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Trap a Leprechaun and Make "Champ" this St. Patrick's Day.

By Julie Follansbee Editor and Publisher of Macaroni Kid Johnstown/Laurel Highlands/Altoona March 12, 2015

Leprechaun Trap

Did you know that if you trap a leprechaun, he HAS to grant you 3 wishes?

We built this one out of found items around the house keeping in mind that the wily little beings LOVE gold and green!

We used:


  • A clear salad greens container
  • Assorted ribbons in Gold and Green
  • Green paper grass
  • Gold foil wrapped chocolate coins
  • Green pipe cleaner to prop up the box
  • Signs stuck in play doh
  • A gold ribbon cut like an arrow to point him in the right direction!


We decorated the salad container with the ribbons. Placed the Easter grass inside with some gold coins to lure him inside. We taped a gold coin to the back so that he had to reach for it. Prop open one corner with the pipe cleaner bent in half and forked at the top so it stays. Have the kids make signs on paper and tape them to toothpicks then stick the toothpicks in play doh to stand them up. Finally, place your signs and the arrow around your trap and wait!

May the luck of the Irish be with you!


Leprechaun Treasure Box

Decorate a shoe box or any size box with paper  (let the kids' imaginations go wild!).

Set it on the windowsill before bedtime.

When the moonlight hits the box, the leprechaun will come and fill it with treats...then he'll hide it!

It should be easy to find because he leaves a trail of green!


Legend says that if you don't find the box on St. Patrick's Day, the leprechaun can take the treats back with him.


*Parents, if you choose to play leprechaun, the box can be filled with any kind of treats your kids like. We like a rainbow theme (rainbow Twizzlers, colored pencils...anything colorful...or put one items in each color of the rainbow in the box)! Confetti works great for a leprechaun trail (though I just snipped little pieces of green ribbon because that was what I had) and it's fun to leave the tracks leading to several places to extend the fun. Makes it look like the leprechaun was trying to trick the kids into going to several places.


"Champ" or Irish Mashed Potatoes

"Champ" in Irish means to smash or to pound. This is so simple and fast!

  • Boiled potatoes, peels on (and if you are really looking for quick, there are bagged potatoes you can microwave).
  • Green onions chopped-both the green and white parts.
  • Butter (really go Irish and use Kerry Gold!)
  • Milk

Cook potatoes (either by boiling or microwaving. Saute green onions in butter. Add a little bit of milk to the butter and green onions. Use a masher (don't whip) to mash the potatoes. Combine the potatoes and onion mixture and mash together.

You can adorn the potatoes with baby spinach leaves to add more green and some leaves actually look like shamrocks.

You can also create a well in the potatoes and add some more melted butter to look like gold.