St. Patrick's Day Storytime

I almost didn't celebrate St.Patrick's Day for storytime. The book selections were slim, mostly because the ones I reserved I hadn't read through enough and when I did they weren't right for storytime. So, I stretched the theme to include books and songs not only about St. Patrick's Day, but also the favored spot of leprechauns to hide there gold... rainbows.

St. Patrick's Day Storytime Lineup:

The Story of the Leprechaun by Katherine Tegan, illustrated by Sally Anne Lambert

A simple enough book to read to preschool age kids and enjoyable enough for elementary school age kids. This was the perfect St. Paddy's Day book for storytime.

Five Green Shamrocks Flannel Board

Adapted from Narrating Tales of Preschool Storytime

Five green shamrocks growing outdoors, a lucky child picked one and that left four.

Four green shamrocks green as can be, a lucky child picked one and that left three.

Three green shamrocks playing peek-a-boo, a lucky child picked one and that left two.

Two green shamrocks nodding in the sun, a lucky child picked one and that left one.

One green shamrock ready for St. Patrick's Day fun, a lucky child picked it and then there were none.

Ned's Rainbow by Melanie Walsh

A book about a boy who loves rainbows.

I Can Sing a Rainbow

Song and Flannel Board

Adapted from song by Arther Hamilton

Red and orange and yellow and green

Blue, indigo, violet too

I can sing a rainbow

Sing a rainbow

Sing a rainbow too.

Look with your eyes

Listen with your ears

And sing everything you see

You can sing a rainbow

Sing a rainbow

Sing along with me.

Red and orange and yellow and green

Blue, indigo, violet too

I can sing a rainbow

Sing a rainbow

Sing a rainbow too.

Wow! Said the Owl by Tim Hopgood

Read this one for owl storytime back in November. I prompt the kids to say, "WOW" each time the owl says wow during the story.

Jamie O'Rouke and the Big Potato by Tomie DePaola

An old Irish Folktalk about a lazy man, a leprechaun, and one giant potato.

St. Patrick's Day Crafts:

Originally, I was going to let the kids pick between making a shamrock wreath or the rainbow streamer, but I ran out of time to prep for a craft. Thankfully there were plenty of halved paper plates and pre-cut crepe paper to make the rainbow streamers. I included the shamrock wreath in this post nonetheless.

First up... rainbow streamers.

Materials used: markers, ribbons, paper plates, crepe paper, shamrocks cut from construction paper, tape, scissors, and a hole-punch.

We colored paper plates that were already cut in half with markers.

I told the kids they didn't have to be the rainbows identical to the ones they say in the books. They could make their rainbow any colors or designs they preferred.

The crepe paper was pre-cut from a summer craft into foot long pieces.

Flipped the plate over and tapped crepe paper strips to the bottom of the rainbow.

The more crepe paper, the better in my opinion.

I had paper shamrocks if the kids wanted to put a St. Paddy's Day spin on their rainbow.

We hole-punched the top and threaded golden ribbon through.

Both ribbon ends were threaded from the back of the rainbow to the front and then knotted at the ends.

Again we find another cat approved craft.

Now for  a quick shamrock wreath how-to...

This craft is the poor man's adaption of a the foam shamrock wreath found on We-Made-That via Pintrest.

All you need for this craft is construction paper, tape, and ribbon.

Cut out enough shamrocks to make a complete circle (I used a shamrock accucut). Tape the overlapping, shamrock pieces together. It helps to line them up in a circle first and then tape.

Hole-punch the top left and right side of the wreath, thread a piece of ribbon through, and knot in the back

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

image source: story of the leprechaun, ned's rainbow, wow said the owl, jamie o'rourke