85+ IDEAS FOR ST. PATRICK’S DAY MISCHIEF AND FUN
I LOVE finding ways to add magic to holidays. This year, make St. Patrick’s Day extra exciting and create a fun new tradition- make leprechaun traps with your kids!! We’ve gathered some adorable and hilarious ideas for leprechaun fun. Just a warning, leprechauns are VERY difficult to catch. These sneaky little tricksters come at night, and always leave behind some tricks and mischief!
Not only have we found the best ideas for Leprechaun Traps, we’ve also put together ideas for Leprechaun mischief, treats and stories for St. Patrick’s Day! Check out the ideas we’ve packed into each of these categories:
- 26 Ideas for Leprechaun Traps
- 10 Leprechaun Traps Bait Ideas
- 21 Leprechaun Notes, Gifts, and Goodies
- 18 Leprechaun Mischief Ideas
- 10 Leprechaun Stories
We’ll give you the links to each idea, so you can check out the blogger’s pictures and designs in detail. These are so fun! I can’t wait to have a leprechaun visit MY house!
So first, grab your kids, some crafty supplies, lot’s of imagination, and let’s get started! Here’s some inspiration for creative, clever and out-of-the-box
LEPRECHAUN TRAPS!
2. Rainbow Lego Stairs Trap– Colorful Legos make perfect stairs up to your trap.
3. Lego Sign Trap– Make a taunting sign out of Legos that the Leprechauns can’t resist!
4. Green Duplo Trap– Perfect for the younger kids!
5. Painted Popsicle Stick Trap– Use plain popsicle sticks and paint!
6. Rainbow Popsicle Stick Trap– Pre-colored popsicle sticks can be used to make a darling rainbow trap.
8. Secret Trap Door– Dangle some bait with pipe cleaners over a hidden trap opening.
9. Cereal Box Trap– Cut open a cereal box and prop up with a stick!
10. Tissue Box Trap– Just the right size for a little leprechaun.
11. Plastic Pot Trap– This link is no longer available 🙁 Grab a green cauldron or other plastic container at the dollar store for this trap with some gold coins to fill it.
12. Oatmeal Container Trap– Cover your old oatmeal containers with shiny gold paper and green gems!
14. Rubbermaid Tub Trap– Lure them in with gold tinsel, and trap them with a big tub!
15. Laundry Basket Trap– Everyone has one of these lying around at home.
16. Tin Can Trap– This link is no longer available 🙁 Bu this awesome trap uses some physics and pulleys, great for the little scientist.
17. Strawberry Basket Trap– Already green and perfectly sized.
18. 7-up Bottle Trap– Leprechaun Trap Kit in a bottle!
20. Bug Net Trap– Link is no longer available 🙁 Works for catching bugs, why not Leprechauns?
21. Sticky Duct Tape– One step on this trap and the Leprechauns will be stuck for good! Duct tape found Here.
22. St. Patrick’s Day Hat Trap– Use a festive, green hat for this trap.
23. Shoe and Slinky Trap– I love the creative use of an old shoe sprayed with metallic gold paint and toys like this slinky!
24. Rainbow Cake Layers– Colorful layers of cake in a cute jar with a pretzel ladder.
25. Green Cake Trap– Make a bundt or circle cake with the middle cut-out, topped with green frosting and gold coins.
26. Rainbow Twizzler’s Trap– Use fun, bright licorice strings to create a ramp into this trap.
Now that you’ve picked out one of the leprechaun traps to model your own after, you’ll need something irresistible to entice the leprechauns to fall into your snare! Remember, leprechauns are attracted to anything green, shiny or rainbow. And they can’t resist gold! Here are some fun ideas for
LEPRECHAUN BAIT!
1. Leprechaun Hotel– Offer a leprechaun luxurious lodging!
2. End of the Rainbow Motel– A motel at the end of the rainbow? Leprechauns won’t be able to resist the prospect of gold and a good night’s sleep! This link also has free printables!!
3. FREE Gold– Use Rolos or other gold foiled chocolates to peak the leprechauns interest.
4. Golden Sparkle Slime– Make your own golden slime and stick some gold coins in it! The Leprechauns might even get stuck if they try to walk in it!
5. No Leprechauns Allowed– Leprechauns can’t resist doing what they are told not to! This sign is a free printable as well!
7. The End of the Rainbow– Leprechauns love to follow rainbows in hopes there is gold at the end!
8. Rainbow Restaurant– Complete with an “All You Can Eat Lucky Charms” special!
9. Mini St. Patrick’s Day Donuts– So adorable! Made from Cheerios and icing. You can make your own with the printable tiny donut box!
10. Lucky Charms– This link is no longer available but we have a post full of St. Patrick’s Day printables here! Of course, a leprechaun’s favorite cereal is Lucky Charms! This link includes the darling free printable bag topper.
1. Leprechaun Poem– A fun little rhyme explains how he got away! Free printable here!
2. Leprechaun Letter– Another clever note the kids will be excited to read.
3. You Can’t Catch Me!– A teasing printable card that’s left behind.
4. Glitter Message– Leave a message in green glitter!
5. Leprechaun Laughs– Fun St. Patrick’s Day jokes for the kids.
6. Shamrock Clue Hunt– The Leprechauns will start the kids on a fun hunt for shamrock clues!
7. St. Patty’s Scavenger Hunt– Leprechauns leave the first clue for a scavenger hunt!
8. Gold Coin Hunt– 10 gold coins are hidden, and the kids have 10 minutes to find them all!
10. Green Goodie Baskets– The leprechauns in this house left all sorts of green surprises in fun green buckets! You can buy a package of green goodies here!
11. Magic Leprechaun Rocks– Amazing rocks that have gold hidden inside them. Just dissolve in vinegar to reveal!
12. Leprechaun Putty– Green, sparkly, fun to play with goo the kids will LOVE! Don’t want to make it? Buy some here!
13. Lucky Penny– Everyone knows pennies are lucky, but this one will be extra special!
14. Tiny Leprechaun Pants– While escaping, this little leprechaun lost his green pants!
16. Rainbow Treat– Rainbow licorice and gold candy, packaged with a colorful printable tag.
17. Rainbow Seeds– Link is no longer available 🙁 Skittles are perfect Rainbow Seeds. So cute, right??
18. Edible Gold– Attach the printable to a bag of corn pops and make a yummy golden snack!
19. Lucky Charms for Breakfast– The leprechauns might leave a surprise breakfast at the end of the rainbow!
20. St. Patty’s Krispie Treats– Shamrock-shaped Lucky Charm Krispies. YUM! Get the cookie cutter here!
21. Leprechaun Bark– I want a leprechaun to leave me some of this delicious green mint chocolate!
When leprechauns visit, they love to pull pranks and tricks. Those pesky little buggers! From green bath water to green hair, here are some hilarious ideas for
LEPRECHAUN MISCHIEF!
2. Green Faucet Trick– Watch your kids go nuts when they turn on the sink and it comes out green. Whoa!
3. Mirror Writing– Link is no longer available 🙁 They’ll draw you a mirror mustache and beard! You can use this green mirror marker to draw with!
4. Windshield Rainbow– Start your wipers St. Patrick’s Day morning, and a rainbow magically appears!
5. Green Lighting– The leprechauns turned the light bulbs green!
6. Green Toilet– A funny surprise when the kids wake up to use the bathroom.
8. Green Balloon Bath– Find footprints and green balloons in the tub!
9. Lego Rainbow– The leprechauns got into the Legos at this house, and left a Lego rainbow with a pot of gold!
10. Green Silly String– Link is no longer available 🙁 After escaping traps, leprechauns like to spray them with silly string!
11. Green Door Barricade– Your kids will have to break through green streamers to get out of their rooms on St. Patrick’s Day!
12. Giant Rainbow– This link is no longer available but you can find rainbow streamers Here. The leprechauns might make a big rainbow of streamers and balloons in your house!
14. Green Hair– Wow! This boy woke up with green hair on St. Patrick’s. Those sneaky little Leprechauns!
15. Green Shoelace Replace– Your shoe might end up with new laces! Check out these green shoe laces here!
16. Green Milk– Classic leprechaun trick- dying the milk green!
17. Magic Color Change Cool Whip– Cool whip is a yummy topping for St. Patrick’s Day pancakes or waffles. But once you mix it up, it magically turns green!
18. Green Oreos– The leprechauns might try to trick you, by putting mint Oreos in a regular Oreo package!
Telling your kids about leprechauns and their tricks is great, but wouldn’t it be even better to READ to them about it?! Get them excited and introduce them to the magic of the St. Patrick’s Day’s tricksters with stories. Below we’ve found 10 great
LEPRECHAUN BOOKS!
1. Leprechaun On The Loose
– A leprechaun is loose at school!
2. The Leprechaun Trap
– Read what happens when this family creates a trap to try and catch a leprechaun and get his gold!
3. The Story of the Leprechaun
– This story tells about a greedy man who tries to steal some leprechaun gold, and how he gets out-smarted!
4. The Leprechaun in the Basement
– Find out what happens when a little boy finds a leprechaun in his basement!
5. Traveling Tom & the Leprechaun
– Tom is in love, and in order to win the girl’s heart, she’s asked for a pot of leprechaun gold. Will he be able to get trick the leprechaun and steal the gold?
– Besides burying pots of gold, mischief is what leprechauns do!7. The Leprechaun’s Gold
– An Irish legend about two competing musicians and a tricky leprechaun.
8. The Leprechaun Under the Bed
– A leprechaun tries to build his home under the bed!
9. The Night Before St. Patrick’s Day
– A fun twist on the Night Before Christmas Poem, about setting leprechaun traps and getting ready for St. Patty’s Day!
10- The Leprechaun Who Lost His Rainbow
– A little girl helps her leprechaun friend find his rainbow and save the St. Patrick’s Day Parade!
Ok, aren’t you just SO excited about all of these adorable ideas? I am!!! The hard part is going to be picking which ones to use! Hopefully you are inspired to make this St. Patrick’s Day a hilarious and memorable day with lots of leprechaun fun!!
If you loved these ideas, check out our round-up of FREE St. Patrick’s Day Printables, AND our FREE St. Patty’s Day Photobooth Props plus we also have a round up or our Favorite St. Patrick’s Day Finds!
Thank you for sharing my little leprechaun jokes printable!! This is an amazing resource!
You are SO welcome! XOXO
Thanks so much for including my leprechaun’s hi-jinx {drawing funny faces on the mirror}! There are SO many fantastic ideas on this page….can’t wait to share it on social media!!!
Shara, you’re welcome! Thanks for the fun idea!
Very cool! Thanks for including my Leprechaun Kissing Booth! I was SURE that one would catch the leprechaun. 😛
Haha your kissing booth trap was SO clever! No way leprechauns could resist that! Thanks for the creative idea!
I love these! I like this idea better than the Christmas elf. Thanks!
Thanks Anne! Glad you enjoyed them. We think they are a lot of fun! It requires some creativity and engineering out of the kiddies 🙂
These have me so excited for St. Patty’s Day!! Thank you for sharing them!
Thanks Kristyn! The leprechauns do make things pretty fun!! xoxo
Great ideas to convince the littles!!
Haha YES! Excited to try a bunch of these on my 4 yr old this year 🙂 xoxo