Ever wondered how to make a Leprechaun trap?
It's a piece of cake, and I'm going to share with you the secret to catching a Leprechaun.
One of the trickiest things to do, is catch a Leprechaun, but it is also the most rewarding. If you catch a Leprechaun, you get his pot'o gold. Provided you don't take your eyes off him, or let him trick you. Or let him go. Some say you need to pinch him on the toe, and that makes them talk. It doesn't sound very nice, so I think keeping him in the trap might work a bit better.
Ever hear of the story of Patrick and the Leprechaun?
Well, they say that Patrick caught a Leprechaun in a box just like this, and the Leprechaun tried to get away, but Patrick wouldn't blink, no matter what the Leprechaun did, the Leprechaun couldn't escape, because Patrick knew all the rules.
The Leprechaun agreed to give Patrick his pot'o gold, because Patrick was too smart for him, and he said it was buried in Patrick's backyard. Patrick let him go, with a promise from the Leprechaun to show Patrick where his pot'o gold was buried. A Leprechaun can never go back on his word, so Patrick knew he had him, and his pot 'o gold. The Leprechaun promised to put a stick in the ground, with a yellow flag tied to the top, marking the spot of where the pot o'gold was burried, by the following morning.
Early morning Patrick raced outside to his backyard, and gasped out loud when he saw what he saw.
His entire yard was filled with sticks, with yellow flags, by the end of the day Patrick had counted 300 flags, and there were still more.
Well that tricky little Leprechaun tricked Patrick, but now you can tell the story to your little ones, and they won't be so easily fooled.
I have a great article on a list of Saint Patrick Day Children's Books, with stories on children catching Leprechauns, if you want to get a book to read to the kids. I'll post it at the end of the article.
So let's get on with the traps, and leave the catching of Leprechauns to the children.
This article is a really good one for teachers, and preschool teachers, if you want to do something exciting for your students this year for St. Patty's Day. The day before, or Friday before, March 17th, as it falls on a Monday this year, you get the kids to make the traps, and set them on their desk. When they come to school on St. Patty's Day, or the next Monday, they will be amazed that ALL of their traps were sprung, and they have to check their traps to see who caught the Lucky Leprechaun. No one ever does, but, the Leprechaun always leaves a nice treat for the kids for their grand effort.
If you're not having a party, and are a Grandma or Mom, and you want to make St. Patty's Day more fun at home, you and your little ones can make these, and set them before they go to bed the night before St. Patty's Day, and watch their little eyes light up when they have to check the box.
You take a box and decorate it as shiny, and as green as the rolling hills of Ireland. You can glue shredded strips of tissue paper in layers over your trap, or you can use glittery green wrapping paper, four leaf clover cut outs, St. Patty's day stickers, what ever the kids want, and don't forget to put their names on it.
For a Saint Patrick's Day Party. You can
take the kids in an alternate room, that's secluded. The garage, the garden, somewhere your party isn't, and set the traps.
How you set the trap, is by using a box without a lid, and you prop the inside of the box up with a stick, and you put something shiny inside the box. Quietly, with only whispers and smiles, the children leave their traps, and you close the door.
After the party is over, the children can go check on the traps, all but forgetting they were there, and magically the traps are all flattened, and the children find shiny gold chocolate coins with their shiny objects.
1. Have a Craft table armed and ready for your little guests. You will need items, and could include a bring if you want to, if any mother's offer to help. If not here's a list of supplies that might be helpful.
2. For each child. One empty tissue box, or shoe box, or even a UPS box that's about a dollar at any UPS outlet that's about the size of a tissue box.
3. Green, and Yellow construction paper. You can also use any paper, I personally go to a gift shop and buy rolls of St. Patty's day wrapping paper preferably with little clovers or cute leprechauns printed on it, I like shiny metallic ones. They shinier your box is, the more attractive it is to the Leprechaun.
4. You can also get glittery paper, shredded tissue paper works really well, and if you can't find any, buy some of those decorative bags (that you can cut up and use as wrapping paper) at the dollar store, that are like 3 for a dollar, and stock up, you'll need them.
5. Next you will need sticks. From the back yard, from a craft store, it could even be a bag of chopsticks from the grocery store. You need one stick per box, so make sure you get plenty enough for each child. You can also cover the sticks with gold glitter, for an added shiny touch.
6. You will need to be creative and get some shiny objects. Shiny Buttons work well, shiny coins, anything tiny that will reflect the light. I always raid my moms button box.
7. Kids Craft Glue. Or you can use tape.
8. Markers (for putting their name on it)
9. Glitter sticks
10. St. Patty's day stickers, enough to go around.
11. And most importantly, you need to get some chocolate covered gold coins. Very important!
Make sure to leave the top opened, tape the flaps down on the inside, or you can cut them off.
Next put on your wrapping paper, or cover over the base of the box, and have fun decorating it.
Add Stickers, shiny ribbon, anything that sparkles to the outside of your box.
When you are ready, take a shiny object, like a shiny button, or a glittery star, or even a real coin.
Prop your box up on a stick, with the open part hanging down.
Next you can tie the shiny object to a string that you can attach to the inside of the box, or set it on the floor.
Prop your box up on the stick, and very quietly, leave it all alone.
If you are doing this the night before Saint Patricks Day. By the next morning you can go check your trap, and if there's been a Leprechaun running about, he will leave you a golden coin, preferably a chocolate one.
And if you catch a real Leprechaun, tell him he has to give you his pot'o gold, and don't let him go until he does. Don't forget to remind your little ones, that after Saint Patrick's Day, you must pack your box away with the open space facing up. Wouldn't want a bunch of Leprechauns getting stuck under the box, waiting for the kids to come find them.
If you want the St. Patrick's Kids Party Ideas, here's the link.
Here's the link to my article on Saint Patrick's Day Children's Books.
Happy St. Patrick's Day,
You lucky bunch of Irishmen!
By: Sacreeta
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