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One of the most underrated holidays, and one of my favorites is St. Patrick’s Day. I have Irish heritage and growing up, my mom always made St. Patrick’s Day special. Each year my brother and I would receive a letter from a leprechaun named Lucky who was mischievous and loved to have fun. It was something we looked forward to every single year.
Of course, now that we are adults, the letters from Lucky have stopped but still, to this day we have a St. Patrick’s Day celebration every year complete with decorations, themed food, and drinks. We celebrate with family and friends and have an absolute blast! So naturally, I had to do a St. Patrick’s Day-themed craft with my little one.
We have been doing so many handprint crafts lately and I wanted to do something different. My tot absolutely loves to paint so I decided to let her take control and run wild with it!
I decided to focus on a shamrock rather than a rainbow with a pot of gold or a leprechaun because of the Irish meaning of the shamrock. A shamrock in Irish culture symbolizes luck, hope, and the arrival of spring, the shamrock holds a special place in the hearts of many, including my own.
This time of year as winter is fading and we are anticipating the arrival of spring, it is the perfect symbol for what is to come.
So cue this very simple, quick, and easy St. Patrick’s Day craft!
What You’ll Need
Q-Tips
Scissors
A Marker or Pen
That’s it! You seriously can’t get much easier than that.
Cutting Out a Shamrock
If you go on Microsoft Word, Pages, or Google Docs you can insert shapes and make them any size you want. I inserted a shamrock and made it as big as I could fit on the page. I put the green construction paper in my printer and it printed directly on that.
After that, grab some scissors and cut each of them out – easy peasy!
*Tip – you may be tempted to put them together and cut them all out at once but I caution you with this because it’s likely they won’t line up completely and you’ll end up having to reprint some again. It may take more time to cut them out individually but it’s worth it in the end when they are all cut out perfectly!
Painting the Shamrocks
Just to add a unique layer of fun, I decided to give my kiddo Q-tips to paint with. I laid some tin foil down on the counter, put out two shamrocks at a time, filled a small bowl with green washable paint, handed her a Q-tip, and then we were ready to go!
Many Q-tip crafts you see online include perfect little dots, with my 2-year-old toddler, that was not the case! She used the Q-tip more like a traditional paintbrush, but it didn’t matter because it turned out super cute, nonetheless. Sometimes my favorite thing about doing crafts with my toddler is how imperfectly perfect they are. In a world where you are supposed to always stay in the lines, it’s refreshing to color outside of them sometimes.
She had a blast letting her creativity flow and it was such a joy to watch her let loose and paint to her heart’s desire.
Thank goodness the paint was washable because it was everywhere! Prepare for there to be paint on the floor, counter, all over your tots clothes, and hair. We just jumped in the bath right afterward and cleaned everything right up!
Write Something Cute
After you let the shamrock masterpieces dry, write something cute on them to make them personalized. I chose to do a simple “Happy St. Patrick’s Day 2024” on mine but feel free to get creative. You could also write your kiddo’s name on there as well.
I also thought about gluing the shamrocks to another piece of green or even white construction paper to make them more substantial and write something on there instead. Since I was looking for something super quick and easy, this time I just stuck with the basic shamrock. But don’t worry, basic in this case is still very cute!
You could also add things like glitter, googly eyes, or themed stickers to decorate it even more! The possibilities are endless with this simple craft.
As a mother, it’s easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of daily life. But, moments like these serve as gentle reminders to slow down and cherish the simple joys. In a world filled with screens and distractions, it’s crucial to provide our little ones with opportunities to explore their imagination and express themselves through art.
As moms, we have the privilege and responsibility of nurturing our children’s creativity, providing them with the tools and encouragement they need to flourish. Whether it’s through painting, drawing, or imaginative play, every opportunity for artistic expression helps to foster a sense of confidence and self-discovery in our little ones.
I know I often find myself striving for perfection, but it’s times like these that remind us of the beauty in imperfection. Our children teach us to embrace the messiness of life and to revel in the joy of creation without the constraints of perfectionism.
Engaging in crafts with our little ones is not only a great bonding experience and memory, but it is also fun for everyone involved. I love having a little collection of items we have made together that I know I will look back on with such fondness. Our kids grow up so quickly and this helps me to capture each little stage in my daughter’s life in such a simple, innocent way.
So as St. Patrick’s Day approaches, I invite you to embrace the spirit of creativity with your little ones. Whether it’s painting shamrocks, baking festive treats, or simply spending quality time together, cherish these moments of connection and celebration. For it’s in these simple joys that the true magic of motherhood resides—the magic of watching our children grow and flourish before our very eyes.
Do you have any special traditions for St. Patrick’s Day?
XOXO,
Katie
