16 St Patricks Day Activities for Preschoolers: Fun, Simple Crafts They’ll Love!

I don’t know about you, but St. Patrick’s Day always makes me think about the endless craft possibilities for little hands!

I’ve rounded up 16 St Patricks Day activities perfect for preschoolers. Each one needs adult supervision, but I promise they’re simple enough that you won’t be pulling your hair out halfway through. I’ve included age recommendations, difficulty levels, and all the materials you’ll need. Most use items you probably already have around the house (because who needs another trip to the craft store, am I right?).

Best St Patricks Day Activities for Preschoolers

1. Rainbow Cotton Ball Art

Age: 3-5 years Difficulty: Easy Materials:

• Construction paper (blue for sky)
• Cotton balls
• White glue
• Washable paint in rainbow colors
• Small paper plates for paint
• Clothespins (optional for little hands)

Instructions:

1. Draw a simple rainbow arch on the blue paper or let your child freehand it
2. Pour small amounts of paint onto paper plates
3. Let your child dip cotton balls into the paint (clothespins can help little hands grip the cotton balls)
4. Press the painted cotton balls along the rainbow lines
5. Let dry completely before displaying your fluffy masterpiece!

My friend’s daughter made this last year and called it her “cloudy rainbow.” She was so proud she insisted on sleeping with it!

📌 Related article: 1-page Fun Spring Scavenger Hunt PDF

2. Leprechaun Handprint

Age: 2-5 years Difficulty: Easy Materials:

• White paper
• Green paint
• Orange paint
• Black marker
• Baby wipes for cleanup

Instructions:

1. Paint your child’s palm and fingers green (except the thumb)
2. Paint the thumb orange
3. Help them press their hand onto the paper, fingers pointing down
4. When dry, use the marker to add a face on the thumb (the beard) and details like a hat and buttons
5. Add a small pot of gold at the bottom if you’re feeling fancy!

3. Shamrock Potato Stamping

Age: 3-5 years Difficulty: Medium Materials:

• Large potato
• Knife (for adult use only)
• Green paint
• Paper
• Paper plate for paint

Instructions:

1. Cut a potato in half (adult only task!)
2. Cut a heart shape into the potato to create a shamrock stamp
3. Pour green paint onto a paper plate
4. Let your child dip the potato into the paint
5. Stamp the paper in groups of three hearts, meeting in the center
6. Add a small stem with a paintbrush or finger

I tried this with my niece last St. Patrick’s Day, and while our shamrocks weren’t perfect, she had an absolute blast! Sometimes the wonky ones turn out most memorable.

4. Lucky Cereal Necklace

Age: 3-5 years Difficulty: Easy Materials:

• Lucky Charms cereal (or any colorful cereal)
• Yarn or string
• Tape (to make “needle” end)
• Bowl for cereal

Instructions:

1. Cut a piece of yarn long enough to fit over your child’s head
2. Wrap tape around one end to make it stiff for stringing
3. Pour cereal into a bowl
4. Let your child string the cereal pieces onto the yarn
5. Tie the ends together when finished

This activity doubles as a snack – I always notice a few marshmallows mysteriously disappear during the crafting process!

📌 Related article: 60+ Best Non Candy Easter Basket Ideas for Kids (2025 Age-by-Age Guide)

5. Roll and Draw Leprechaun Game

Age: 3-5 years Difficulty: Easy Materials:

• White paper
• Dice
• Crayons or markers
• Optional: printable game sheet

Instructions:

1. Draw a simple chart showing what to draw for each die number:
   • Roll 1: Draw the leprechaun’s head
   • Roll 2: Draw the hat
   • Roll 3: Draw the body
   • Roll 4: Draw arms
   • Roll 5: Draw legs
   • Roll 6: Draw a pot of gold
2. Take turns rolling the dice
3. Draw the corresponding part based on what number is rolled
4. Keep rolling and drawing until you complete your leprechaun!

I discovered this game last year and it was such a hit! My son couldn’t stop giggling at how silly some of the leprechauns looked when we drew the parts out of order. It’s perfect for preschoolers who are just learning to take turns and follow simple rules. 

6. Rainbow Suncatcher

Age: 4-5 years Difficulty: Medium Materials:

• Clear contact paper
• Tissue paper in rainbow colors
• Scissors
• Black construction paper
• Tape

Instructions:

1. Cut two identical pieces of contact paper
2. Cut black construction paper into a rainbow frame
3. Cut or tear tissue paper into small pieces
4. Remove backing from one piece of contact paper and tape it sticky-side-up
5. Let your child arrange tissue paper pieces in rainbow order
6. Cover with the second piece of contact paper
7. Cut into rainbow shape and attach the black frame
8. Hang in a window for a colorful display!

7. Shamrock Collage

Age: 2-4 years Difficulty: Easy Materials:

• Green paper cut in shamrock shape
• Glue stick
• Various green items (tissue paper, buttons, sequins, stickers)
• Container for small items

Instructions:

1. Cut out a large shamrock shape from cardstock
2. Let your child spread glue all over the shamrock
3. Provide various green items to stick onto the shamrock
4. Let dry completely

This is perfect for the youngest preschoolers who are still working on fine motor skills. My friend’s 2-year-old spent nearly 30 minutes focused on this activity!

📌 Related article: St. Patrick’s Day Word Search

8. Rainbow Fruit Snack

Age: 2-5 years Difficulty: Easy Materials:

• Strawberries (red)
• Mandarin oranges (orange)
• Pineapple chunks (yellow)
• Green grapes (green)
• Blueberries (blue)
• Purple grapes (purple)
• Small plates

Instructions:

1. Wash and cut fruit into bite-sized pieces
2. Help your child arrange fruit in rainbow order on a plate
3. Enjoy your healthy, colorful snack!

I love activities that mix creativity with healthy eating. One mom told me her picky eater tried blueberries for the first time because “they were part of the rainbow!”

📌 Related article: 17+ Simple Spring Activities for Kids and Family

9. Leprechaun Trap

Age: 4-5 years Difficulty: Medium Materials:

• Shoebox or similar container
• Construction paper
• Tape or glue
• Craft sticks
• Gold coins (real or paper)
• Markers, stickers, or other decorations
• String

Instructions:

1. Cover the box with green paper
2. Create a ladder using craft sticks
3. Decorate with shamrocks and rainbows
4. Place gold coins inside as “bait”
5. Set up a simple “trap” door using string and paper
6. Set out overnight on March 16th
7. In the morning, mess up the trap and leave small treats or gold chocolate coins

My nephew was absolutely convinced he almost caught a leprechaun last year when we did this!

10. Shamrock Sensory Bag

Age: 2-4 years Difficulty: Easy Materials:

• Ziplock bag
• Hair gel (clear or green)
• Green food coloring (if using clear gel)
• Glitter
• Shamrock confetti or small foam shamrocks
• Duct tape to seal edges

Instructions:

1. Fill ziplock bag halfway with hair gel
2. Add a few drops of green food coloring if needed
3. Add glitter and shamrock items
4. Squeeze out air and seal tightly
5. Secure edges with duct tape for extra protection
6. Let your child squish and explore the sensory bag

This is perfect for little ones who still put things in their mouth but want to participate in the fun!

11. Rainbow Paper Chain

Age: 3-5 years Difficulty: Medium Materials:

• Construction paper in rainbow colors
• Scissors
• Glue stick or stapler
• Marker

Instructions:

1. Cut strips from colored paper about 1 inch wide
2. Help your child arrange strips in rainbow order
3. Form the first strip into a circle and secure with glue or staple
4. Thread the next color through and form another circle
5. Continue until you have a rainbow chain
6. Hang as decoration

I remember making these as a kid and feeling so accomplished when the chain stretched across my bedroom!

12. Fingerprint Shamrock

Age: 2-5 years Difficulty: Easy Materials:

• White paper
• Green washable ink pad or paint
• Wet wipes for cleanup
• Marker

Instructions:

1. Draw a simple shamrock outline or heart shapes arranged as a shamrock
2. Help your child press green fingerprints all over the shamrock shape
3. Clean fingers immediately after
4. Let dry and display!

The personal touch of fingerprints makes this a keepsake craft parents will treasure for years.

📌 Related article: DIY Fun and Colorful Easter Sensory Basket for Babies

13. Lucky Clover Crown

Age: 4-5 years Difficulty: Medium Materials:

• Green construction paper
• Scissors
• Stapler
• Markers or crayons
• Measuring tape
• Shamrock stickers (optional)

Instructions:

1. Cut a strip of green paper long enough to fit around your child’s head
2. Let your child decorate the headband
3. Cut out several shamrock shapes
4. Let your child decorate the shamrocks
5. Staple shamrocks to the band
6. Fit to your child’s head and staple ends together

Nothing beats seeing your little one parade around in their handmade crown!

14. Green Playdough with Gold Treasures

Age: 2-5 years Difficulty: Easy Materials:

• Homemade or store-bought playdough
• Green food coloring (if making homemade)
• Gold sequins, beads, or buttons
• Small container
• Rolling pin (optional)
• Cookie cutters (optional)

Instructions:

1. If making homemade playdough, add green food coloring
2. Provide your child with the playdough and gold treasures
3. Encourage them to hide the treasures in the dough and dig for them
4. Use cookie cutters to make shamrock shapes if desired

I find this activity buys me at least 20 minutes of focus time while my son gets lost in creative play!

15. Rainbow in a Jar

Age: 3-5 years Difficulty: Medium Materials:

• Clear plastic jar with lid
• Sugar
• Food coloring (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple)
• 6 small containers for mixing
• Spoons
• Measuring cups

Instructions:

1. In each container, mix 1/2 cup sugar with a different color food coloring
2. Stir until color is distributed (the sugar will still be grainy)
3. Starting with purple, help your child carefully spoon each color into the jar
4. Add each color gently on top of the previous color
5. Seal the jar when complete
6. Display your rainbow creation!

The science behind why the colors don’t mix immediately fascinates older preschoolers!

📌 Related article: 15 Healthy Easter Treats Your Kids Will Actually Love (No Sugar Crash!)

16. Gold Coin Counting Game

Age: 3-5 years Difficulty: Easy Materials:

• Yellow cardstock
• Scissors
• Marker
• Small container
• Optional: glitter glue

Instructions:

1. Cut yellow cardstock into circle “coins”
2. Write numbers 1-10 on the coins
3. Optional: decorate with glitter glue for extra sparkle
4. Let your child practice recognizing numbers and counting
5. For older preschoolers, try simple addition and subtraction

Turn learning into a treasure hunt by hiding the coins around the room for extra fun!

FAQs about St Patricks Day Activities for Preschoolers

Conclusion

St. Patrick’s Day offers the perfect opportunity to engage preschoolers in creative, hands-on activities that develop fine motor skills, encourage imagination, and create lasting memories. From sensory experiences to artistic creations, these 15 activities cater to various ages and skill levels within the preschool range.

What I love most about these crafts is how they combine learning with fun – counting gold coins, creating patterns with rainbows, and exploring colors all build important skills while feeling like play. And isn’t that the magic of childhood?

Remember, the goal isn’t perfection – it’s the joy on their faces and the pride in their accomplishments. So embrace the messy handprints, the slightly lopsided shamrocks, and the inevitable green glitter that will show up randomly for weeks afterward. These are the moments that make parenthood special.

I’d love to see your little leprechauns’ creations if you try any of these activities! 

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Happy St. Patrick’s Day crafting, 

Xx Kinga 

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