Re-using materials has always been fun in our family.  I grew up in an era when there wasn’t lots of extra money for craft supplies.  So my siblings and I created with used materials from around the house and out-of-doors.  I also did crafting with my daughter using “found” items.

Image: sxc.hu

“Green” crafts for St. Patrick’s Day:

• Cut shamrock from green wrapping and construction paper saved from previous projects.  (Families can keep a paper recycling bin or box like we do at many schools.) Make these shamrocks into place cards for the table, connect them for shamrock chains, paste them to a larger sheet of paper for a collage.
• Make leprechaun houses from “found” items, such as twigs, leaves, paper, string and stones.  (Some people call these fairy houses.)
• Save cards…greeting cards, postcards, holiday cards.  Youngsters can have such fun making their own cards, collages, mobiles, and more by cutting images from the cards.  If you have any old cards with St. Patrick’s Day designs, they’re very appropriate for this celebration.

What do you do for “green” crafts? We called it being creative with what we had on hand, when I was a youngster.  Or stretching our budget when my daughter was young and I didn’t have money for new craft materials.

Today we’re being “green.”

Post from: Blisstree

“Green” Crafts for Kids

• Cut out a bunch of four leaf clover shapes and hide them all through the house. Then, send the kids on a clover hunt. When they come back with all of their lucky clovers, give the child with the most clovers a special treat. (You may want to make sure you have a small gift for all the other kids, too.) If it is a nice day, you may want to try taking the clover hunt outside to a patch in your yard. Just be sure you hide at least a few four leaf clovers in the patch so the kids are successful.
• Make a Shamrock hat or another fun craft, like a Leprechaun lunch bag puppet.
• Update the traditional pin the tail on the donkey game with a shamrock and a Leprechaun.
• Hold a green scavenger hunt. Any kid can find a toothbrush, but a green one? What about a cup, a tie, or a stuffed toy?

Do you have any fun St. Patrick’s Day games that your family plays?

Photo by Sophie/Stock Exchange

Post from: Blisstree

St. Patrick’s Day Game Ideas