You certainly don't have to be Irish to celebrate St. Patrick's Day. Kids love St. Patrick's Day... and there's plenty you can do to make the day special for them!
Here are 17 ideas on how to make a memorable St. Patrick's Day for your kiddos:
1. Drink green milk
Secretly add a few drops of green food coloring to a glass of milk of cereal. Tell them the leprechaun must have done it!
2. Make them giggle with green toilet water
Add some green food coloring to the water in the toilet. Oops, I guess the leprechaun forgot to flush!
3. Create a leprechaun trap
Kids love getting creative making a trap to try to catch a leprechaun! Here are two fun examples:
4. Eat Lucky Charms
In my house kids don't get a lot of sugary cereals, but Lucky Charms on St. Patrick's Day is an exception!
5. Cook green pancakes
Just add some green dye to your pancake mix for a special St. Patrick's Day breakfast ... or dinner!
6. Get eggs-cited with green eggs
Green scrambled eggs? Yep! Today is the day to add green food dye to anything you can!
7. Slurp down green mint milkshakes
Yum... we love mint milkshakes. St. Patrick's Day is a great excuse to have one!
8. Hide gold coins around the house
That silly leprechaun dropped gold wrapped chocolate coins all over the house! Can your kids find them all?
9. Bake green cookies
We love baking as a family, and this Lime Shamrock Meringue Cookie recipe is a favorite!
10. Get crafty
Here are three simple St. Patrick's Day themed crafts you can make with your kiddos!
11. Add a note to their lunch
Wish them the luck of the Irish on a piece of paper cut into the shape of a four leaf clover or rainbow and hidden in their lunch box.
12. Sandwiches for dinner!
Try this amazing 5 Ingredient Dish: Triple Decker Corned Beef Special for an easy holiday dinner everyone will love.
13. Make a rainbow necklace
Simply string Kellogg's Froot Loops cereal onto string. Kids can wear it ... and then nibble on it for a snack!
14. Grow green grass... from a sponge!
Green is the color of St. Patrick's Day so what better time to sprinkle a few seeds? Check out our easy idea for a DIY sponge grass garden. Kids will love to watch their St. Patrick's Day seeds sprout!
15. Hold a scavenger hunt
See who can find the most green things in the house!
16. Learn the history of St. Patrick's Day
Did you know, for instance, that St. Patrick actually grew up in Britain and not Ireland? Learn more here!
17. Don't forget to wear green!
Because that's what we do.
Valarie Fisher is the publisher of Macaroni Kid Roseville-Rocklin-Lincoln, Calif.