How to throw a kid-friendly party for St. Patty's Day

SheKnows.com

By Michelle Maffei for SheKnows.com.

Not all St. Patrick's Day parties have to revolve around green beer and corned beef and cabbage. There are plenty of ways to get the kids involved and in the holiday spirit. From shamrock invitations to Leprechaun trap crafts, learn what you need to throw a killer green-themed bash for the little ones in your life.


INVITATIONS


  • Cut out a shamrock shape from green cardstock and add party details to one side, and St. Patty's Day stickers or gold glitter to the other side.

  • Create invitations with a rainbow background and include holiday-themed phrases along each border.

  • Print out party info on cardstock and attached to a small bag of gold coins, inserted into a green envelope.

  • Affix party details to mini boxes of Lucky Charms cereal and hand deliver to your lucky guests.


>>Take a look at these free St. Patrick's Day printouts for Irish-themed ideas for your homemade invitations.

GAMES AND ACTIVITIES


  • Hide a small plastic Leprechaun and plastic gold coins and send the kiddos on a scavenger hunt. Whoever find the Leprechaun first wins, along with another prize for the person with the most gold coins!

  • Blindfold kiddos and play a game of pin the shamrock on the Leprechaun.

  • Listen to an Irish Jig or Celtic music to create an Irish version of hot potato.

  • Cut out and decorate a "pot" shape from cardboard, complete with multi-sized holes for tossing gold-colored beanbags in a pot of gold coin toss. Different sized holes can hold different point values for a bigger challenge.

  • Lure Leprechauns with traps. "They can be made from a shoe box and lots of odds and ends around the house -- kids think will 'attract' them," suggests Valerie Reddemann, Founder and President of Greenfeet.com. "Each year, the traps seem to get more elaborate as the kids get older. Huge amounts of fun for all!"


>>Impress guests with these cute decorating ideas for St. Patrick's Day

TREATS


  • Serve cubes of green or yellow "gold" gelatin.

  • Dish up delicious green pistachio pudding cups.

  • Bake rainbow cupcakes or a layered rainbow cake.

  • Fill mini pots with Lucky Charms cereal for snacking.

  • Pour lucky punch, made of limeade or green Kool-aid, lemon-lime soda and rainbow sherbet.


>>Check out these creative St. Patrick's Day crafts for kids

GOODIES


  • Hand out plastic St. Patrick's Day hats to decorate with stickers, glitter and metallic marker (with adult supervision) to take home with them after the party.

  • Stuff shamrock-printed cellophane bags with chocolate coins and green apple candies.

  • Slip St. Patrick's Day rubber band bracelets into green goodie bags.

  • Surprise kids with green glow stick necklaces, which are especially perfect for an evening bash.

  • Teach children about shamrocks with mini shamrock seed pots kids can sow.


>>Learn how to grow shamrocks for St. Patrick's Day

MORE ON ST. PATRICK'S DAY


Get more from SheKnows.com on Facebook and Twitter.