Stuck at home this St. Patrick’s Day? There are plenty of ways to celebrate at home! After living in Chicago for 10 years, I am definitely of the mindset that everyone is a little Irish on St. Patrick’s Day! While my days of drinking green beer next to a dyed-green river are behind me (I think), I do still like to celebrate with my family. Here are some kid-friendly ideas to enjoy the holiday:
Breakfast
Let’s start with breakfast! My kids love pancakes and I love sneaking in veggies whenever I can. I also love it if I can get vibrant colors in their food without artificial food coloring. This recipe for green pancakes does both! These are delicious and a beautiful shade of green. They are the perfect start to your St. Patrick’s Day festivities. (If you’re looking for red pancakes for Valentine’s Day next year, here’s another family favorite).
Sensory Play and Crafts
Next up, let’s make green play dough! Now I know some moms fear the mess that can come with play dough, but this activity keeps my kiddos quiet and entertained longer than anything else. If you keep it on hard surfaces, it’s really not too bad to clean up. (Tip: wait for it to dry, then you can vacuum or sweep it up quickly.) The following recipe for homemade play dough is a fun way to have the kids help out and then provide some fun sensory play. Hit up your local Dollar Store or Target Dollar Spot for St. Patrick’s Day decorations. I found plastic gold coins and glitter shamrocks at the dollar store and my kids loved putting them in the play dough. A few cookie cutters are always fun too! Store-bought play dough is recommended for ages 2+, and my 20-month-old has definitely tried to eat it, so this activity is probably best to start with older toddlers.
Another fun option is to make a St. Patrick’s Day sensory rice bin, similar to these from Busy Toddler. Just follow her instructions to dye the rice green and add the same kind of St. Patrick’s Day themed accessories.
I love making stained glass paper crafts with my children. Cut up strips or squares of green tissue paper, cut out a shamrock shape with contact paper, and let them go to town! This is easy for even little kids to do, and the results are so cute.
Snacks
Cut-out cookies are fun for every holiday. Here’s my favorite sugar cookie recipe (I use butter instead of shortening). Find a shamrock or pot-of-gold-shaped cookie cutter and green sprinkles and have a little cookie party!
Dinner
For dinner, I like to make corned beef and cabbage in the crock pot. I usually follow this recipe. Sometimes I leave out the potatoes and do mashed potatoes on the side instead. And this soda bread recipe is a little messy to make, but totally worth it. My kids love it, and it tastes amazing toasted with a spread of Kerrygold butter for breakfast the next day!
Have fun with these activities and Happy St. Patrick’s Day! Sláinte!
