Leprechaun Trap for Kids

What You Need:

• Empty shoe box
• Green construction paper (several sheets)
• Moss
• Gold coins, gold candy coins, or gold painted rocks
• Glue
• Scissors
• Ruler

What You Do:

1. Have her start with the bottom of an empty shoe box, turned upside down.
2. Ask her to measure and record each side of the shoe box; there's a total of five sides, including the base.
3. Help her measure and cut the green construction paper to fit each side of the shoe box.
4. Invite her to glue the construction paper on each side of the box.
5. Have her draw a 2 by 3-inch rectangle with a pencil and ruler in the middle of the upside down shoe box.
6. Help her cut a rectangular trap door out with scissors; if the task is too difficult, cut it out for her with a box cutter or sharp knife.
7. Urge her to cover the shoe box with moss so the leprechaun will not be able to see the trap door.
8. Then, have her place several gold coins on the shoe box behind the trap door, so when the leprechaun comes to retrieve the gold, he will fall into the shoe box and be trapped.
9. Have her place several gold coins in a trail from the door to the shoe box to entice the leprechauns.
10. Once your child has gone to bed, remove the gold coins.
11. When she wakes up, she'll be surprised to find that the gold coins are gone, with no trace of a leprechaun to be found!
12. Explain the Irish folktale to your child. They have magical powers and are able to vanish in a blink of an eye!