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Leprechauns, shamrocks, pots of gold, and the color green are all associated with St. Patrick’s Day. And they make for super fun sensory play…especially the leprechauns! Here are two inexpensive, easy-to-put-together leprechaun sensory play activities.
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Follow me on Pinterest for more ideas.
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Leprechaun Facts
- Leprechauns are tiny, mischievous, gold-loving characters in Irish folklore.
- Shoemaking is how leprechauns spend most of their time.
- These entertaining, energetic, miniature men love to participate in dance parties and expertly play the tin whistle, fiddle, Bodhran, and Irish harp.
- Underground caves or hollow tree trunks in rural Ireland are where these solitary characters are said to live.
- Leprechauns love to collect gold and store it in pots in the remote countryside (or at the end of the rainbow.)
- The speedy tricksters can vanish quickly, so are difficult to capture.
- But if a leprechaun is caught, he must grant three wishes.
- Leprechauns are known all over the world.
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Related: St. Patrick’s Day Treasure Blocks
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Leprechaun Sensory Play
Here are two easy to set up leprechaun sensory trays:
Leprechaun Rice Tray
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Glutinous rice is the base for this tray. I love it because it is super white, and showcases the loose parts. Included are:
- leprechaun figurine
- money pot
- tiny gold coins
- white, green, and gold beads (because leprechauns like all kinds of treasure)
- glittery, green hats (to collect any coins or gems that don’t fit into the pot)
- shamrocks
- St. Patrick’s Day greeting
The leprechaun is a repurposed plant poke topper. The other loose parts are snipped from inexpensive St. Patrick’s Day necklaces.
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Shamrock Confetti Tray
Instead of rice, generously sprinkled shamrock confetti with metallic gold pots added in is the base. The tray also includes a leprechaun, money pot, gold coins, beads, hats, and shamrocks.
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For more facts about leprechauns, view these blogposts:
The Legend Of The Leprechaun (CBC Kids)
Legend Of The Irish Leprechauns (Your Irish Culture)
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Follow up a leprechaun sensory play session with a scavenger hunt for pots of gold, a leprechaun race, or a game of Hide And Seek.
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