FAMILY FUN
6 Ways St. to Patrick’s Celebrate
Day with Kids
BY SARAH LYONS
E ach holiday brings with it the oppor-
tunity to participate in unique
celebrations with your kids, and St.

Patrick’s Day has no shortage of fun festiv-
ities. Whether you are lucky enough to be
Irish or just love celebrating the holiday, try
these fun and educational ideas to bring some
luck to your home..

trap). Make it educational by asking kids to
answer a question or riddle to figure out the
next clue, or leave an interesting fact about
Saint Patrick to teach them about the holiday.

Have your kids follow the clues through the
house to find a pot of gold coins at the end.

Make a rainbow
For breakfast, try some green eggs and ham
while reading the Dr. Seuss book to your kids,
or dye your pancakes green just for fun. For
lunch, try serving up a buffet of green foods—
broccoli, celery, salad, guacamole and grapes.

Wash it all down with some green juice. Who
knows? Maybe your child will try some new
foods while trying to get good luck on St.

Paddy’s Day.

St. Patrick’s Day wouldn’t be complete with-
out a rainbow. Have your kids use watercolors
or finger paint to create their own rainbow.

Vanilla pudding with food coloring makes for
a fun and edible finger paint. Put food color-
ing in cups of water and let kids experiment
by mixing them to see what colors they can
create. Using eye droppers and ice cubes trays
lets you sneak in a little fine motor practice,
too. Make sure to offer some Lucky Charms
cereal as a snack for a little inspiration.

Attend a parade
Explore the Irish culture
Eat all things green
Check your local listings for a St. Patrick’s
Day parade and attend as a family. The Alex-
andria St. Patrick’s Day Parade is the largest
one-day event in Old Town Alexandria, with
authentic pipe bands and performances by
Irish dance schools, community groups and
more. Beginning at 12:30 p.m. at 300 King
Street, festivities last until 3 p.m. Go green
by painting your face or picking up some silly
hats or headbands at the local dollar store.

See which family member can dress in the
most green for the event.

Set a leprechaun trap
The night of the 16th, have your kids set a
leprechaun trap using a box or laundry bas-
ket. Put gold coins inside to attract your
leprechaun, but remember, leprechauns are
very sneaky and do not like to be seen. In the
morning, your child may awake to see that the
leprechaun has taken their gold coins and left
them a small gift or treat.

Scavenger hunt
Create a scavenger hunt for your kids (or
let the leprechaun leave the first clue in the
10 Washington FAMILY
MARCH 2023
Learn about Irish culture by checking out
books or movies about Ireland and the his-
tory of St. Patrick’s Day from your local
library. Have the kids watch a video of an
Irish dance performance (YouTube is a great
place to find one) and try some of the dance
moves themselves. This activity will get the
whole family moving, and probably produce
some giggles, too. For the crafty family mem-
bers, try painting or drawing an Irish flag or
four-leaf clover. If you are lucky enough to
be Irish, make a family tree and discuss your
heritage. For dinner, try serving a traditional
Irish meal like corn beef and cabbage. If this
isn’t a family favorite, Reuben sandwiches
may be a good alternative.

There are so many ways to celebrate
St. Patrick’s Day that do not involve the ste-
reotypical party that comes to mind. Parents
can get creative with crafts and activities
that are family-friendly and sure to become a
well-loved tradition in years to come. 1
Sarah Lyons is a mom of six kids, including
7-year-old triplets. She enjoys reading, writing
and spending time outdoors with her family.

(Heather M. Ross contributed to this story.)
Connect Through
Local Libraries
The D.C. Public Library has a
wealth of titles to help you and your
children celebrate St. Patrick’s Day.

“Lucky Tucker” by Leslie McGuirk
(Best for ages 2-5)
Tucker, a terrier pup, is having
a horrible day, but a roll around a
patch of clover changes his luck.

A quick and fun story with simple
and charming illustrations.

“St. Patrick’s Day” by Anne F.

Rockwell (Best for ages 3-5)
A classroom celebrates St. Patrick’s
Day by wearing green, learning the
story of St Patrick, dancing, music,
and more. An Irish student shares
traditions from his family in Ireland.

“Fiona’s Luck” by Teresa Bateman,
illustrated by Kelly Murphy
(Best for ages 5-8)
“Luck’s all well and good, but
myself? I’d rather depend on my
wits.” A clever heroine restores
luck to Ireland by beating
leprechauns at their own tricks.

Beautiful, dream-like illustrations
accompany this original folktale
that embraces the message
of making your own luck.




DIY
13 Crafts
for Little Artists
BY REBECCA HASTINGS
I THAT AREN’T A PAIN TO CLEAN UP
think there’s still glitter on my
floor. From five years ago. Arts
and crafts have a way of stick-
ing around, and while I want to
encourage creativity in my kids,
I hate cleaning up the aftermath.

Yes, we can make them clean up. I know.

But seriously, do they ever really clean it
all up? If you’re going to be the one picking
up from the latest craft session, here are
13 crafts that will make your job easier and
allow your little artist to be creative.

Melissa & Doug Deluxe Party
Pack Scratch Art Craft Set
PAINTS: RAWF8; GLITTER: BEREZKA_KLO/ISTOCK/GETTY IMAGES PLUS
Scratch through the black surface to
reveal amazing colors. Reveal as much or
as little as you want. This favorite comes
with 16 boards, two stylus tools and three
frames. Kids love the rainbow and metallic
backgrounds. melissaanddoug.com
Boogie Board Jot
A small notebook-sized LCD drawing panel,
the Boogie Board Jot is perfect for drawing
anywhere, even in the car. No mess and
endless possibility. Kids love the erase
button and the ability to start fresh. Great
for keeping in your purse for kids to play
with on the go. myboogieboard.com
Made By Me Build and
Paint Wooden Cars
This one does involve paint, but it’s all pretty
self-contained. Spread a piece of newspaper
and grab a cup of water. Kids put together
small wooden cars and decorate them using
the stickers and paints provided. This one is
great for keeping boys busy and giving them
a chance to create. horizongroupusa.com
Fashion Angels I Love Fashion
Sketch Portfolio for Kids
Kids design outfits and unique looks on the
doll-like outlines provided. Tons of great
activity books with stencils for those who
love to create fun fashion looks. Makeup,
fashion and even home decorating books
give kids great ways to draw and imagine as
they get older. target.com
Melissa & Doug Paint with Water
Sometimes the little ones just want to paint.

Here’s a great compromise that just involves
water! Watch images and colors appear
magically as your little artist swipes a wet
brush across a page. melissaanddoug.com
Easy Playhouse Barn
Cardboard box play is taken to the next
level. Kids can easily construct a house and
then decorate it with crayons. Toddlers
love this, and it keeps them busy for hours!
easyplayhouse.com Crayola Color Wonder
Magic Light Brush
Half the fun of this amazing toy is the
magic! Kids use a special brush to paint on
their paper. It lights up with each color they
pick, and they create a masterpiece. Plus,
it doesn’t leave marks on hands, tables or
clothes! crayola.com
Rainbow Wikki Stix
These bendy, twisty sticks quickly become a
favorite of kids and adults. You can link them
together, twist them and create without
making a mess to clean up. Another great
toy for the traveling creative! wikkistix.com
Sidewalk Chalk
Let nature take care of the cleanup! Kids
love the ability to leave their mark and draw
outdoors. A bucket of sidewalk chalk fits
the bill, and all you have to do is wash your
hands when it’s done!
LovesTown Lacing Beads
Fun and great for fine motor development,
lacing beads give kids the chance to string
chunky beads in different shapes and colors
to create one-of-a-kind masterpieces.

While there are a lot of pieces, this one
is easy to clean up with its own carrying
bag! amazon.com
Alex Toys Little Hands Mosaics
Kids place the color-coded stickers on the
template and create a beautiful picture.

These are great for hanging up when
they’re complete, and they offer fantastic
color and shape matching and fine motor
development. amazon.com
Crayola Model Magic
Softer and airier than the traditional Play-
doh, Model Magic is a great way to let kids
mold and shape with less mess. It also air
dries solid, giving little artists the chance
to create forever masterpieces! crayola.com
Crayola Bathtub Finger Paint
When you can’t avoid the mess, at least
make it in the easiest place to clean up!
Finger paints specifically designed for the
tub give kids the chance to make a mess. And
cleaning up when they’re done is contained
and fun. crayola.com 1
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