I don’t usually go all out for St. Patrick’s Day, but I had so much fun styling my Valentine Mantel that I decided I needed to add some rainbows and shamrocks to my living room this year. I didn’t want to spend a lot of money, so I hit up the local Dollar Tree for inexpensive frames and decorations and created my own printables. I love the story of St. Patrick (see my St. Patrick’s Day Treasure Hunt post for a bit about this Irish saint) so I wanted to incorporate one of his famous quotes in my collection.
I also found the cutest set of white vases in the spring section of the dollar spot at Target and I spray painted an old pot black. I was able to style my entire mantel for about $20 and I will definitely be able to use several of the items other times of the year.
For more fun St. Patrick’s Day ideas check out the following blogposts:
If you are planning on making some St. Patrick’s Day treats, here are 3 simple options for you… Pretzel Shamrocks, Shamrock Oreo Cookie Pops, and Shamrock Marshmallow Pops. All of these treats use Wilton’s Candy Melts, which you can find at crafts stores like Michael’s and JoAnn Fabrics. Watch my tutorial to learn how to make these tasty treats!
What is St. Patrick’s Day really all about? Is it about leprechauns, shamrocks, rainbows, and pots of gold? Who was St. Patrick anyway? Every year, on March 17th we celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, but as I began thinking about some fun things I could do with my kids this year, I realized that I didn’t know anything about St. Patrick. So I did a little reading, and what I discovered gave me a whole new perspective on this Irish holiday.
Patrick (Patricius) was a teenage boy living in Britain when he was kidnapped and put on a slave ship headed for Ireland. He spent 6 years as a slave and it was in those years that he encountered God and received Jesus Christ as his Savior. One day he had a dream that he was going back to his own country and he heard a voice say, “see your ship is ready.” Patrick escaped and returned home. Sometime later, he had another dream that he was to return to Ireland as a missionary.
St. Patrick was a man of God who brought the gospel of Jesus Christ to a very Pagan country. In 432 A.D. he built the first Christian church in Ireland. Over the course of 29 years, St. Patrick planted 300 churches and baptized over 120,000 Irishmen.
According to legend, he used the three leaf clover to explain the trinity. He used the one plant with three leaves as an analogy for the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
With all of this in mind, I had an idea for a St. Patrick’s Day Treasure Hunt for children that would highlight the God who St. Patrick lived for. I’m all about good old fashioned holiday fun! We always wear green on St. Patrick’s Day so we don’t get pinched 🙂 and for the last couple of years, we have celebrated by making these Rainbow Fruit Kabobs. But I love an opportunity to teach my children about their identity in Christ. I love to create fun experiences for them to learn Biblical truths. So I think we have started a new St. Patrick’s day tradition in our house!
Here’s How the Treasure Hunt Works:
Print out the free templates I have included (at the end of this post) for the Gold Coins and the Bible Verse Cards. Cut out the circles and use a glue stick to attach them to the chocolate coins. I found my coins in the dollar section at Target, but you can purchase them online as well. Cut out the Scripture Cards and have them ready. Hide your gold coins out in your yard (or inside if it’s a rainy day). Gather your kids and tell them that you are sending them on a treasure hunt. Have them each collect the same number of gold coins. Bring them inside, sit down together at the table and lay out the scripture cards. Now your kids can match up their coins with the cards that have the same scripture references. Have your kids take turns reading the verses that they found. This fun experience will give kids the opportunity to discover the treasure of who they are in Christ. As you wrap up your time together indulge in a little chocolatey goodness! #CommisssionsEarned
Here are some pictures and a video of our family enjoying our St. Patrick’s Day Treasure Hunt.
I love creating fun experiences for my children. We started this tradition about 3 years ago and my kids look forward to it every St. Patrick’s Day. For “Rainbow Kabobs” you will need some fake gold coins from the dollar store (I couldn’t find coins, so I bought “gold metal necklaces” and pulled the ribbons off of them), fruit in the colors of the rainbow, mini marshmallows, gold wrapped candy (rolos), and some kabob sticks. The first year we did this was the most fun. I hid the rainbow of fruit and treats from my kids and sent them outside on a “treasure hunt.” I told them to find all the gold coins that were hidden in the backyard. Then I asked them where the pot of gold is usually found…at the end of the rainbow of course! I had them trade in their “pot of gold” and close their eyes. Then I brought out their rainbow of yummy goodness as well as the marshmallow “cloud” and the edible “pot of gold.” They absolutely loved making and eating these colorful kabobs! Now, each year, they look forward to this simple tradition even though it is no longer a surprise.
kerricreates 