St. Patrick's Day party ideas for kids

St. Patrick's Day is the perfect time to let your little ones invite over a few friends for some holiday fun. We've got some fun ideas for St. Patrick's Day party crafts, games and food.

Shamrocks, leprechauns and pots of gold — so many fun things can be part of your kids' craft projects during a St. Patrick's Day party.

You can use this shamrock printable to trace shamrocks on green construction paper. Then, all you'll need are glue, glitter, stickers and paint to let the kids personalize their own special shamrocks to take home. Also consider these other easy St. Patrick's Day party crafts:

Plan some age-appropriate party games for your little guests on St. Patrick's Day. Some classic party games can be adjusted for your St. Patty's Day theme:

Serve fun green foods for your St. Patrick's Day get-together. Practically any food can be dyed green with a little food coloring. If you are serving a meal, consider mini meatloaves made in cupcake tins. Add food coloring and chopped green onions to the meat to give it a festive look.

For a great St. Patrick's Day dip, try Irish cheddar fondue served with apples and Irish soda bread for dipping. You can also serve foods that are naturally green — guacamole, pistachios or kiwis.

Green Jell-O or mint chocolate chip ice cream makes a simple green dessert. You can also try one of these St. Patrick's Day desserts or a St. Patrick's Day cocktail for the parents.

When it's time for the party to wind down, kids can enjoy St. Patrick's Day books and movies. For little ones, read That's What Leprechauns Do, The Night Before St. Patrick's Day or The Luckiest St. Patrick's Day Ever. If you want to rent a DVD, consider A Very Unlucky Leprechaun or even Darby O'Gill and the Little People .

More about St. Patrick's Day

Shamrock crafts for St. Patrick's Day
DIY St. Patrick's Day decor
Decorating ideas for St. Patrick's Day