I love this St. Patrick’s Day Leprechaun’s Treasure Box activity. I found it on Disney’s Family Fun  to share. Grandparents can complete this fun, creative St. Patrick’s Day activity with grandchildren. Distance is not a problem, as long as you allow enough time for your package’s timely delivery.

Oh, those conniving leprechauns! This St. Patrick’s Day activity on the Disney site has since been stolen away. I was blessed with the Luck o’ the Irish. I was able to capture it back!

A brief look of Leprechaun’s Treasure Box Activity:  This St. Patrick’s Day, grandparents and let grandchildren in on a well-guarded secret, learn the Legend of the Leprechauns, and start a new family tradition in the process. The fun begins with the Legend of the Leprechauns and leads to a treasure box filled with goodies and gifts. Here’s what to do…

leprechaun's treasure box activity

Leprechaun’s Treasure Box Activity

No matter where you live, this Leprechaun’s Treasure Box Activity can be completed with your grandkids.

As we know, leprechauns are sneaky and like to remain invisible. With this activity, children can learn the Legend of the Leprechauns and create a treasure box to leave for little leprechauns to fill with St. Patrick’s Day treasures while asleep.

I’ve broken the activity down into steps to guide you through the fun. No matter their age, the grandchildren will enjoy finding treasure.

Introducing Leprechaun’s Treasure Box Activity

  • Call your grandkids’ parents to explain what you’d like to do. If they agree, then…
  • Pack up a special package with the following
    • Legend of the Leprechauns
    • an empty rectangular tissue box
    • glittery decorating supplies and glue
  • Ship one off to each of your grandchildren or one larger for one family
    • before the package arrives, call grandchildren on FaceTime
    • explain about your fun St. Patrick’s Day activity you’d like to do with them
    • and what they’re to do when their special package arrives

Your grandchildren will probably be very curious. Try to keep it a secret!

How to Decorate the Leprechaun’s Treasure Box

In the package sent or delivered to your grandchild or child, you provided decorating supplies such as tissue, glitter, and St. Patrick’s Day themed stickers plus anything else you found. an empty shoe box or tissue box with paints, glitter glue or stickers.

This is a good time to explain that leprechauns are tiny and if they can’t reach the top of the box, it will remain empty.

The Night Before St. Patrick’s Day

Before bedtime, chat on FaceTime together because it’s now…

  • time for each grandchild to share their Leprechaun Treasure Box
  • after the ooos and ahhhs, tell them they will learn why they decorated the box when you
  • let them know that only a small treasure box is needed because leprechauns are tiny
  • read Legend of the Leprechauns to them
  • then talk about the legend – what do they think?

LEGEND OF THE LEPRECHAUNS

Full of magic and trickery, the leprechauns remain in their hidden world until the night before St. Patrick’s Day. On that one night of the year they appear throughout the world to dance and sing and frolic.

Disguising themselves as leaves and grass, and sounding like the wind and the crickets, they come and go unnoticed. However, it is said that if a decorated treasure box is left empty under the moon, the leprechauns must fill the box with gold or jewels or gifts.

But then they will hide the filled box in the most unlikely of places. If the box is found on St. Patrick’s Day, the treasure remains in our world. If not, the leprechauns may retrieve what is rightfully theirs. And though the leprechauns are very clever, it is not impossible to find the treasure because, unknowingly, leprechauns often leave a trail of greenery behind them.

Hiding the Leprechaun’s Treasure Box

Just before bed, the finished treasure box should be placed on a windowsill where the moon might shine on it or on the floor below the window.

This is when the resident leprechauns come out of hiding…

Once the children are sound asleep, the resident leprechauns can fill the box with small treasures, such as foil-covered chocolate coins, costume jewelry or a bag of marbles, and then hide it in a different special place.

All that’s left to do is lay a trail of green leaves or paper shamrocks from the window to the box. An older child may even enjoy the challenge of several trails to follow, some with dead ends (you know, trickery of the leprechauns!).

Another St. Patrick’s Day fun Activity to try is How to Trap a Leprechaun….make your own leprechaun trap for after he leaves treasures.

I hope the grandparents, grandchildren, and parents all enjoyed Leprechaun’s Treasure Box Activity this St. Patrick’s Day.