St. Patrick’s Day Fun: DIY Leprechaun Traps

Leprechaun traps have become a popular St. Patrick’s Day tradition for families with young children over the past few years. Similar to the Easter Bunny, these clever creatures are hard to catch and often travel with some sweet treats. That means that kids have to get creative to capture the little guys and their goodies.

To get your family in on the fun, make a leprechaun trap like this one the day before St. Patrick’s Day. Use a faux rainbow and some “fool’s gold” as bait, then head to bed and wait to see what you get. Kids love waiting for a visit from leprechauns almost as much as they love waiting around for Santa and the Tooth Fairy.

To make a leprechaun trap like ours you will need the following supplies, all of which we found at our local craft store:

  • a cardboard treasure chest
  • green and gold craft paint
  • paint brushes
  • moss
  • pipe cleaners in various colors
  • toy coins and leprechaun hats or pots of gold
  • St. Patrick’s Day stickers
  • a candy stick (the kind used to make suckers) or another propping device

To begin, paint the outside of your treasure box with green and gold paint and allow to dry completely.

Once the box is dry, add a nice fluffy layer of moss.

Next, make a rainbow with the pipe cleaners. If you’re having trouble getting them to stay together you can use thread, fishing wire, or even dental floss to securely bundle the pipe cleaners together on each end.

Don’t forget to add in the “fool’s gold” coins and hats or pots as the treasure at the end of the rainbow.

All that’s left is to decorate the outside with some festive stickers, prop the box open with the stick, and wait.

The next morning, if a leprechaun has visited, your kids will find a shut box. Those leprechauns are sneaky though and they often escape, leaving only a few of their treasures behind. We usually find chocolate coins, Skittles, or even Lucky Charms marshmallows.

What will your kids find in their trap?