Ahh, mammies, gather your wee ones for a laughing leprechaun is about to visit your house this week! St. Patty’s Day is upon us, and it’s time to celebrate the rich history of that island nation across the pond by drinking green Chardonnay (ahem) and enjoying the time-honored tradition of tricking our kids! Here are three low-key (read: easy) ways to tickle your little one’s funny bone on March 17th and generally celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with kids.
Start the Day Right: With a Green Breakfast
Be sure to buy green food dye and drop a few splashes in your child’s carton of milk the night before. Whether she’s a cereal eater or just likes her calcium in the morning, make sure you act unsuspecting when you pour it. When she can’t figure it out (or hopefully, laughs with delight instead of sneering with disgust), blame it on the leprechaun you heard banging around the night before.
If you want to really impress, add green food dye as you stir up pancake mix. Or, you could sauté spinach and then finely chop it in a food processor. Whip it into your child’s scrambled eggs. If he complains, remind him of what it takes 50+ pages to learn in Dr. Seuss’s classic Green Eggs and Ham: it’s not bad once you try it!
Naughty Leprechauns Enjoy Mischief
This is so easy, but it will delight. Before you child comes downstairs on St. Patrick’s Day, be sure to rearrange some part of the house. Stack the couch cushions on the floor. Put a throw blanket over a floor lamp (not on, of course!). Turn the coffee table upside down. Make sure it’s obviously wrong. If your child is young enough to be tricked, leave a note (in green ink, naturally) from the leprechaun, taking credit for the prank. If your child is anything like mine, he’ll be hoping the madness happens every morning.
Buy Some Candy
I truly think my son measures all potential fun by the treats he might receive. In other words, for a holiday to be truly enjoyable, it will involve a treat. I don’t mind. You can decide what type of treat you’re okay with, but for me, I’m a traditionalist. It’s either got to be green or better yet: those impossible-to-open gold coin chocolates. If you hide them and make her search the house for them (hey, it’s training for the Easter bunny), all the more fun. Enjoy!
Share with us! What do you do to make St. Patrick’s Day fun for your kids?