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Activities and games for a St Patrick's Day party for kids

St Patrick's Day sign with treasure and hatWhether you have Irish in your background or not, St. Patrick's Day can be a wonderful time for a celebration! Your kids will be the luckiest leprechauns on the block when you throw this fantastic party.

This new article will now cover some activities and games for your St. Patrick's Day kids party. For décor and food for your party refer to my previous article.

Activities and Games
A party is pointless without fun stuff to do. Here are a few things to create and games to play:

1. Leprechaun Hat
Set up a craft table where kids can make their own leprechaun hats. All you need is green, black and yellow construction paper;
  • Cut green paper in half until you have enough pieces for each child. Roll each piece into a cylinder and secure them with tape.
  • Place each cylinder on another piece of green paper and trace the circle. Draw another circle around the outside that is at least 2 inches bigger than the first.
  • Cut out the inner and outer circles to form rings.
  • Cut a 2-inch strip out of black paper for each hat.
  • Cut out a 3- by 2-inch rectangle out of yellow paper for each hat. Coat these with glitter spray.
  • Have the children glue a black strip onto the bottom of the cylinder. Glue the rectangle over that to make the buckle.
  • Turn the cylinder upside down and glue or tape the ring to the outside. Turn it over, and you have a leprechaun hat.
Depending on the ages of the children, you can have them cut their own pieces or do it for them.

2. Write a Limerick
Write the basics of a limerick on a piece of poster board;
  • A limerick is a poem with five lines. The first, second and fifth lines are the same length and rhyme, and the third and fourth lines are shorter and rhyme.
  • Ask the kids to create limericks of their own.
  • Get them started by suggesting they begin with "There once was ..." and supply them with groups of rhyming words.

3. Treasure Hunt
Add some excitement to your party by letting the guests hunt for gold-covered chocolate coins. Hide them around your house or yard for children to find.

4. Hot Potato
Choose a small item or use a real baked potato for this classic party game. Play Irish music as the kids pass the potato around in a circle. The guest holding the potato when the music stops is out.

5. Corners
This game is a favorite at kids' birthday parties in Ireland. It's played by five children at a time;
  • One player stands in the center or the room while the other four each go to a different corner.
  • The player in the center yells, "Change corners!" and the children all try to go a different corner while the player in the center tries to get a corner.
  • If there are more than five children, the one who did not get a corner is out and the next child comes in to play.
6. Irish Bulldogs!
This game is played outdoors or in a large indoor play space;
  • Create two lines, one on each side of the space.
  • These can be drawn with chalk or made with rope or some other material.
  • All the children except one stand behind one of the lines facing the opposite end of the room.
  • The child in the center yells, "Irish bulldogs!" and the children try to run from one line to the other.
  • Any children tagged by the child in the middle join that child for the next round.
  • Then all the children in the middle yell, "Irish bulldogs!" and the game continues until only one child is left running back and forth.

7. Prizes
Offer some fun St. Paddy's Day prizes with some goofy contests. You might give away candy, a flag of Ireland or a bouquet of shamrocks. Here are some contest ideas.
  • Who is wearing the most green? Chances are that many of your guests are dressed in green, but who is wearing the most? The person who is the greenest from head to toe is the winner.
  • Who can do the best leprechaun dance? Put on some music and give each guest a chance to do a leprechaun dance. Vote or clap to decide which dance was the best.
  • Who knows Irish geography? Ask younger guests to find Ireland on a map of the world. Ask older guests to fill in a map of Ireland with anything they can.

Let these St. Patrick's Day party ideas spark your imagination when it comes to creating your own Irish bash. Your guests are sure to have a wonderful time, and you will be making memories with your children.

Copyright © Lorraine on NiceAnswers.com 2018

Related Links: Find below further links on topics related to St Patrick's Day parties;
Crafting ideas for St Patrick's Day
Recipe for hidden treasure cupcakes
More St Patrick's Day party ideas

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