5 Free Printable and Digital Activities to Make St. Patrick’s Day Magical

One of my favorite childhood memories is waking up on St. Patrick’s Day to find that while we were sleeping, Lucky the Leprechaun wreaked havoc on our home. I’m talking half eaten cookies, upside down furniture, a toilet paper wrapped TV, the works. Not only that, but the wild Leprechaun left us clues to try and track down his coveted pot of gold! Of course it wasn’t Lucky, but my mother who was upturning everything in our living room, covering it in Leprechaun magic (confetti) and Leprechaun footprints (construction paper). 

The pandemic life has me craving an adventure at home, so this St. Patrick’s Day, I’m channeling my mother and my inner Leprechaun and making an adventure. I’m not sure yet if I’ll be turning my living room inside out; my toddler does a pretty good job of that all by himself!  But I will definitely be utilizing these easy-peasy scavenger hunt printables to make this day memorable for him and for me!

Here are five free printable (and digital if you don’t want to print) Leprechaun scavenger hunt activities sure to make your St. Patrick’s Day easy and magical!

Leprechaun Picture Scavenger Hunt

This hunt is perfect for littles. Follow the pictures to find the pot of gold. Each new location holds the next location’s picture clue. The locations are numbered for ease, but you can ignore the numbers and order them however you would like—or re-order them to play again. Download the hunt.

Cut up the 11 picture cards and place them in the following locations:

• Place Card 1 (Refrigerator): Wherever you would like to begin the scavenger hunt
• Place Card 2 (Trash): In the refrigerator
• Place Card 3 (Shoes): In/on the trash
• Place Card 4 (Toilet paper): In a pair of shoes
• Continue this pattern of placing the clue for the next location in the previous location, until you reach the final location (the front door); in that location, you leave the final card: Card 11, “Pot of Gold”! You can also leave a special treat, decorations, etc. at the end if you would like.

Digital (Non-printed) Adaptation: 

1. Open the PDF.
2. Grab some post-it notes (or any paper you have on hand), make 11 “cards” and number them 1-11. 
3. Leave these numbered cards around the house in the order that is listed above for the printed version of this hunt. 
4. When the player gets to the location and finds your numbered paper, show them the picture from the PDF that matches the number they found. For example, when they find Card #2 in the refrigerator, show them the digital Card #2 which is a picture of a trash can. Continue this until the end of the game.

A Leprechaun’s Checklist Scavenger Hunt

This engaging, gathering, scavenger hunt is perfect for encouraging out-of-the-box thinking. Players will work through the bulleted items to collect and complete the Leprechaun’s packing list! Encourage your child to get creative with its completion: “A pot to hold gold”—Maybe that’s a cooking pot or a mug. “A Rainbow”— Maybe that’s a picture in a book or perhaps they can draw one. Download the hunt.

Digital (Non-printed) Adaptation: 

• Use the same steps and rules as the above printable version, just don’t print it. You can read the checklist off of a device just the same.

Leprechaun’s Riddles Scavenger Hunt

This rhyming riddle hunt is a fun thinking exercise. To find the pot of gold, players must solve the riddles. Every riddle’s answer (answers listed below) is a location in your home. Each new location holds the next location’s riddle clue. The locations are numbered for ease, but you can ignore the numbers and order them however you would like—or re-order them to play again. Download the hunt.

Cut up the 11 riddle cards and place them in the following locations:

• Place Card 1 (Refrigerator): Wherever you would like to begin the scavenger hunt
• Place Card 2 (Trash): In the refrigerator
• Place Card 3 (Shoes): In/on the trash
• Place Card 4 (Toilet paper): In a pair of shoes
• Continue this pattern of placing the clue for the next location in the previous location, until you reach the final location (the front door); in that location, you leave the final card: Card 11, “Pot of Gold”! You can also leave a special treat, decorations, etc. at the end if you would like.

Riddle Answers:

• Card 1: Refrigerator
• Card 2: Trash
• Card 3: Shoes
• Card 4: Toilet Paper
• Card 5: Spoons
• Card 6: Grown-Up’s Bed
• Card 7: Coat
• Card 8: Couch/Chair
• Card 9: Bathtub/Shower
• Card 10: Front Door
• Card 11: Not a riddle, final card!

Digital (Non-printed) Adaptation: 

1. Open the PDF.
2. Grab some post-it notes (or any paper you have on hand), make 11 “cards” and number them 1-11. 
3. Leave these numbered cards around the house in the order that is listed above for the printed version of this hunt. 
4. When the player gets to the location and finds your numbered paper, show them the picture from the PDF that matches the number they found. For example, when they find Card #2 in the refrigerator, show them the digital Card #2 which is a picture of a trash can. Continue this until the end of the game.

Four Leaf Clover Scavenger Hunt

This simple search-and-find will get your child up and moving! Cut out the 20 clover cards and hide them around the home to be found. Want to really amp up the excitement? Make it a competition by timing it, making it a race, or seeing who can gather the most. Turn one game into many by hiding the clovers again or by swapping roles and having the child hide them and the grown-up find them. Download the hunt.

Digital (Non-printed) Adaptation: 

• Use the same steps and rules as the above printable version, just don’t print it. You can draw your own clovers or choose to hide another item like coins or chocolate! 

Create-Your-Own Scavenger Hunt

Now it is your child’s turn to lead YOU on a scavenger hunt. This scavenger hunt is a fun extension activity after completing either the riddle or picture hunts—or both!). Players use the blank cards to write their own location riddles or draw their own location pictures! Players then cut out the cards and hide them in the locations around the home in that same way the other scavenger hunts work. You can also use the blank cards in conjunction with the other location scavenger activities if you want to extend or change those hunts. Download the hunt.

Digital (Non-printed) Adaptation: 

• Follow the same steps and rules as above in the printed version, except draw or write the clues on your own paper!

This year especially, we should make the most of every possible holiday. Not only are the small celebrations keeping me sane, they are bringing some much-needed joy into this muted time.