Here’s How You Can Make A Leprechaun Trap Just In Time for St. Patrick’s Day
It is almost St. Patrick’s Day. Like, when did THAT happen? Wasn’t it JUST Christmas??
Yep. It WAS just Christmas, but March 17th will be here before you can say “Luck o’ the Irish!” So, it’s time to be ready, my friend.
Part of getting ready for that lucky day full of Shamrocks and Rainbows includes doing all those activities with the kids that bring all the memories.
One of my FAVORITE of all the St. Patrick’s Day activities is the Leprechaun Trap! What the heck is a Leprechaun Trap, you ask?
It’s kinda like that pesky Elf on the Shelf had a mischievous little red-haired cousin, and he is here to wreak havoc on the world. Your job is to catch that little bad boy before he can cause even more havoc!
I had never, in my entire ** years of life, ever heard of a Leprechaun Trap — that is until my friend, Courtney, posted on Facebook that she had made one with her daughter.
I was intrigued — as I am by ANYTHING having to do with magic, fairy tales, and imagination. I had to know exactly what in the world this “Leprechaun Trap” was, and why I had missed the boat on this freaking awesome tradition.
What Is A Leprechaun Trap?
Well, before we talk about the Leprechaun Trap, we should probably back up and talk about what exactly is a Leprechaun.
In Irish folklore, a Leprechaun is a mythical fairy-type creature who spends his days making shoes and making even more mischief. He loves gold, rainbows, and all things Irish and green.
While he is said to be “mythical,” there have actually been Leprechaun sightings from as early as the year 700, so YOU decide.
It’s said that every leprechaun has a pot of gold that he hides deep in the Irish countryside. According to legend, the leprechaun must give this treasure away to anyone who captures him. But this little fellow won’t let his treasure slip away easily. The story goes that the sneaky leprechaun can fool a person into looking away for an instant. And just like that, he vanishes into his forest home and takes his treasure with him.
CBC Kids
This is where the Leprechaun Trap comes into play! We have to try to trap him to 1) prove he’s real, and 2) capture his pot o’ gold!!
Where Do You Get A Leprechaun Trap?
Well, you can buy one — but why in the world would you do that when you can MAKE your own Leprechaun Trap?
They are super simple to make, and they use every ounce of your child’s imagination to create the perfect trap.
Basically, here’s what you need:
- A Container (Like one of your left over Amazon Boxes from Christmas)
That’s legit all you HAVE to have. Beyond that, let your child get their creativity on by using:
- Markers, Crayons, Colored Pencils, Paints or Some Other Coloring Substance
- Colored Construction Paper
- Pipe Cleaners
- Googly Eyes
- Popsicle Sticks
- Wrapping Paper
- Yarn
- Whatever else you can think to use
How Do You Make A Leprechaun Trap?
The hardest part of this whole endeavor is covering your work surface. It’s gonna get messy, so you want to protect the surface you are working from. I use a plastic tablecloth (like you use at a birthday party), and tape it to the underside of my table.
Then you dump all your supplies onto the table, and get to creating.
Think Green; Think Lucky; Think Rainbows; Think Gold Coins.
Here are some ideas for inspiration:
What Do You Do With The Leprechaun Trap Once It’s Done?
The kids leave it out overnight, to try to “catch” that sneaky little Leprechaun.
But — Spoiler Alert — the Leprechaun is too sneaky for the trap.
Here’s where your handy-dandy skills with the Elf on the Shelf come into play.
You make it look like you had a little visitor — green footprints, footprints in powdered sugar, etc.
Then the Leprechaun leaves a note saying something like, “Wow! Your trap was super tricky — but you can’t catch me this time!”
Maybe get super creative and “catch” a St. Patrick’s Day cupcake or some other treat for your little that the Leprechaun left behind.
