve Bunting
- The Luckiest St. Patrick's Day Ever! by Teddy Slater
Host the perfect family movie night.
A St. Patrick's Day movie night with kids is a wonderful way to celebrate the holiday and its traditions. Get everyone in their Little Sleepies St. Patrick’s Day Family Matching pajamas and settle in to watch films that capture the spirit of the holiday.
- "The Luck of the Irish" (2001): A teenager discovers his family's magical heritage and learns about the importance of one's roots.
- "The Secret of Kells" (2009): This beautiful animated film tells the story of a young boy's quest to complete a magical book and save his medieval village.
- "Song of the Sea" (2014): A brother and sister discover the magical creatures of Irish folklore.
Bake festive treats, together!
Cooking with kids can be fun, educational and delicious…for everyone! St. Patrick's Day recipes that you can enjoy together don’t have to be difficult. You can use a classic sugar cookie recipe (here’s one of our favorites) and let the kids have fun cutting out shamrock shapes with cookie cutters. Once baked, decorate them with green icing and edible glitter for a touch of magic!
Another idea? Traditional Irish Soda Bread! This classic recipe requires minimal ingredients, making it a perfect hands-on activity for kids. Let them mix up the batter and shape the dough before baking a loaf to enjoy as a family.
For the littlest bakers, Lucky Charms marshmallow bars are the simplest option that’s still tasty & fun! Make a batch of Rice Krispies treats, mixing in half Rice Krispies and half Lucky Charms cereal. The colorful marshmallows will add a touch of St. Patrick's Day fun!
Help them with a St. Paddy’s Day science project.
Help your kids create a rainbow with this fun science project. Basically, your kids can make a rainbow in a jar by combining different household liquids and supplies.
Each liquid has a different density or weight, so layering them from heaviest to lightest from the bottom up ensures that the rainbow maintains its distinct lines. How cool is that?!
Teach the kiddos a Celtic tune.
In Irish culture, there’s a multitude of blessings and songs that have been passed down through generations. Here are some Irish songs you can share with your kids.
- Molly Malone (Cockles and Mussels): A spirited song that tells the tale of Molly Malone, a fishmonger in Dublin.
- The Unicorn Song: An imaginative tune that introduces children to the magical world of unicorns!
- I'll Tell Me Ma: A lively folk song that’s a celebration of Irish dance and music. Its energetic beat is sure to get kids moving and grooving!
Click here to download our St. Patrick's Day worksheet!
We hope you share some of these ideas for St. Patrick’s Day fun with your family this year. If you do, be sure to tag us!
How do you celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with your family? We’d love to know any fun traditions you have. Drop them in the comments!
