St. Patrick’s Day is not necessarily renowned for its child-friendly festivities. When St. Patrick’s Day comes to mind, it usually conjures images of beer, shamrocks, and college-age kids consuming liquor at an alarmingly fast rate. Things start shifting when you’re a parent, though. Even more so when your child is naturally curious about the world, and wants to feel important and be included in everything in your agenda. Who says you can’t make St. Patrick’s Day fun for your kids? If the world now has toddler yoga, and a baby edition of The Bachelor, adapting the luck o’ the Irish to your schedule should be no hard feat.
Here are four simple ways to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with your kid!
Parade.
If you live in a bigger city, you are certainly no stranger to the St. Patty’s Day Parade. Even if you are residing in a smaller, more rural area, chances are you’ll have a gathering in your town, or in a larger neighboring city. This is a chance for your child to engage with the world, and join in on all the fun! You can make a day out of it! Dress in green, do face-painting, and head out with your little one to watch the floats pass by.
When you’re at a parade with your child, keeping them from getting lost in the crowd is the biggest concern. If the unthinkable should happen, The McGruff Safe Kit is a useful tool for parents, as it conveniently stores their child’s DNA, hair samples, and photo identification in case you ever lose track of your child. Request your kit today!
REQUEST A KIT
Cooking green-themed recipes.
At one point in time, the only reason for procreation was to get some extra help around the farm. This same concept applies here. Sometimes, chores can be a little more fun, and a little more colorful with the help of your kid. Plan some desserts around the theme of St. Patrick’s Day. You can bake cookies and cupcakes, and keep your child busy with handling food dye and frosting. Check out this great cream cheese St. Patty’s Day sugar cookie recipe we found! However, if you suffer from a complete shutdown of the imagination and can’t get any creative recipes, you could just resort to French Fries (after all, potatoes are a staple of Ireland). For more safety tips on baking with children, check out our blog post.
Games.
Planning a party? Make it all about St. Patrick’s Day by adjusting the aesthetic of existing party games. Create a scavenger hunt with gold coins around the house. Play pin the hat on the leprechaun. Go hunting for four-leaf clovers, or even go bobbing for potatoes (or…green apples if you want to be ever so slightly more traditional). As a parent, the world is your shamrock, and these party games will be easy to execute.
Crafts.
In conjunction with games, arts and crafts are other great supplements to this holiday. Some fun activities include building a coloring station complete with crayons, watercolors, and glitter. If you want an art project with fewer frills (and less mess), we’ve found a great website that has instructions on how to build an origami shamrock. Once finished, you and your child can decorate your house with shamrocks to get even more festive.
So, who’s laughing now? Surely not the people who think St. Patrick’s Day is an adult-only holiday! Make adults green with envy by using these tips and making the day fun for you and your family. Who needs anything else when you’ve got your own pot of gold?
While planning fun activities, it can be easy to forget what’s most important. When it comes to missing children, safety is the top priority. The McGruff Safe Kit conveniently stores your child’s DNA, hair samples, and photo identification if your child should ever go missing. When you know that you’re prepared, nothing can rain on your parade. Request your kit today!
REQUEST A KIT
