St. Patrick’s Day is a favorite among adults to raise a glass with Guinness or Jameson in hand. For kids, it’s all about the leprechaun, a colorful rainbow, wearing green and the gold. We made an easy, fun and non-candy Poke-the-Rainbow activity for kids on St. Patrick’s Day.

The rules of the game are simple. Each child takes a turn to pick one cup to poke through. Once the leprechaun is found, everyone can reach for the gold. The best part…everyone walks away with a treat. Who will be the first to poke the cup with the leprechaun?

Important side note: this game could be really fun and adult-friendly with each cup filled with a mini shot of Irish liquor. Cheers!

Materials:

• plastic cups {white}
• napkins in every color of the rainbow
• pot and gold coins
• white tissue paper
• mini leprechaun or photo of leprechaun
• non-candy gifts such as bead necklaces, buttons, bracelets
• rubber bands
• foam core board, white
• hot glue gun and glue
• stickers, shamrock cut-outs

Directions:

Randomly place the non-candy items in the cups. Pick one special cups for the leprechaun.

Cover each cup with a napkin, and wrap a rubber band around the top.

Once all the cups have colors, arrange in a rainbow-like pattern on a foam core board, and glue all of them in place. Glue the bottom of the cups so the top of the cup is facing outward.

Make white tissue paper clouds, and glue them on the end{s} of the rainbow.

Write, stencil, glue or stick letters on the foam board for simple directions.

Set up in the classroom {this will be a hit if you’re in charge of this year’s classroom party} , or at your St. Patrick’s Day celebration, and make sure the pot of gold is under the rainbow.