Dancing Leprechaun
[20 Minutes]
St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland and the Irish, was born around 385 A.D. in Northern Wales. He died on March 17, 461 A.D. The anniversary of his death is celebrated as St. Patrick's Day. There are many customs surrounding St. Patrick's Day. These customs were first celebrated in America in 1737 in the city of Boston, Massachusetts. Make this dancing leprechaun to celebrate St. Patrick's Day in your city or town.
You'll need:
• heavy white paper • markers or crayons • glue • fluffy cotton • stapler • hole punch • rubber band or piece of elastic
What to do:
- If possible, print out these directions. Read them through with your child before you begin.
- With your child, gather everything you'll need.
- Invite him to draw a leprechaun with pointy ears and a hat on the white paper.
- Encourage him to be creative. He may wish to glue on a beard of fluffy cotton.
- Take strips of construction paper and help him “accordion” pleat the arms and legs.
- Staple these strips to the body.
- Challenge him to cut out little hands and boots and glue these onto the arms and legs.
- Punch a hole through the top of the leprechaun's hat.
- Help your child tie a rubber band or a loop of elastic through the hole and watch the leprechaun dance, as your child moves the puppet with his hand.
Let's Talk: Ideas to Explore Together.
- Do you think there are leprechauns in Ireland?
- What would you wish for if you caught a leprechaun?
- What should we do to celebrate St. Patrick's Day?
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