Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with science experiments, treats and more! These St. Patrick’s Day activities for kids are great ways to combine learning and fun while deepening learning and reinforcing key skills and concepts.
Use the following St. Patrick’s Day activities to celebrate the holiday in your after school program:
Rainbow in a Jar
Materials:
- Tall, clear container
- Honey
- Light corn syrup
- Blue or green dish soap
- Olive oil
- Rubbing alcohol
- Water
- Food coloring
- Dropper
Instructions:
- Discuss how density – the weight of a liquid – will impact the liquids in the jar. Liquids with higher densities will stay at the bottom of the jar while liquids with lower densities will move to the top.
- First, pour in the honey. Be sure to pour it into the middle of the container and don’t let it touch the sides.
- Pour in the corn syrup (this should be colored purple using the food coloring).
- Add the dish soap.
- Pour in regular water (use food coloring to change its color).
- Add a thick layer of olive oil.
- Use the dropper to add the rubbing alcohol along the side of the container (use food coloring to change its color to red).
- Admire the beautiful rainbow created by liquids of various densities!
Source: http://www.playdoughtoplato.com/rainbow-jar-st-patricks-day/
Shamrock Pretzel Pops
Materials:
- One bag of plain M&M’s (sort out the green candies)
- One bag of mini pretzels
- One bag of Rolos
- Lollipop Sticks
- Parchment Paper
Instructions:
- Preheat oven for 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and assemble the pretzels into a clover shape.
- Add a Rolo in the center of each of the clovers. Place the baking sheet into the oven. Bake for three minutes, or until the Rolo has just begun to melt.
- Take the baking sheet out of the oven. While they’re still warm, carefully insert a lollipop stick through the Rolo while placing an M&M in the center. Repeat with each clover.
- Allow them to cool before removing from the baking sheet and carefully peel them off of the parchment paper.
- Serve the St. Patrick’s Day treat to your students!
Source: http://inspiration.kenmore.com/5-minute-treat-idea-shamrock-pretzel-pops/
Catch a Leprechaun
Materials:
- Scrap materials (such as small boxes, bags, straw, paper cups, string, etc.)
- Craft supplies (paper clips, tape, glue, etc.)
Instructions:
- This St. Patrick’s Day activity for kids is a fun problem-solving activity that challenges students to build a leprechaun trap.
- Encourage students to use their imagination to create a trap using the scrap materials and craft supplies.
- Once they have completed the traps, ask students to sketch a plan to attract a leprechaun to their trap.
- Have students share their plans and how their traps work.
- Allow students to vote for the best leprechaun trap!
