It doesn’t matter whether or not you’re from the Emerald Isle – everyone gets to be Irish on St. Patrick’s Day! This great green holiday is a blast for kids, and since it’s March Break, we’ve put together a list of kid-friendly activities – from a Gaelic-inspired game to an Irish pub lunch – to keep you celebrating St. Paddy’s Day with your wee ones from morning till night.
Breakfast – Green Pancakes
Start the celebrations off right and have your little leprechauns saying, “Top o’ the mornin’ to ya,” with this St. Paddy’s Day favourite – green pancakes! Just add green food colouring to your favourite pancake recipe for an easy, fun breakfast. Top them off with Lucky Charms to add some extra breakfast treasure. Find the recipe at I Heart Naptime.
For something a little healthier, try adding blended spinach to the batter, and topping it with fresh kiwi or green grapes!
Morning Craft – Lucky Leprechaun Hats
The luck of the Irish is sure to rub off on you in this lucky leprechaun hat. It’s a whale of a time to make, and then you get to wear it all day long! Visit Classic Play for the full, step-by-step instructions for this craft.
Morning Game – Kiss the Blarney Stone
According to legend, whoever kisses the Blarney Stone at Blarney Castle in Ireland will have the gift of eloquence bestowed upon them. Bring the legend to life in this silly St. Patrick’s Day game from About Parenting.
Draw and cut your very own Blarney Stone out of construction paper, and hang it up on a wall. Then blindfold players, put lipstick on them, and have them try to plant a kiss on the stone! The player who comes close to kissing the stone (or comes closest to the centre of the stone) wins!
Lunch – The OverDraught
St. Patrick’s Day festivities at this Irish pub located in the heart of Toronto’s Entertainment District begin at noon. Bring your wee ones to The OverDraught for lunch and enjoy Irish dishes, like shepherd’s pie, which is also available on the kids’ menu. There will be live music and prizes given away all day, but past 9 pm the pub becomes adults only.
Afternoon Activity – Shamrock Stamp
All you need for this festive craft from Crafty Morning are a bell pepper, green paint, and paper! Start by cutting off the bottom of a bell pepper. Then dip the pepper into the green paint and use it as a stamp to create a shamrock or four-leaf clover design on your paper.
Afternoon Game – Gold Coin Toss
Have your little ones stand behind a line and take turns tossing gold coins into a leprechaun’s pot of gold. You can find a leprechaun pot at the dollar store (and probably the chocolate gold coins, too), or you can use any bowl, pail, or even the leprechaun hat you made this morning. And if you’ve got time to spare, check out this cute craft from B-Inspired Mama to make your own pot of gold. Whoever gets the most gold in the pot, wins!
Dinner – Irish Stew
Nothing says St. Paddy’s Day like a traditional, hearty Irish stew for supper. No, it’s not green, but it is full of meat, potatoes and Guinness, so it won’t disappoint. Check out the full recipe from Allrecipes. This delicious dinner takes some time to cook, so make sure you get started a few hours before you want to eat.
Or try this healthier version from My Fitness Pal (more veggies, way less beer) in the slow cooker. And if you want to omit the beer entirely, any beef stew recipe works!
Evening Entertainment – Into the West
This magical, award-winning Irish film is about two young boys, Tayto and Oisín. When their grandfather, who entertains the boys with Irish folk tales and legends, brings them a beautiful white horse, the boys are over the moon – until the horse is stolen. Tayto and Oisín must set out on an Irish travel adventure to find the mystical creature.
Evening Snack – Leprechaun Shake
Settle down after a long day of St. Patrick’s Day shenanigans with this simple, sweet dessert treat. You’ll only need milk and pistachio-flavoured JELL-O Instant Pudding. Find the full recipe and instructions at Kraft Canada.
Or if you want something a little healthier (think bananas, spinach, and yogurt), try this great recipe from Creative Green Living.
Before-Bed Book – Too Many Leprechauns: Or How That Pot o’ Gold Got to the End of the Rainbow by Stephen Krensky.
Too Many Leprechauns: Or How That Pot o’ Gold Got to the End of the Rainbow is a great bedtime book for St. Patrick’s Day. We all know that leprechauns are lucky on St. Patrick’s Day, but the rest of the year they’re little troublemakers – and they’re causing a commotion in the town of Dingle! Good thing Finn O’Finnegan always has a plan, and maybe with a little luck of the Irish it can fool even the cleverest of creatures.
Don’t Forget – St. Patrick’s Day Events
There are also lots of ways to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with the family the weekend before the big event and the weekend after! You don’t want to miss the annual Toronto St. Patrick’s Day Parade on March 13, with its marching bands and free face-painting.
You can also stop by Montgomery’s Inn with your older kids on March 12 from 7 to 11 pm for a St. Patrick’s Céilidh complete with Irish stew, fresh baked bread, and live traditional music.
The Scarborough Museum hosts March Family Fun Weekends on Saturdays and Sundays this month from 2 to 4 pm, celebrating everything green – including St. Paddy’s Day and spring!
For some fun for free, stop by Purina PawsWay for their St. Patrick’s Day event on March 19 from 12 to 5 pm to celebrate your pet and participate in kid-friendly activities.
Hilary Roth is a writer, educator and editor who works full-time in marketing and LOVES everything to do with kids. When she’s not stumping people with her amazing riddles or playing mobile games, she can be found reading YA novels and cooking vegetarian food. Follow her on Twitter @hilroth12.
READ MORE LIKE THIS:
- 7 Great Ways To Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with Kids
- Toronto Fun With Kids March 2016
- The 10 Best Kids’ Menus in Toronto
Stay up-to-date on what’s happening around the city with our Event Listings and find tons of great ways to keep the kids busy in our Toronto Weekend Activities and After-School Programs directory.
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