Leprechaun Trap Project

St. Patrick’s Day is full of Shamrocks, Leprechauns and all things green and fun. While the kids have fun, make sure to get some learning in with free St. Patrick’s Day printables and other activities. St. Patrick’s Day-themed activities like the Leprechaun trap project are a fun way to get in some STEAM learning during the holiday.

The Leprechaun trap project is the perfect activity to help kids learn about simple machines. DIY projects and science experiments for kids like these make learning a fun and enjoyable experience for kids. Additionally, they help children understand abstract science and technology concepts easily. In addition to these, these activities are wonderful opportunities for building a stronger parent-child bond. Read on to learn how to build the perfect trap to catch a little Leprechaun.

In this article, explore:

• What is a Leprechaun Trap?
• Leprechaun Trap Project: How to Build a Leprechaun Trap?
  • Aim of the Project
  • Things You’ll Need
  • Instructions
• Other Ideas for a Leprechaun Trap
• Frequently Asked Questions on Leprechaun Trap Project

What is a Leprechaun Trap?

A Leprechaun is a mythical figure in Irish folklore. According to fables, they’re fairies in the form of little old men wearing a red or green coat. These mythical tricksters are known to be mischievous in nature and like to make shoes. It is believed that Leprechauns love gold and store their gold coins in a pot at the end of a rainbow. According to Irish folklore, if you catch a Leprechaun, he’ll grant you three wishes to let him go. 

So, let’s go catch some Leprechauns, shall we? But what is a Leprechaun trap? A Leprechaun trap is a children’s craft made using a simple mechanism. This is one of the best crafts for kids to keep them occupied during St. Patrick’s Day.

Leprechaun Trap Project: How to Build a Leprechaun Trap?

A Leprechaun trap is a fun craft project and also one of the most fun STEM activities for kids. All you need are some simple household objects and craft supplies to build a perfect trap to catch the tiny fairy.

Aim of the Project

The aim of the Leprechaun trap project is to get kids involved in building a perfect trap to catch the little old man.

Things You’ll Need

Here is a list of things you’ll need for the Leprechaun trap project:

• An empty shoebox
• 12 inch Dowel
• Gold glitter
• Construction paper in green, red, blue, purple, yellow, orange and white colors
• Cotton balls
• Yarn or string
• Scissors 
• Craft glue
• Tape
• Old newspapers

Instructions

1. Before you start crafting to build your Leprechaun trap, cover your work surface with some old newspapers. This makes cleaning up a lot easier.
2. Remove the lid of the shoebox and cover the box in green construction paper both inside and outside.
3. Next, cut a piece of cardboard from the lid of the shoebox. Cover this section with glue and sprinkle the area with gold glitter and allow it to dry.
4. Once the glitter and glue are dry, cut out small circles to make the gold coins to lure the little fairy.
5. Now we make the rainbow path. Cut 2 inch wide strips from the different colored construction papers.
6. Start with the red strip, then glue the orange strip on the red with a 1 inch overlap. Repeat this process with yellow, green, blue and purple to complete the rainbow path.
7. Cut a 6 inch wide and 10 inch long rectangle from the white construction paper. Cover it with glue and stick some cotton balls to the construction paper to make clouds.
8. Use some glue and stick the rainbow path to the clouds and sprinkle the path with gold coins to lure the Leprechaun.
9. Tie a length of yarn to one end of the dowel. Prop up the shoebox using the dowel.
10. Place the Leprechaun trap on the floor near a door and wait for the little guy to come to the trap.

Your little ones will have fun checking the trap every few hours to check if they’ve caught a Leprechaun. But be sure to tell them that the naughty creatures are super fast, so fast that we might not even see them come in or escape. 

Other Ideas for a Leprechaun Trap

Want a more challenging project? Then build a more elaborate trap for the Leprechaun. You can design a Leprechaun trap pit complete with a ladder, a sliding tube and a trapdoor. Or you can build a model with gold coins and a cage to trap the little guy. 

Other than the Leprechaun trap project, here are some other fun St. Patrick’s Day crafts for kids you can try.

For more science projects, activities, games and worksheets that make learning fun, check our kids learning section.

Frequently Asked Questions on Leprechaun Trap Project