15 Leprechaun Trap Ideas Even the Irish Would Love!
Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with one of these fun, creative leprechaun trap ideas! When the little bearded men come for their gold, you’ll be ready!
Is it really 2 months into the year already? Somebody pinch me!!
With St. Patrick’s Day about a month away, here are some fun crafts you can do with your kiddos to celebrate the green holiday. There are pictures, links, and other celebration ideas, so you can make this your best St. Patrick’s Day yet.
Prepping for St. Patrick’s Day
There are tons of great ways to celebrate this mischievous holiday!
- Pick up a few St. Patrick’s Day Books to read!! A few kid-friendly books I recommend are The Night Before Saint Patrick’s Day, How to Catch a Leprechaun, and That’s What Leprechauns Do.
- Get some green dye or clothing markers so you can “greenify” clothing items such as socks or a shirt. After all, it’s much more fun to be the pincher than the pinch-ee.
- Grab some green food dye so you can whip up some green food. Some of my personal favorites are green eggs and ham, pancakes, cupcakes, and more!! Try our St. Patrick’s Day dinner menu here 😉
- Check out our St. Patrick’s Day tricks ideas. The leprechauns don’t have to be the only ones playing tricks and making jokes!
- Assemble one of these incredible leprechaun traps with some green paper, pipe cleaners, stickers, and more.
What is a Leprechaun trap?
A leprechaun trap is a kid’s craft project that is created to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. These traps are set up the night before, in the hopes that when the children wake up, they will have caught one of these Irish tricksters. Similar to “Elf on the Shelf” for Christmas, children get up the next morning and race to look for signs of a visit from a leprechaun. And if they are lucky, sometimes they even find one still caught in the trap!
How to Make a Leprechaun Trap!
Of course, the steps and materials for each individual trap are different, however, the overall concept is the same! You want to build a small object or feature that would lure in a leprechaun. In order to do this, many leprechaun traps feature things such as gold, rainbows, green, and other shiny things!
Ideas for Leprechaun Traps
Pot of Gold – Leprechauns are always going after the gold and you can too with this vibrant and colorful trap idea! It’s bounteous cauldron and glowing sign are sure to reel in those little pests.
The “Golden Resort” – What little man wouldn’t want to find his way to the “Golden Resort”? With a rainbow cafe and tube rentals, this setup is any leprechaun’s dream! And you know what, that’s just how you’ll get ’em!
The Big Green Hat – The Irish are known for their derby hats, and this bright green one does not disappoint. If you are looking for a last-minute way to celebrate the holiday, this is the one for you!
Rooftop Garden – Leprechauns may have been around for hundreds of years, but that’s exactly why they would be intrigued by a skyscraper trap. This tricky rooftop garden is sure to peak their interest and capture those sneaky elves.
Green Top Hat – Made from paper, cotton balls, and pipe cleaners, this top hat chamber is a simple yet fun way to ensnare a leprechaun. The tiny Irish men will come to the end of the rainbow, hoping for gold, and instead find themselves at the bottom of the hat!
Lucky Charms Hat Trap – You’re in luck, because not only do leprechauns like gold, but they like sweet treats too. By laying out a trail of Lucky Charms cereal, you can lead them right into your snare.
“Free Gold” Trap Door – Most people are a sucker for free things, and leprechauns are no different! Use a large “Free Gold” sign like the one below to make a convincing leprechaun trap!
Rainbow Road – With colorful construction paper and cotton balls, you can design your very own “end of the rainbow”. Since all leprechauns know that that is the best place to find gold, they will be sure to come your way.
“No Leprechauns Allowed” Trap – When a trickster is told they can’t do something, it just makes them want to do it even more. So, this trap features a “No Leprechauns Allowed” sign. The sign alone will be temptation enough to draw the monster in!
Four-Leaf Clover Box – Four-leaf clovers are known to be a sign of good luck! With some imposter four-leaf clovers, you can make your nearby leprechaun think it is his lucky day, when in fact you will be ready and waiting to catch him!
Bug Catcher Leprechaun Trap – Generally, these contraptions are used to catch bugs, but I’ll let you in on a little secret: they work just as great at catching leprechauns. With a few Irish touches here and there, it will become an irresistible location for the tiny fairies.
Rainbow Tunnel – For this craft, all you need is some rainbow paper, fake coins, and tape! The rainbow tunnel is sure to catch the leprechaun’s attention, making it easy for you to CATCH HIM!
Mason Jar Trap – Don’t have much room for an extravagant set-up? No stress! This mason jar trap is a small, easy-to-make craft that even the smartest leprechaun won’t want to pass up.
Transformed Cereal Box – Using recycled materials (such as a cereal box), you can create this fun and imaginative leprechaun trap slide. Though it may look simple, it will surely fool any leprechaun who passes you by!
Lego Fortress – Why not put all those legos you have lying around your house to good use?! With a little creativity and magic, you can take those plastic building blocks and make a green house or cabin that any leprechaun would love to stop and rest at!
More Saint Patrick’s Day Inspiration
- St. Patrick’s Day Tricks and Treats
- Simple St. Patrick’s Day Dinner
- Fun and Easy St. Patrick’s Day Activities for Kids
- St. Patrick’s Day Treats and Crafts
- St. Patrick’s Day Decor Ideas
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