Another holiday, another explosion on social media of Pinterest-worthy crafts and baked goods. Listen, if you have the patience to make an elaborate leprechaun trap for St. Patrick’s day with your kid, more power to you! Personally, three kids later, I’ve learned that isn’t my jam.
For all my fellow non-crafty parents, here are some easy and fun ways to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day!
Make a “Green” Breakfast
So many simple ways to do this. Add a drop of green food coloring to your eggs or pancake batter. I like to food process some spinach into pancake or muffin batter to make myself feel better about my kids never touching a vegetable. A smoothie with spinach or kale will also do the trick. Voila, a green breakfast!
Here are some other ways to “eat green” for St. Patrick’s Day.
Green Play Dough
Okay, I know I said no “crafts.” But hear me out, homemade play dough is worth it. It is so simple to make and will keep your kids busy for a while. It is also fun to make with your kiddos. Here is my tried and true recipe:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup water
- 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
- 1/3 cup salt
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- Neon gel food coloring (I recommend the neon gel for the brightest color)
Mix all ingredients in a large saucepan and cook on low until the mixture makes a ball. Cool and knead the play dough until you’ve reached your desired consistency.
Scavenger Hunt for Gold Coins
My kids are OBSESSED with scavenger hunts. No matter how lame the clues are, they go nuts for them. My rhyming skills are sub-par (hence the lame part), but you can usually find some good clues via good old “Google.” I’ve done both “printables’ that I have found online and also just written my own. Of course, the most important part is to have a treasure at the end.
*Quick tip: To make the hunt a little longer, incorporate activities into the clues. i.e., do ten jumping jacks, draw a picture of a four-leaf clover, etc.*
Shamrock Shake
This involves driving to your nearest Mcdonald’s and purchasing a Shamrock Shake. Cool mom bonus points.
Green Sensory Bath
Sensory baths are so simple and fun for kids. Both my 2-year-old and kindergarteners love them. There are so many ways to do this; here are a few:
- Add a green bath bomb or a bath tablet to color the water.
- Make green/gold “bath paint” with shaving cream and a dot of food coloring.
- Make green/gold bubbles: whisk together bubble bath, food coloring, and water until you reach a foamy consistency. Add to the tub.
- Turn out the lights and put green and yellow glow sticks in the tub. Turn on some fun St. Patrick’s Day music, and it’s a party!
