St. Patrick’s Day is a time for crafts inspired by shamrocks, rainbows, pots of gold, leprechauns, and everything green. Help kids celebrate the Irish heritage and fun legends that surround it with these crafts.

1. Rainbow Crepe Paper Windsock

What you will need:
-Various colors of crepe paper rolls
-Construction paper
-Scissors
-Tape
-String
-Hole punch

To pay tribute to the myth of a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, it’s fun to celebrate the rainbow with colorful crafts. To make a rainbow crepe paper windsock, you will first need to buy crepe paper rolls (the rolls of paper used to decorate for birthdays and parties). Ideally pick up one of each rainbow color: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple.

Take a piece of construction paper and cut it in half. Staple the two ends together to form a circle. Cut equal lengths of the crepe paper in each color. Attach the paper with tape to the paper circle. Punch a couple of holes on the top of the paper circle and attach string. Now this wind sock can be hung up or the kids can run around holding it by the strings helping it to catch wind.

2.Pot of Gold

What you will need:
-Small clay pot
-Black paint
-Paint brush
-Scissors
-Cardboard circles
-Gold glitter
-Glue

Paint the small clay pot black. For a decorative touch add gold glitter to the rim or paint a simple shamrock on the side. To make the gold coins, you will need to cut cardboard (or foam board or card stock) into circles. This is a good test of cutting skills for the older kids, but younger kids will need some help. Cover the surface of the circle in glue and sprinkle on gold glitter. Let dry and repeat on opposite side (or fill the pot in a way that you don’t see the back side of the coins). Alternatively you can use gold glitter glue or gold wrapping paper to make the cardboard circles into gold coins.

3. Candy Heart Shamrocks

What you will need:
-Valentine’s Day candy hearts
-Green paint
-Paint brush
-Construction paper or cardstock
-Crayons, markers, or colored pencils
-Glue

Do you have left over candy hearts from Valentine’s Day? Turn them into a St. Patrick’s day craft project! Take three candy hearts at a time and glue them to the piece of cardstock into the shape of a shamrock. Use four to make a lucky four leaf clover. Then carefully paint the candy hearts green. Color in the rest of the picture to add stems to the shamrocks and whatever else may be lurking in the clover field — perhaps a leprechaun!

4. Leprechaun Hat

What you will need:
-Paper plate
-Paper or plastic cup
-Black construction paper
-Green paint
-Paint brush
-Tape and/or glue
-Scissors
-Permanent marker

To make a decorative leprechaun hat, you first need to paint the paper cup and plate green. Once dry, tape or glue the cup to the plate forming a top hat shape. Cut a strip of black paper and wrap it around the bottom of the cup where it meets the plate. Tape or glue it into place. With a permanent marker make sure to add the child’s name and the date.

5. St. Patrick’s Day Pin

What you will need:
-Large safety pin
-Green beads
-Needle nose pliers