Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with a Fun Leprechaun Craft
Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with a Fun Leprechaun Craft
St. Patrick’s Day is right around the corner, so it’s time to get creative with some festive arts and crafts! We’ve assembled an easy leprechaun paper craft for elementary-aged kids to make while learning about St. Patrick’s Day.
This leprechaun template is entertaining to put together, and it can spark interesting conversations about Irish culture and folklore and even touch on some math concepts like shapes and sizes. Keep reading for complete instructions on how to assemble this cute craft!
What is a Leprechaun?
In Irish folklore, a leprechaun is a mischievous sprite or fairy who likes to cause trouble. Leprechauns are often depicted as little old men with gold pots that they guard carefully. Some stories say if you catch a leprechaun, he has to lead you to his pot of gold!
Our cheerful leprechaun papercraft is a bit nicer than the tricky ones of legend. He’s ready to spark creativity and be part of St. Patrick’s celebrations!
Benefits of Creating the Leprechaun Paper Craft
Crafting with your homeschooler has so many benefits beyond just a cute decoration. As your child colors, cuts, and assembles this project, they will work on fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, and spatial awareness.
The activity also lends itself well to learning about shapes. You can discuss the shapes you see on the template pieces. Counting how many of each shape there are is fantastic math practice!
Free Download
Build a Leprechaun Template
Supplies for Creating the Leprechaun Paper Craft
- Leprechaun printable template
- Crayons, Colored Pencils, or Markers
- Scissors
- Glue stick
Step-by-Step Leprechaun Craft Instructions
Follow along with these simple steps to assemble your colorful leprechaun:
- Print out the leprechaun template pieces. Have your child color the parts however they’d like.
- Use scissors to cut out each piece carefully.
- Apply glue stick to the back of the paper pieces. Have your child assemble all the pieces into a leprechaun figure.
- Display your cheerful leprechaun proudly! He can be shown off on the fridge, classroom board, or as part of a St. Patrick’s Day display.
Fun Themed Books for St. Patrick’s Day Learning
In addition to festive crafts, reading books is another great way to teach your homeschooler about St. Patrick’s Day themes. Here are some highly rated storybook options you can order online:
Leprechaun’s Gold
Written by Pamela Duncan Edwards
A silly rhyming tale about a clever lass who tries to capture a leprechaun’s pot of gold.
The Night Before St. Patrick’s Day
Written by Natasha Wing and illustrated by AMy Wummer
Get in the holiday spirit with this ‘twist’ on the night before Christmas featuring leprechauns, shamrocks, and more.
Jamie O’Rourke and the Pooka
Written by Tomie dePaola
From a beloved children’s author, this tale brings Irish folklore to life with beautiful illustrations
Fiona’s Luck
Written by Teresa Bateman and Illustrated by Kelly Murphy
A clever girl named Fiona uses her wit to outsmart a greedy Leprechaun King and restore luck to the people of Ireland. Luminous illustrations add charm.
How to Catch a Leprechaun
Written by Adam Wallace and Illustrated by Andy Elkerton
A clever girl named Fiona uses her wit to outsmart a greedy Leprechaun King and restore luck to the people of Ireland. Luminous illustrations add charm.
Pair these storybooks with the hands-on leprechaun paper craft for well-rounded learning about Irish culture. The right book can bring history and holiday traditions to life while nurturing a love of reading! Have you read any good St. Patrick’s Day books lately? Share your recommendations in the comments!
Let the Luck o’ the Irish Inspire Some Crafting Fun
There’s so much to discuss and explore when it comes to leprechauns, shamrocks, rainbows, pots of gold, and Irish culture. This cheerful leprechaun paper craft lets those conversations happen naturally. We hope you and your elementary aged homeschooler have fun crafting!
