Three Easy St. Patrick's Day Crafts for Toddlers

Keeping little hands busy is no easy task. Holidays tend to offer a wealth of inspiration and ideas for crafts which are always a great activity for little ones who are looking for something to do. This year, take advantage of the St. Patrick's Day holiday to put a little green into your toddler's day and to help them create keepsakes and giveaways to treasure.

My Pet Blarney Stone

In southwestern Ireland, the famous Blarney Stone is found in the Blarney Castle. People from around the world climb long, spiral staircases to the top of the castle to kiss the stone. Legend has it that kissing the stone will give the kisser "blarney" or the gift of eloquence (skillful speaking, gift of gab.)

Help your toddler create their very own pet Blarney Stone to celebrate St. Patrick's Day with, and to keep a little Irish Blarney close at hand.

Materials:

1 Smooth Rock (preferably with one flat surface)

Green Paint

Paintbrush

All Purpose Glue or Craft Glue

Google Eyes

Decorative Materials (sequins, glitter, construction paper, yarn, buttons, pipe cleaners, beads, markers, etc.)

Instructions:

Wash and dry the rock. When rock is fully dry, let child paint the rock green. Allow paint to dry.

When paint is fully dry, glue a set of google eyes to the flat surface of the rock. This will become the "face" of the pet Blarney Stone. Then help child to finish the face using a variety of decorative materials. For example, make a hair bow from pipe cleaners, a mouth from sequins. Add additional details such as eyelashes by drawing them in with markers.

Allow glue to dry. The pet Blarney Stone is now ready to enjoy its new home!

Easy Paper Shamrocks

The Shamrock is the unofficial symbol of Ireland and one of the symbols most often associated with St. Patrick's Day. Shamrocks are actually three-leafed clovers commonly found in Ireland and other parts of the world.

Children can easily create Shamrocks to hang as decorations in the classroom or home.

Materials:

Green Construction Paper

Heart-shaped Cookie Cutter or Template

All Purpose Glue or Craft Glue

Scissors

Instructions:

Help child to trace heart-shaped cookie cutter or template onto construction paper. Trace three hearts for every shamrock that will be made.

Help child to cut out heart-shapes from construction paper. Then, help child cut out rectangle shapes from scraps of construction paper to be used as "stems" of the Shamrock.

Glue the hearts into the shape of a Shamrock with the points facing the center. Add the stem to the bottom, then glue in place.

Allow glue to dry, and then use Shamrocks to decorate for a festive St. Patrick's Day atmosphere!

A Bit O' The Green Collage

From the color of Shamrocks, to the suit of a leprechaun, green is the color of the Irish. Some speculate that St. Patrick's Day's is so closely associated with green, not just because of its Irish heritage, but also because it is thought to be the holiday coinciding with first green of spring.

Whatever you choose to believe, creating a collage of green is a wonderful way for toddlers to enjoy a craft activity while celebrating the heritage of St. Patrick's Day.

Materials Needed:

Medium Size Piece of Cardboard (An empty Cereal Box works well)

All Purpose Glue or Craft Glue

Green Decorative Materials (sequins, glitter, construction paper, yarn, buttons, ribbons, pipe cleaners, beads, markers, etc.)

Instructions:

Cut a shamrock shape from cardboard.

Allow child to add bits of green all over the shamrock using the green decorative materials. Help child to glue decorative materials to the shamrock shape.

Let glue dry. Display the green collage for a decorative flair on St. Patrick's Day.