St. Patrick's Day Activities for Children

March 17th is St. Patrick's Day, and you don't have to be Irish to enjoy it. Include these activities for children and just have a fun day. This also gives you a good opportunity to tell your children or grandchildren about another country and its traditions. This began as a Catholic holiday, then became more secular as a day of feast. Find a map or a globe and show them where the country is located.

• One morning activity could be making a rainbow picture. Rainbows are wonderful ways to teach your children about color combinations: red and yellow make orange; blue and red make purple; blue and yellow make green. Depending on their age, let them do their picture with markers, crayons, colored pencils, or colored paper.
• Use the rainbow picture to teach a little science. Explain that rainbows occur when it is raining and the sun is shining. When light goes through droplets of rain at a low angle, an arc forms with bands of color: a rainbow. The color reflected depends upon the wavelength of the stream of light.
• Finish your activity with a snack, a rainbow tray of fresh fruit: strawberries, oranges, bananas, green grapes, blueberries, small plums, and dark raspberries. (Rainbow color accuracy is not required.)

• What fun would St. Patrick's Day be without a search for the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow? So, it is time for a treasure hunt. For young children use a Blue's Clues approach. Put little pieces of colored paper around the room or outside to show where the treasure is hidden. Preschoolers can find treasure baggies of raisins and crackers and stickers. For children over six draw a treasure map and leave some small change at each point with a pot of gold (money or potato chips) at the end. Instead of drawing a map, you could just offer clues or play hot and cold.

• Play-doh clovers are a great way to allow your children to be creative, and play-doh is always fun.
• Clover cut-and-paste pictures or greeting cards are a fun way to share. These can be made for grandma or a neighbor or a friend.
• Once the indoor clover projects are finished, it will be time to go out and look for the real St. Patrick's Day clover outside. If you can't find the good luck four leaf clover, three leaf clovers will have to do.
• While you are outside, pick up a Blarney Stone to paint. Blarney Stone was built into the Blarney Castle. It is tradition to kiss them for good luck. Just wash it, dry it, and paint it.

Easy Potato Soup

5 medium potatoes, peeled and choppped

3 cups of water

1 medium onion, chopped

2 stalks celery, chopped

2 cups frozen corn

2 medium carrots, peeled & chopped

1 cup soy or almond or coconut or rice "milk"

1 t. salt

1/4 t. pepper

Method 1

Using a crockpot, combine all ingredients and cook until tender (low for all day; high one hour, then low for 3 or 4 for half day). Mash to desired thickness and texture, mix. Serves 6

Method 2

Boil 3 cups water and add potatoes and carrots and cook about 20 minutes, until tender. Mash potatoes and carrots in the pot of water. While potatoes are cooking, fry onions and celery in a small amount of vegetable oil, until tender. Add all remaining ingredients to the soup pot. Serves 6

• ·         Now, put on some green, invite a few friends, and have a parade.  For an outdoor parade you could include decorating bikes or, indoors, just learn to march to music.

  A fun day of St. Patrick's Day activities for children will help you bond with your children, educate them a bit, and teach them some fun with structure. Make it a great day and have fun!