Us parents are always looking for ways to make things special for our kids. While certain holidays have an array of different options, Saint Patrick’s Day may be one of the few that leaves us constantly searching.
An annual town parade may become a family tradition, but there are other alternatives across The Island, and even within our own homes, where children can have fun while paying homage to the patron saint of Ireland.
As far as cost-effective ideas go: local libraries are known to share in the spirit of just about any season. Sachem Library’s Irish Soda Bread Bake will be held this Saturday, March 5, at 10 a.m. for Kindergarten-to-fifth graders. Connetquot Public Library offers stories, songs and learning activities, both in-person and virtually; others, such as Smithtown Library, offer Shamrock Shake classes, “Shamrockin’” paint nights, and even allow for children to create their own traps to catch a Leprechaun. Dates and times vary.
Libraries aren’t the only places capable of shaping the youth into the spirit of the season, though. Below are a few other upcoming events held in honor of “St. Paddy’s Day.”
• A Saint Patrick’s Day Scavenger Hunt will be held on Saturday, March 12, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Suffolk County Farm. Rumor has it the Leprechauns have hidden their gold across the farm! While the fee is $15 for children 3-and-older, it includes a day of gold-hunting, farm animals, and wagon rides.
• The Shamrockin’ Good Time held at Sensory Beans in Wantagh on March 13 will include themed crafts in their Saint Patrick’s Day celebrations. The cost is $30 per child, and reservations are required. More information is available at www.sensorybeans.org
• A Leprechaun Scavenger Hunt will be held at the Saint James Community Cultural Arts Center in Saint James at 2 p.m. on March 19. The cost is $10 per child and $5 for each additional child. The scavenger hunt welcomes Kindergarten-to-second graders.
While attending an event is enjoyable, real fun can be had at home too. Don’t sleep on food – it’s underestimated just how fun food can be for kids of all ages, and adults too. Yes, food coloring usually does the trick, but it shouldn’t stop there. For example: instead of green or rainbow pancakes, Dash now sells a Mini Shamrock Waffle Maker for $12.99 – available at all major retailers to spice up your breakfast. Rainbows made of fruit, Lucky Charms, green Rice Krispies Treats and additional themed cookies are pushing their way to the forefront of Pinterest, guaranteeing smiles for you and yours!
But let’s not forget about the actual Leprechaun – who’s grown in popularity over the past few years. Our kids may be young, but they are smart (especially since we’re who’s raising them, right?); thus, you shouldn’t be surprised when they begin to anticipate the silly antics they’ve come to love and expect from the Leprechaun who annually visits the night prior to March 17.
As parents, it’s our duty to prepare. Before turning in on the eve of March 16, the Leprechaun Bait no book on parenting ever schooled you about should be left at once. And don’t worry; recipes to your liking are readily available on the web. You may even decide to flip over some chairs, displace certain items in the house, dye the toilet bowl water green, throw green glitter, make a trail of rainbow Skittles and so forth. Get creative. Go crazy. They’re only young once.
No matter how your family celebrates, remember to search for the rainbows in the skies on March 17 while dining on the obligatory spread of corned beef and cabbage. And don’t forget the most important agenda item yet: the real gold isn’t at the end of the rainbow; it’s in the eyes of your kids who couldn’t wait to celebrate this day with you.
