Leprechaun Paper Bag Puppet [Free Template]

Leprechauns are funny little creatures that kids just love. They’re full of silly mischief and are always up for an adventure!

This St. Patrick’s Day, add a touch of magic to your kids’ day by making this easy leprechaun paper bag puppet! You only need a few simple supplies and our free printable template to get started.

We love how this craft helps kids develop their fine motor skills as they cut, glue, and decorate their puppets. It’s also a great way to spark their imagination and storytelling skills – which are essential for their overall development.

Just follow our step-by-step instructions below and print out our free template to make your own leprechaun paper bag puppets!

Once you’re done, check out our other St. Patrick’s Day crafts for kids. There’s something for all skill levels and ages, so everyone can join in on the fun.

Easy Leprechaun Puppet Printables

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This paper bag puppet is a great St. Patty’s craft because of the supplies needed to make it. All you need is colored paper, a brown paper bag, and a few supplies to put it together.

This means it’s a frugal craft you can do with one or two kids or with a big group of kids!

Supplies

• Brown paper bag
• Colored card stock (light and dark green, orange, pink, peach, yellow and black)
• Scissors
• Glue stick
• Leprechaun puppet template (click the “click here to get this freebie” image at the end to open the form)

Directions

Start by downloading the leprechaun puppet template and printing it out. Once you have the template printed, gather the materials needed for this fun activity.

Let’s begin with our leprechaun’s stylish shirt. Have your kids find the leprechaun shirt piece and place it at the bottom of the brown paper bag. Show them how to apply glue on the back and stick it in place.

Next, let’s add a touch of elegance with the dark green vest pieces. Help your children position them just above the shirt, making sure the pointy ends slightly overlap the shirt. Once in place, secure them with glue.

Now, it’s time for some sparkle with three yellow buttons. Guide your kids to glue them along the middle of the vest.

Let’s bring our leprechaun to life by placing the face on the flap of the paper bag. Your kids will love seeing their creation start to have a personality. Glue the face in place and watch as your leprechaun starts to smile back at you.

Every leprechaun needs a head of hair! Glue the leprechaun hair along the top part of the face.

Now, for the beard! Position it just below the leprechaun’s smile, making sure it’s snug. This cozy beard is sure to keep our friend warm on cooler Irish nights.

Eyebrows can say a lot! Glue each eyebrow above the eyes and watch as your leprechaun’s expression comes to life. It’s a fun way to discuss emotions and expressions with your kids.

The leprechaun’s pink nose goes right between his eyes. This tiny detail adds a whole lot of cuteness.

Now, onto the hat! Start by gluing the rim to the bottom of the hat base. This step begins the transformation from a simple paper bag to a leprechaun ready for St. Patrick’s Day!

Place the black rectangle near the bottom of the hat and secure it with glue.

Then, add the yellow buckle in the middle of the black hat band.

Don’t forget the small black rectangle in the center of the yellow buckle. It’s all about the details, and this final touch makes the hat look extra fancy.

Finally, place the completed leprechaun hat at the top of the leprechaun’s head. This is the moment where everything comes together, and your kids see their creation fully come to life.

Isn’t this such a bright and cheery craft?! If your kids enjoyed making this cute craft. Be sure to check out our other spring crafts for more fun!

Simplifying This Craft For Younger Kids

We think the details of this fun project are what make it extra special, but sometimes, when you’re making it with little kids, it’s too much.

If you’re crafting with preschoolers or kindergarten kids, feel free to adjust the craft to fit their skills and attention span.

We have a few suggestions on what we would do to simplify this leprechaun paper puppet craft.

First, you can get rid of the green paper vest and just make a solid green rectangle for the bottom of the paper bag. This will cut down on cutting time and gluing. You won’t need to use the yellow craft paper buttons either.

Second, we suggest taking the buckle off of the hat. It’s cute, but definitely not necessary. And, if you really don’t mind paring everything down you can skip the hat altogether!

Finally, if you don’t want to do as much cutting you can skip the eyebrows and hair and just let the kids draw them on with markers! You can even draw on a cute pink nose as well.

This will help you save paper, reduce the cutting and let the kids’ creativity and artistic skills expand!

However you decide to make this paper bag leprechaun puppet craft, we’re certain the kids will have a blast making it and playing with it once it’s done!

More St. Patrick’s Day Ideas For Kids

Looking for more fun ideas for your St Patrick’s Day celebrations? We’ve got tons of creative activities and crafts your kids will love!

From toilet paper roll projects to color by numbers, these ideas will bring the luck o’ the Irish into your home or classroom. Keep reading to discover more ways to celebrate the holiday with your little ones!

Kids Books For St. Patrick’s Day

We always recommend starting any theme with books! These St. Patrick’s Day books are fun and will definitely keep the kids engaged. Grab them from the library or buy them to add to your home collection.

Pete The Cat: The Great Leprechaun Chase is a must-have for Pete the Cat fans! Join Pete as he tries to catch an elusive leprechaun.

How To Catch A Leprechaun is a silly book that’s, you guessed it, about catching a leprechaun! Please read this book and let your kiddos build their trap and start a family tradition.

There Was An Old Lady Who Swallowed A Clover is another book kids can’t get enough of. See what the old lady is doing this St. Patrick’s Day!

Need more book suggestions? Check out our favorite leprechaun books for kids!

Simple St. Patrick’s Day Crafts

Shamrock Preschool Craft – With some construction paper, pipe cleaners, and our free template, your preschooler can make this adorable shamrock craft. It’s perfect for practicing fine motor skills and creativity, and it’s also a great way to decorate the house for St. Patrick’s Day!

Toilet Paper Roll Leprechaun Craft – Don’t throw out those toilet paper rolls! This easy project is the perfect way to use them and create something with your kiddos. It’s a fun St. Patrick’s Day twist on the classic toilet paper roll craft! Your little ones will love making their own leprechaun with just a few simple materials.

Leprechaun Handprint Craft – Your kids will have so much fun using their handprints to create these cute leprechauns! It’s a great activity for younger children and will be such a cute keepsake to display each year. Download the free template today; it’s perfect for home or classroom use and will keep your little ones entertained for ages!

Pot of Gold Card Craft – Gather your craft supplies and get ready to make this adorable pot of gold card! It’s a quiet independent art activity for kids and can be easily customized with different colors and decorations. It’s a fun way to spread some St. Patrick’s Day cheer to friends and family!

St. Patrick’s Day Activities For Preschoolers

Print out our St. Patrick’s Day worksheets to add some educational fun to the holiday! The digital download comes with three pages of activities, including letter tracing, a letter maze, and pattern recognition. It’s a sneaky way to keep kids learning while having fun with the holiday theme!

These St. Patrick’s Day cutting practice worksheets are perfect for developing fine motor skills this St. Paddy’s Day.

The action of cutting helps little ones practice their grip and hand-eye coordination, and the themed sheets add a touch of festive fun! They’re a low-prep activity that’ll keep kids entertained and learning at the same time.

Do your kids love coloring pages? If so, these St. Patrick’s Day color by number printables will be a huge hit! There are different difficulty levels to choose from, making them perfect for kids of all ages. Add them to your kiddos’ St. Patty’s Day activity rotation for some colorful and educational fun!

Tracing is the perfect pre-writing activity for young children! Try these pot of gold line tracing pages this St. Patrick’s Day to help your little ones get a head start on their handwriting skills. They’ll have so much fun tracing the lines and completing each activity this St. Patrick’s Day!

Share With Us

Did you make this activity with your kids or students? We’d love to feature them on our social media!

For a chance to have your child’s project featured, simply snap a picture of the completed project and post it to our Facebook page, email it to us directly by clicking here, or use #simpleeverydaymom on your social media!

More Kids’ Activities

Free Leprechaun Puppet Template