Who is St. Patrick?
Patrick was born in 385 A.D. when Ireland was still a pagan territory. He was born in Britain, enslaved, and taken to Ireland when he was only 16. He escaped slavery six years later and studied to become a Catholic Bishop.
When he returned to Ireland as a free man, he began peacefully converting the Irish people to Christianity, using the three-leaf shamrock to illustrate the Holy Trinity of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Today, he is celebrated for his successful proselytism and was recognized as the Patron Saint of Ireland by the seventh century — invoked to protect the spiritual and worldly interests of Ireland and its citizens.
St. Patrick died in 461 A.D., supposedly on March 17. Much later, in 1631, the Christian church organized a feast to celebrate St. Patrick on March 17 and assigned the lucky shamrock as his symbol.
Why is everything green?
Surprisingly, blue is the official color of Saint Patrick. Because Ireland’s flag colors are green, white, and orange, green is the color most associated with St. Patrick’s Day celebrations. Green was also used to show support for the Irish republican cause.
How is St. Patrick’s Day celebrated?
In Ireland, St. Patrick’s Day is a public holiday, meaning all shops and businesses are closed. The Irish celebrate by decorating three-leaf shamrocks, baking soda bread, and giving chocolate gold coins to others for good luck.
Due to the reach and influence of the Emerald Isle, St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated worldwide! There is a St. Patrick’s Day parade in Dublin, London, Perth, New York, and many other cities.
People love to celebrate with food, and in the US, it’s common to use green food coloring to make green beer and food. Some cities even get in on the fun… check out Chicago dyeing their river green each year!
Looking for classroom resources?
Look no further than the Kami Library for excellent activity templates inspired by St. Patrick’s Day. We’ve got reading comprehension, coloring sheets, quizzes, arts and crafts, and more! Have fun learning!
Free Templates
10 St Patrick’s Day activities for children?
Take a virtual tour of Ireland
Look for your very own pot of gold at the end of the rainbow! Click here to access tours of Ireland. See the Cliffs of Moher, Giants Causeway, and Blarney Castle. See where you can kiss the Blarney Stone — you might get the luck of the Irish!
Create leprechauns to hang up in the classroom
For your younger students, use this simple guide to create some leprechauns. Don’t forget to include lucky charms and chocolate coins!
Create a bit of good luck four-leaf shamrock
As it’s the luckiest day of the year you might as well try and increase your good luck! Click here to see easy guides for shamrock-making for all ages.
Create your own DIY napkin holders
Click here for the design and free printable dinner table accessories.
Watch the St. Patrick’s Day Parade
You might not be able to join in person, but you can access Dlubin’s whole parade here!
Listen to some Irish Music
Music is a massive part of Irish culture. Ask the students to see how many Irish musicians they know. If they’re not sure use a cheat guide here. Learn more about the history of the oral tradition of Irish music here and then listen to some Irish ‘trad’ or Irish folk music here.
Create some gold to find at the end of the rainbow
Ask the students to find some rocks or pebbles to bring into the classroom. Follow this guide to create little pots of gold for the students!
Make Leprechaun hats
Be green (!) and save on materials by asking the children to bring in recyclable yogurt pots or ice cream tubs. Use the pots to paint them and make some hats! Find the guide here.
Create shamrocks!
Use this free printable template to color in shamrocks with all the shades of green under the rainbow.
Learn Irish
Dia dhuit! Conas tá tú? Lá fhéile Pádraig sona dhuit! Start learning the language using a free app such as Duolingo or learn some slang here.
Lá Fhéile Pádraig Sona Dhuit! (Happy St.Patrick’s Day!)
Enjoy experiencing Irish music, making St. Patrick’s Day crafts, and tasting some traditional Irish food!
