Leprechaun Trap Ideas for Kids – Easy & Magical St. Patrick’s Day Fun
Making a Leprechaun Trap
When my kids were younger, St. Patrick’s Day felt like pure magic. There were a few years when they truly believed a leprechaun might visit… and one year, they were absolutely determined to catch him.
So, they made a plan to build a leprechaun trap, and we talked about what might actually work.
I suggested they use materials we already had on hand and make it bright… because, obviously, leprechauns like color. A couple of days before St. Patrick’s Day, they began creating… and I quietly used that time to grab a few extra things myself.
The trap didn’t exactly work… but the memory is still magic to me.
🪙 The Year They Built the Trap
A leprechaun trap can truly be made out of anything, boxes, string, old containers, paper, whatever you have lying around. That’s part of the fun.
My kids used:
- A small box
- Printer paper
- Crayons
- Tape
- A wooden spoon
- Some paper circles colored gold
They decorated the box and added signs that said, “Free Gold” (you can spot it in the picture above). The idea was simple… lure the leprechaun in with treasure, prop the box up with a spoon, and wait.
I remember sending them to bed that night, full of anticipation. The next morning, the trap had been sprung… but no leprechaun. Instead, there were chocolate gold coins and a few mischievous surprises.
How to Build a Leprechaun Trap
Building the trap doesn’t have to be difficult. The kids used what we had, so it is best to improvise. I do have a link below to some things we used but it isn’t about the trap itself, though it could be a lesson in physics if you wanted it to be, but it is more about the memory.
The kids used a wooden spoon, but if you don’t have one… a sick will work, or maybe your kids with get creative with cheesecloth and string! Just have some fun and let them enjoy the build!
🌈 The Mischief
The night before St. Patrick’s Day, I made a quick trip to grab a few inexpensive supplies to create a little magic of my own. I picked up green streamers, a box of Lucky Charms (which we never buy, so I knew it would feel like a real treat), a few gold chocolate coins (lucky for me the Easter candy was already out), and I already had green food dye at home.
I sat down and typed up a quick letter from the Leprechaun, had some fun, and when the kids woke up the next morning:
- The trap was sprung.
- A letter from the leprechaun had been left behind.
- Green streamers were wrapped across the upstairs hallway.
- A box of Lucky Charms sat out on the counter.
- And yes… there was a little green “pee” left in the toilet (leprechauns are a little mischievous like that)
My kids were ecstatic and you can see a few pics of it below!
The streamers were awesome because the kids kept trying to navigate them like museum thieves after the Mona Lisa. They were up for a few days before my little “thieves” started getting clumsy!
I know the green “pee” won’t be for everyone but when my oldest found it he screamed how the Leprechaun “got them” and they all thought it was funny. There are other ideas you can do like…
- Turn regular things green (green milk, green eggs, green pancakes…)
- Tie all shoe pairs together
- Turn frames upside down or swap them around
- Create a gold coin path to something fun
- Fill a room with green balloons
Remember, the fun doesn’t have to be expensive or stressful… just fun. Keep it simple!
🍀 More St. Patrick’s Day Fun
If you’d like to keep the magic going a little longer… without turning it into a full production, here are a few simple ways to extend the fun.
🪙 Free “Gold” Printable (Perfect for Trap Bait)
If you’re making a leprechaun trap this year, I created a simple printable “Free Gold” page you can cut out and use inside the trap. It’s an easy way to add a little extra excitement without extra prep.
Sometimes it’s the small details that make kids feel like something magical might really happen.
👉 Download the Free Gold printable here
🎨Simple Supplies for Leprechaun Mischief
We’ve always tried to keep St. Patrick’s Day simple, but a few inexpensive supplies can go a long way in creating that “something happened overnight” feeling.
Here are a few things that worked well for us:
- Chocolate gold coins
- Green or rainbow streamers (the pack I bought the next year had gold too, which is great to lure in the Leprechauns… no pics though, don’t know what I was thinking!)
- Green food coloring (natural, to use in food too)
- Crayons and markers
- Glue, glitter, and glitter markers
- Treats
If you’d like to keep it easy, I’ve linked a few simple options we’ve used before below. I’ve even included a couple books that we still have (as teens I told the kids to go through the books for ones they wanted to keep, and these made them… they say that I can read it to their kids someday!).
👉 See my St. Patrick’s Day Supply List here.
✋ St. Patrick’s Day Handprint Keepsake
If your kids are still little enough for handprint crafts, this St. Patrick’s Day keepsake is a sweet way to capture the season. Those tiny hands don’t stay tiny for long. This is a favorite of ours!
👉 See the St. Patrick’s Day handprint post here
🍀 9 Facts About St. Patrick’s Day
If you want to mix facts into the fun, I put together 9 simple facts about St. Patrick’s Day. It’s a great way to balance the magic with a little history.
👉 Read the 9 St. Patrick’s Day facts here
⭐ Full St. Patrick’s Day Unit (For Home or Classroom)
If you’d like to turn St. Patrick’s Day into a full themed week, I also created a complete St. Patrick’s Day unit that includes:
- A Memory Game
- A Would You Rather Game
- Activity Pages
- Reading pages
- A mini book
- Math activities
It pairs beautifully with leprechaun trap day, especially for homeschool families or elementary classrooms.
👉 Explore the full St. Patrick’s Day unit here.
Have a great St. Patrick’s Day!
This Leprechaun Trap comes out every year. I have tried to keep it by using clear packing tape and essentially laminating it. It isn’t perfect and it looks a little used, but I love the memories. Even though my kids are teens, my oldest is now 17, I still use it as the location of their St. Patrick’s Day treats.
For Easter one year, I bought three decent sized, gold eggs and now each year I set up the trap and place the three eggs under it. Inside the eggs I simply add a couple small things… a $10 coffee card and a few candies or whatever else I fancy or that will fit.
However you celebrate, I hope it feels light, simple, and just a little magical.
If you set a Leprechaun trap this year, I’d love to see it. Leave a comment below or tag me on Instagram or Facebook @bemandfam so I can share in the fun.
May the luck of the Irish be with you 💚
BEM and Fam 🙂
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