This doesn’t go on in the NYC school system, as far as I am aware, but apparently, St. Paddy’s Day has infiltrated the school curriculum in other parts of the country. Brenna Jennings is here to school you on how (and how not) to trap a leprechaun.
We’re finally done reeling from the flurry of Valentine’s Day parties, heart-shaped allergy-safe classroom snacks and hand crafted Valentine’s Day cards—either because we forgot all about it until the local drug store was pillaged clean or because we’re genuinely into that sort of thing, in which case, THANKS A LOT for setting that particular bar.
According to my local drug store, you can expect St. Paddy’s to take over your life sometime in the next twelve minutes (with Easter following closely on its heels), which means for elementary school kids everywhere, it’s time to build a leprechaun trap.
Editor’s Note: A Leprechaun trap? Is this really a thing now???
Photo source: The Suburban Soapbox
The first year I heard about leprechaun traps, my 5-year-old brought hers home from school, where all the kids had used the same materials and painted the traps to their messy little hearts’ content. I didn’t have to lift a finger, not even to google “What the hell is a leprechaun trap?”
But things escalated quickly, and the next year I was required to run to the craft store for pipe cleaners and hot glue.
Moms who were formerly my allies were dyeing their toilet water green and stamping tiny footprints across their kitchen counters, spending hours researching “best leprechaun traps” on Pinterest and YouTube.
I don’t know when the Leprechaun Trap Ritual got here, but I suppose it’s unfair to ask Ireland to take this delightful bit of lore back and just let us keep Liam Neeson.
Since there’s seemingly no way around incorporating this labor-intensive tradition into what used to be a quiet, pleasant month where parents could enjoy dark Irish beers in peace, let me give you some guidelines that will help manage your time, your kids’ expectations, and that one parent who’s singlehandedly keeping Michael’s in business.
With these tips, you’re on your way to celebrating the joy of St. Paddy’s with your grade-schooler while keeping your sanity intact. Hopefully.
5 Tips to Building a Stress-free Leprechaun Trap
1. If it’s not already in your house, it’s not part of your trap. Period. Yes, Sophie can use the empty toilet paper roll to build a fun slide for her leprechaun. No, she may not overnight a Bedazzler from eBay.
2. Limit yourself to one video DIY lasting 5 minutes or less. Trust me, YouTube is a hellscape of craft videos leading to more craft videos, leading to more craft videos, until inevitably, you accidentally stumble upon someone’s disturbing leprechaun fetish.
3. Any Pinterest how-tos that suggest you put actual moss and dirt on your household surfaces should be aggressively disregarded.
4. Restrict your involvement in building the trap to only those steps that could cause injury to children, furniture or pets. X-acto knives are not for people who can’t safely toast their own Pop Tarts. Better yet, if your kid’s trap design requires an X-acto knife, tell her to build a different trap.
5. Do post a pic or two of the finished project to your social media account of choice. Do not post a 42-photo essay on Tumblr with bonus video on YouTube and director’s commentary on Snapchat. Not even your child is interested in seeing all that.
Voilà!
Photo Source: All Things Fulfilling
I think childhood should be full of wonder and creativity just as much as the next mom, but I also think it’s in everyone’s best interest that we maintain our perspective around the ever-escalating holiday frenzy it’s so easy to buy into. See also: Birthday Elf on the Shelf.
Enjoy this holiday, with or without a leprechaun trap. If you want to put real time and effort into something, see if Pinterest has any ideas for catching Liam Neeson.
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Read more from Brenna Jennings on Suburban Snapshots.
This seems to have been started by teachers… my kids did them in school last year too. I don’t know anyone that does it at home (yet) but I’m sure the kids will be asking to make one for home soon. 🙁 Because why would the leprechauns come to school but not home, right ?!?! I’m hoping mine don’t ask!
My 6 yr old is in kindergarten this year and brought home a paper from school telling us of our “good fortune”. So I brought up a few simple imagines…. Next thing I know, the Pre-K 5 yr old is demanding to make one too.
We kept it to stuff pretty much at home, but still had to get things from the local craft abyss.
I’m really hoping this is just a kindergarten thing around here…. Not looking forward to making two more traps next year….
P.S…. Anybody have any hints on what to do when they are actually expecting to catch a leprechaun???!!
I don’t have to deal with the tooth fairy yet… Gold coin chocolate? A note?
Both boys are convinced they are gonna catch something …. And when would those lil buggers fall prey to these “lovely” traps? The night of St Paddy’s???
I remember building these in elementary school. Clearly, my second grade teachers were ahead of their time! While no one caught an actual leprechaun, he did leave Lucky Charms in everyone’s traps during recess. Not a one of us was completely disappointed. :-). I would make it look like the trap had sprung, but somehow the leprechaun got out and left a surprise in his wake .Maybe a note saying “Better luck next year!”
Good grief…. I have to say, you Americans are hardcore with your holidays – you really put in some serious parent crafting hours! Where we are in the UK (you know, right next door to Ireland) St Paddy’s is just Guinness. And Guinness hats in the pubs. And maybe a parade in London if it falls on a Saturday. Be interesting to hear if they make Leprechaun Traps in Ireland!! Sure Mommy Shorts must have some Irish readers….
Amazing article.. Thank you very much 🙂
Our school is on spring break all next week so no leprechaun talk around here…yet anyways.
We did this one year I was in preschool, but the teacher orchestrated the trap. That was twenty years ago. I think we also did a scavenger hunt in Kindergarten to look for a leprechaun too.
I have a home daycare care and the leprechaun leaves the kids a little pot with a couple of chocolate coins and a green necklace. I only started it because my birthday is on St. Patrick’s day so it fun for me to give others green items for a change 🙂
Awesome, easy trap! Thanks for the picture!!! I might actually be able to create this one! HaHa!
[…] Instead of researching Paddy’s Day bar specials, you prepped for the holiday by building a leprechaun trap with your kids. And you couldn’t even get drunk while doing it, because you would […]
Training to catch a leprechaun is a fun family activity near St. Patrick’s Day. You must first learn about Irish folklore, and then develop a plan to catch the Irish trickster with traps and games.
Haha, this is awesome! I will be trying this with my child, good thing we have a giant dollar store close to the house with a bunch of stuff we could use to build the trap! 🙂
what the heck is a lepercon
the trap works, after looking at all the pictures of how to catch a leprechaun, I bought gold, green outfit, and a cute green hat with a stick holding it up when I checked the trap the box was gone but I didn´t see the leprechaun.
i love it
i loved your trap the leprachaun looks cool please theach me how to