Let’s explore some simple projects that are perfect for toddlers when St. Patrick’s Day comes around. As with all activities that involve cooking and art supplies, remember to give your toddler close adult supervision. To create the stencil, simply draw a shamrock shape on a rigid board (scrap cardboard works perfectly). Cut it out with an Exacto knife or similar blade tool. Give your toddler some green crayons and a piece of paper and show them how to color inside the shamrock. It’s a simple way to turn those scribbles into something they can be proud of. With spring approaching, try to look for moments where you can go for a walk or a drive after the rain to see a rainbow with your toddler. If that’s not possible, use a prism to create a rainbow indoors on a wall or the floor. After that experience, you can make this rainbow cake to reinforce what you’ve discussed about rainbows and color. It can also be used to introduce new skills like measuring and stirring. The best part is that it’s a rainbow you get to eat when you’re finished. To create the cake, simply use your favorite cake recipe in a round pan (rectangular works as well). Frost it in a simple white frosting, then decorate it with a candy that comes in a rainbow of colors. Skittles and M&M’s are ideal choices. Depending on how advanced you want to make your cake, you can also use food coloring to make the actual cake a rainbow. Make each layer a different color and simply put frosting between each in order to have the stack stay together. To make a rainbow, paint each fingertip a different color in rainbow order (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, or purple, remember the acronym ROYGBIV) and gently guide his fingers across the paper in a curve. Take a moment to admire the rainbow and then let him do his own thing with the colors. Tip: Line the table with newspaper or do this activity in a high chair for easy clean-up. For a young toddler, put the paint and cutters inside a newspaper-lined pan. This will keep him from making too big of a mess as he scoots the cutters around while loading them with paint. Older toddlers with a bit more practice can just use a paper plate. Both clean up easy. All ages should wear a smock or old t-shirt to protect clothing. Get down on the ground and look under the blanket of dead, brown grass from winter to find new shoots appearing. Look at tree branches and find green buds that are emerging. Search for green caterpillars. Ask your child simple yes and no questions like, “Is this green?” when pointing to something of another color to see if he is getting the concept of the color. Knowing what green isn’t is part of the learning experience. Ask questions like, “What color is the Jell-O?” Make it part of all-green snack time with other foods like peas, steamed broccoli, and green beans or wilted spinach. This is a good thing to remember each time you give your child something to eat, not just on St. Patrick’s Day. Food is such an integral part of your toddler’s day, so why not take that time to point out a food’s color, shape, size, or quantity? Instead, place a small scoop of vanilla ice cream or frozen yogurt in a short, half cup. Add a splash of milk and let it soften for about a minute. Give your toddler a small spoon and add a few drops of green food coloring. Let her use a little elbow grease to make her very own milkshake. She will enjoy watching the color go from white to green and will love knowing that she made it happen. You can make your own playdough with Kool-Aid and stimulate your toddler’s sense of smell. It can also be made with a drop or two of food coloring. With this, you can let your toddler experience the mixing of color as he plays. Tip: Use the same shamrock cookie cutters you used for the painting activity to make shamrock shapes out of playdough. No matter what your take is on the pinching part of St. Patrick’s Day, this is one more chance to take part in a fun tradition and reinforce the concept of green. It’s also a chance to instill independence. Allow your child to pick out her own green outfit. She’ll have fun looking through drawers and closets to find something. You can make it even more fun by hiding an item in a drawer like a crazy new green pair of socks or a hat. For young toddlers, layout two or three green shirts or dresses and ask them to choose just one to wear that day. Simply playing Irish music is likely to get your toddler spinning, jumping, and dancing. The upbeat tempo just begs for it! You can even introduce the best part of the Irish jig by interlocking arms, then spin around in a circle. To maintain that healthy diet, make this a fun, once-a-year treat. Let your child have fun searching for all the green clovers and wondering what on Earth a leprechaun is. Many of the best Irish foods follow that line of thinking. They’re frugal, simple, and filled with delicious nutrients. From soda bread to a classic Irish stew, there are many great authentic Irish recipes to try.
