Every year on March 17th, people around the world celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, a cultural and religious holiday originally established to honor the patron saint of Ireland, St. Patrick. While the day is typically associated with parades, parties, and green beer for adults, there are also plenty of fun and engaging activities for toddlers to enjoy.
Whether you’re a parent, teacher, or caregiver, there are endless opportunities to introduce your little ones to the rich traditions and folklore of St. Patrick’s Day in ways that are developmentally appropriate and enjoyable.
In this guide, we’ll explore a variety of St. Patrick’s Day activities for toddlers, ranging from crafts and games to storybooks and songs, that are sure to keep them entertained and engaged while learning about Irish culture and history.
Scroll down to explore a variety of St. Patrick’s Day activities for toddlers, that are sure to keep them entertained and engaged while learning about Irish culture and history.
Dancing Pasta Science Experiment
Get ready for an exciting experiment that combines science and fun! With just a few household ingredients, you can create a colorful and mesmerizing display for your kids that will captivate your audience. This appealing experiment teaches your toddler about the science of chemical reactions.
Gather your supplies and get ready to create an engaging display of bubbling, fizzing, and dancing pasta!
What Will You Need?
- Glass of water
- Vinegar
- Baking soda
- Small sized pasta
- Green food coloring
How to Make the Pastas Dance?
First, pour the baking soda into the glass of water and give it a good stir.
To add a little St. Patrick’s Day flair to your experiment, add a few drops of green food coloring to the mixture. Watch as the color diffuses and blends throughout the glass, creating a festive green hue that will make your experiment even more exciting.
Next, carefully add the small-sized pasta to the glass of water and watch as it sinks to the bottom.
Now, it’s time to add the vinegar. Slowly pour the vinegar into the glass and observe as a chemical reaction occurs making it appear as though the pasta is dancing.
How to Explain this Chemical Reaction to Your Child to Understand what is Really Happening?
When we mix vinegar and bicarbonate of soda together, it makes lots of bubbles. These bubbles are filled with a special gas called carbon dioxide. When we put the pasta in a glass of water with this mixture, the bubbles stick to the pasta and make it float. The bubbles carry the pasta up to the top of the water, and then they pop, which makes the pasta sink back down again. This makes the pasta move around in the water and it looks like it’s dancing!
Saint Patrick’s Day Sensory Base
Can you find the pot of gold at the end of a rainbow? This activity is perfect for little ones exploring and using their senses. The Saint Patrick’s Day Sensory Base is an activity that allows toddlers to create their own rainbow, while also providing a tactile experience using interesting materials. This activity is both fun and beneficial for young children, as it can enhance their fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, and cognitive development.
With this rainbow sensory base, your toddler is sure to have a fun and memorable Saint Patrick’s Day!
What Will You Need?
How to Make a Rainbow Sensory Base?
Cut out the base of your board. Cut up another piece of cardboard into approximately 1 cm wide slices. Stick the slices to the base following a rainbow, a cloud, and a pot shape.
Dump the pasta into 7 different zip bags. Add a small amount of water and a few drops of food coloring to each bag, shake the bag and allow it to dry.
Prepare the different colors in separate bowls.
Once you have completed the above steps and your sensory base is ready, invite your toddler to come and play with it. Fill the rainbow with bright pasta by hand or with a spoon. Use the beans to fill the clouds and the coins for the pot.
Encourage them to touch and feel the different materials, and to explore the colors and textures of the rainbow, clouds, and pot of gold. You can even encourage them to count the gold coins and pasta pieces or to sort them by color.
To prevent burns or other injuries, adults should handle glue guns and closely supervise toddlers during the activity.
Once you’re done with the activity, the colored pasta will end up mixed together. Turn the colorful pasta mix into a sorting game by separating the different colors.
Your child can practice their fine motor skills by picking up pieces of red, purple, blue, yellow, and green pasta and placing them into separate bowls. Plus, while they’re sorting, they’ll also be cleaning up without even realizing it.
St. Patrick Sensory Bag
Get ready for a fun sensory activity this St. Paddy’s Day with a Sensory Bag dedicated to this festive occasion! With these materials in hand, you can bag-nificent sensory playtime for your little ones, wherever you go! This activity is perfect for families eating out and will enhance your child’s sensory development. So, let’s get started on making this easy and enjoyable St. Patrick sensory bag!
What Will You Need?
- Printable Template
- Zip bag
- Green liquid soap
- Plastic gold coins
- Scissors
- Clear tape
How to make a St. Patrick sensory bag?
Fill the bag with liquid soap, add the coins, remove excess air, then close it. Put the sensory bag on the printed paper template and attach it to the table with clear tape.
This will keep the bag in place and provide a colorful and festive background for your child’s sensory exploration. The printed paper template can add an extra layer of fun to the activity and make it more engaging for toddlers.
Let the sensory fun begin! Watch the how is it made video here.
Trim the Leprechaun Beard Craft
Get your little one in the St. Patrick’s Day spirit with this fun and engaging activity. Using basic craft materials and toddler scissors, your child will enjoy practicing their cutting skills while creating a festive craft.
What Will You Need?
- White construction paper
- Green foam paper
- Orange craft paper slices
- Glue
- Googly eyes (optional)
- Toddler scissors
What to Do?
Draw Leprechaun’s face on white paper or print the template then cut it out. Add googly eyes. Cut a hat from green foam paper and attach it.
Cut long stripes from the orange paper and line them up with glue to the Leprechaun’s chin to get the beard.
Invite your little one to trim the Leprechaun’s
Green Broccoli Pancake
Get your greens in the mix this St. Patrick’s Day with a tasty and nutritious broccoli pancake recipe! It’s a great way to add some variety to your meal and celebrate the holiday. These delicious pancakes are packed with flavor and will have your taste buds feeling lucky. So don’t wait, whip up a batch of these brocc-licious pancakes today!
What Will You Need?
- 1 egg
- 3 tablespoons of flour
- 250g fresh or frozen broccoli
- pinch of salt
- mixing bowl
- whisk
- non-stick pan
What to Do?
Cook the broccoli, mash with a fork, add the egg, and whisk. Add a pinch of salt. Then gradually the flour.
Prepare the broccoli by washing it and cutting it into small pieces. If you are using frozen broccoli, defrost it before cooking. Begin by boiling the broccoli in water until it is soft, which should take about 5-7 minutes.
Once it is soft, drain the water and use a fork to mash the broccoli into small pieces. Next, in a mixing bowl, whisk the egg until it is well beaten, then add the mashed broccoli and mix it with the egg.
Add the flour gradually to the mixture while stirring well after each addition until the consistency becomes thick and smooth. Be sure to add a pinch of salt too.
Place a non-stick pan on medium heat and add a small quantity of oil. Scoop a spoonful of the broccoli mixture onto the pan. Cook the pancake for 2-3 minutes on each side or until it turns a beautiful golden brown color.
Repeat the process with the remaining mixture, adding more oil as necessary. Finally, serve the broccoli pancakes hot, garnished with your favorite toppings, such as chopped herbs, grated cheese, or a dollop of sour cream.
St. Patrick’s Day Bubble Foam
St. Patrick’s Day bubble foam activity is a fun DIY foam sensory play. The bubble foam recipe requires simple ingredients such as liquid soap, warm water, and food coloring.
The foam can be made with a hand mixer and can be used for sensory play, bubble baths, or foam paint. Check out the details to learn more about how to make bubble foam.
Conclusion
The St. Patrick’s Day activities for toddlers mentioned above are perfect for little ones to enjoy and learn.
The Dancing Pasta Science Experiment teaches children about the science of chemical reactions, while the Saint Patrick’s Day Sensory Base enhances their fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, and cognitive development.
The St. Patrick Sensory Bag provides an easy and enjoyable sensory playtime for little ones. The Trim the Leprechaun Beard Craft helps children practice their cutting skills while creating a festive craft.
Finally, the Green Broccoli Pancake recipe is an excellent way to add some variety and nutrition to your child’s diet. So, go ahead and try out these activities and recipes to have a fun and memorable St. Patrick’s Day with your toddler and their siblings.
And don’t forget to explore Messy Learning Kids for more exciting ideas!
