Any fun things planned for St. Patrick's Day?

[Inspired by Reggio]

My crew is under 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5

This is my plan this week

Games
• Pin the Pot of Gold on the Rainbow game - can do this on the floor for younger kids
• Musical Shamrock’s game (same a chairs but with the increasing Shamrocks until we all end up on one big shamrock giggling)
• Pot of Gold scavenger hunt … hide clues on shamrocks around the house that lead them to the ‘pot of gold’ … use pictures of next hiding spot and word for younger ones who cant read - at the end of this game on Friday will be a 'stash' that the Leprechaun left for us
• Leprechaun, leprechaun, leprechaun … POT OF GOLD (same concept as duck, duck goose)
• "Leprechaun, Leprechaun where's your shamrock? Somebody has it in their Pocket! Guess who? Maybe you? Maybe a monkey from the zoo! Come on Leprechaun find your shamrock." Spin off of Doggy Doggy whose got your bone.

Rhyme Time / Circle
• St Patrick’s Day matching game for group time (rainbows, pots of gold, shamrocks, 4 leaf clovers, leprechauns, harp, Ireland flag)
• Catch a rainbow science experiment
What you need:
o red, blue and yellow food color
o 1 cup milk
o dish soap
o shallow bowl
What you do:
o Add 3 drops of red food color to one edge of the bowl
o 1/3 of the way away, add 3 drops of blue food color
o 1/3 of the way away add 3 drops of yellow
o don't mix or jiggle the bowl
o Squeeze a drop of dish soap in the center of the bowl
o Observe what happens 
• Poems
5 little Shamrocks felt board story
One green shamrock, in the morning dew,
Another one sprouted,
and then there were two.
Two green shamrocks, growing beneath a tree;
Another one sprouted,
and then there were three.
Three green shamrocks, by the cottage door;
Another one sprouted,
and then there were four.
Four green shamrocks, near a beehive
Another one sprouted,
and then there were five.
Five little shamrocks, bright and emerald green,
Think of all the luck
these shamrocks will bring.

Im a little Leprechaun
I'm a little leprechaun
(hands on hips)
Dressed in green,
(point to shirt)
The tiniest man
(hold thumb and index finger about an inch apart)
That you have seen.
(point to the other people)
If you ever catch me, so it's told,
(make a motion like you're grabbing at a leprechaun)
I'll give you my big pot of gold.
(make a motion like you're giving something away)

There was a little leprechaun (tune Bingo)
There was a little leprechaun,
He lived under a rainbow.
R - A - I - N - 'bow'
R - A - I - N - 'bow'
R - A - I - N - 'bow'
He lived under a rainbow.
• Concentration / matching game
• Books from library on St Patty Day

Creative Art
• Paper bag Leprechauns http://www.dltk-holidays.com/patrick/mlepbag.html
• Making Rainbows … finger painting on a rainbow shape and watermelon rind prints
• Pot of Gold – gluing with glitter and gold coin shapes
• Shamrock crown … green crown with shamrock antennae to wear on Friday
• Shamrock creations … glitter decorated, tissue paper covered, finger painted … combine several styles into a St Patrick’s Day mobile for Friday decor
• St Patty Day macaroni necklace … green and gold coloured macaroni
• Making a Kissable Blarney Stone … using a rock or stone or make a clay shaped lump that dries and then decorate with green paint, glitter and then stamp with ‘kiss shape’ stamp.
• Shamrock stamping … with ink or paint
• Group collage of green items

Sensory Ideas
• Green play dough with gold sparkles in it
• Green water play with shamrock lily pads (foam shapes floating)
• Green rice or goop play

Additions to the Room
• Laminated Shamrocks in varying sizes
• Plastic Gold coins
• Black caldrons from Halloween to be ‘pots of gold’
• Leprechaun Top hats (make from Bristol board and decorate with clovers/rainbows)
• Irish music CD’s
• Library books on St Patrick’s Day

Meals and Snacks
• Green milkshakes with kiwi shamrocks … cut out a kiwi for on tip with small shamrock cookie cutter
• Shamrock sugar cookies … use the cookie press for shamrock butter cookies
• Shamrock cupcakes
• Key Lime tarts
• Pots of Gold (save the lime shells from key lime pie and use as a ‘bowl’ for yellow cubed jello jigglers)
• Corn beef and hash for lunch
• Pot o Gold soup with Irish soda bread
• Shamrock toasties (Toasted English muffin with cheese and a green pepper cut whole to look like a shamrock)
• Green foods … avocado dip, broccoli, split pea soup, peas, celery and green cream cheese, kiwi, green grapes, green peppers, pears, green apples