St. Patrick’s Day is just around the corner, so it’s time to get crafty! Whether you want to show your Irish pride or spruce up your home with a holiday touch – there are plenty of fun and easy crafts to celebrate the occasion.
Nothing says “Luck o’ the Irish” like this paper plate leprechaun craft! This fun and simple craft is ideal for kids of all ages, and you only need a few basic supplies. Kids will love decorating their own lucky little leprechaun to display in the classroom or at home proudly.
For some more fun ideas, take a look through our range of St. Patricks Day crafts for kids! From leprechauns to rainbows and shamrocks, you’ll find plenty of creative ideas to keep your little ones entertained and in the holiday spirit.

This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate and a participant in other affiliate programs, I earn a commission on qualifying purchases. Read our disclosure policy.
Easy Leprechaun Paper Plate Craft
Making a paper plate leprechaun is a great way to help kids explore their imaginations and express themselves. Through the creative process, they’ll learn to work with their hands and better understand shapes, colors, and design!
Download the free template and follow our step-by-step instructions below! Your kids will have a blast creating their own leprechaun buddies.
Supplies
- Paper plates
- Colored cardstock or construction paper
- Glue
- Scissors
- Orange and skin colored paint
- Paintbrush
- Black marker
- Leprechaun craft template (click the “click here to get your freebies” image at the end of the post)
Directions
Start by downloading and printing the template. Once the template is printed, gather the materials for this fun activity. Get those scissors ready, and let’s help the kids bring this leprechaun to life!
First, guide your child to paint the paper plate with 1-2 thin coats of skin-colored paint.

Next, paint the outermost part of the circle in a bright, vibrant orange. Let it dry completely before moving on to the next step.

Position the eyes in the middle of the face and glue them in place.

Glue the nose in between and slightly overlapping the bottom of the eyes and draw a smile just below the nose.

Now, help your child to glue the black band to the hat.

Place the yellow buckle in the middle of the black band and glue it down.

Next, glue the black rectangle to the middle of the yellow buckle.

Glue the completed hat to the cut edge of the paper plate.

Finally, encourage your child to glue the eyebrows above the eyes.

How cute is this leprechaun craft?! We used green construction paper for the hat shape and orange paint for the leprechaun’s beard, but your kids can get creative and use different colors if they want!
For more fun, check out all of our paper plate crafts!

St. Patrick’s Day Ideas For Kids
You don’t have to stop here! We have many other fun and creative St. Patrick’s Day activities to get your kids in the holiday spirit.
Keep reading below to discover some new and exciting ideas for your kids to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. With our wide range of activities to choose from, your little ones will surely find the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow!

St Patricks Day Books For Kids
Reading to kids is a brilliant way to jump-start their imagination and help develop their language skills. Sharing stories is also an incredibly special way to spend time with your little ones and get them involved in the St Patrick’s Day fun!
When reading to younger kids, choose books with bright colors and engaging stories to help introduce them to the holiday. Older children may enjoy tales with more complex themes, which they can read aloud to practice their reading skills.
Check out our selection of the best children’s books for Saint Patrick’s Day below.
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!
Kids’ St. Patrick’s Day Crafts
Crafting is perfect for immersing kids in the fun of St. Patricks Day while allowing them to utilize their imagination. By providing your kids with the opportunity to create something with their own hands, they will gain valuable motor skills and feel a sense of accomplishment with the end result.
Related: Popsicle Stick St. Patrick’s Day Puppets
Crafting is also a fantastic way for you and your kids to relax and unwind while doing something the whole family will enjoy. Get inspired with our selection of St. Patrick’s Day crafts for kids below!
Leprechaun Cut And Paste Craft – Your kids will be jumping for joy with this fun cut and paste St Patrick’s Day craft! These funny little leprechauns make beautiful decorations to hang around the house or give to friends and family.
Shamrock Leprechaun Craft – Bring some luck into your home or classroom with these adorable shamrock leprechauns! Kids will love creating this fun craft, which would also make a brilliant bookmark or sweet alternatives to traditional cards.

Pot Of Gold And Rainbow Craft – Full of color and sparkle, this cheerful rainbow and pot of gold craft is a great addition to any St. Patrick’s Day celebration! This is a super easy project, perfect for beginners! Kids will have so much fun creating these cute rainbow crafts.
Leprechaun Handprint Craft– This craft is a unique way to remember your little one’s tiny hands! Made especially for your little ones, this craft will surely bring some extra luck into your home and make a memorable keepsake you’ll cherish forever.
St. Patrick’s Day Activities For Kids
Learning how to use scissors is vital for kids’ development, so why not make it fun with an Irish twist?
Young kids will love these St. Patrick’s Day cutting practice worksheets, which are designed to keep their hands busy while teaching how to use scissors safely and accurately. So print out these sheets, get your little ones started, and watch their progress!
Try this Shamrock Preschool Craft
These St. Patrick’s Day color by number printables are an ideal way to give your kids some extra practice with numbers, shapes, and colors.
Watch their faces light up as they reveal the final picture! Not only will they have fun completing the holiday picture, but you’ll also be helping to enhance their fine motor skills.

Nothing says St. Patrick’s Day like these leprechaun coloring pages! Quick and easy, this engaging activity is a great idea to keep kids entertained while encouraging creativity. Plus, it’s a super fun way to get them thinking outside the box by making their own color combinations.

Print out these St. Patrick’s Day do a dot printables for an entertaining yet educational art experience.
The festively sweet images will delight your little one, while the dot activities encourage counting, matching, and problem-solving. Try using tangible objects such as buttons and pom poms to complete the activity for a more tactile experience.
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

Paper Plate Leprechaun Craft For Kids
This paper plate leprechaun craft is a fun and simple project for kids to make this St. Patrick's Day!
Materials
- Paper plates
- Colored cardstock or construction paper
- Glue
- Scissors
- Orange and skin colored paint
- Paintbrush
- Black marker
- Leprechaun craft template
Instructions
- Download the leprechaun template, print, and cut out the pieces you need.
- Begin by painting the paper plate with 1-2 thin coats of skin-colored paint.
- Next, paint the outermost part of the circle in a bright, vibrant orange. Let it dry completely before moving on to the next step.
- Position the eyes in the middle of the face and glue them in place.
- Glue the nose in between and slightly overlapping the bottom of the eyes and draw a smile just below the nose.
- Now, glue the black band to the hat.
- Place the yellow buckle in the middle of the black band and glue it down.
- Next, glue the black rectangle to the middle of the yellow buckle.
- Glue the completed hat to the cut edge of the paper plate.
- Finish off by gluing the eyebrows above the eyes
Free Printable Leprechaun Template


Sam is the crafter and founder of Simple Everyday Mom. She has been featured in Oprah Mag, Good Housekeeping, The Spruce Crafts, Country Living, The Bump and more. Read more.
Beverly
Tuesday 12th of March 2024
OMG, these are so cute. Congratulations, you are being featured on TFT. Hugs, Bev
Sam
Wednesday 13th of March 2024
Thanks, Beverly! I really appreciate that!
ingrid
Sunday 10th of March 2024
template please
Sam
Monday 11th of March 2024
Since you’re a subscriber, you just need to click the “Click Here To Get Your Freebie” image at the end of the post and then enter your email in the form. After that, it’ll automatically redirect you to the download page ◡̈
Linda Primmer
Sunday 10th of March 2024
Cute as can be. So much fun for the kiddos. Thanks for sharing at Love Your Creativity. I am happy to feature your fun paper plate Leprechauns at Love Your Creativity.
Sam
Monday 11th of March 2024
Thanks for the feature ◡̈
Penny
Thursday 7th of March 2024
template please
Sam
Thursday 7th of March 2024
Of course! All you need to do is click the “Click Here To Get Your Freebie” image at the end of the post and then enter your email in the form Once you've been confirmed as an email subscriber (by clicking the link in the first email), you simply enter your email in any of the forms and it'll automatically redirect you to the download page.
Stephanie
Friday 1st of March 2024
template please
Sam
Friday 1st of March 2024
Of course! All you need to do is enter your email in the form at the end of this post to have the link sent to you. Once you've been confirmed as an email subscriber (by clicking the link in the first email), you simply enter your email in any of the forms and it'll automatically redirect you to the download page.