Leprechaun Pranks for a Magical St. Patrick’s Day

This week, we are sharing our favorite leprechaun pranks to play on the kids for an extra magical St. Patrick’s Day!

This time of year in our hometown is tough.  While most people are enjoying the early days of spring, we’re still facing many dark and cold winter days.  And let’s not forget the occasional blizzards!  We need something to look forward to and celebrate with the kids.  Enter – St. Patrick’s Day!

What’s better than shamrocks, rainbows, and pots of gold to add a little sparkle to these gloomy days?  And let’s not forget those tricky leprechauns!

One of our favorite ways to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day is by playing leprechaun pranks on the kids.  What are leprechaun pranks, you ask? Leprechaun pranks are evidence of all the mischief a visiting leprechaun has let loose while the kids sleep.  On St. Patrick’s Day morning, the kids eagerly search the house to see what he’s been up to.  Many giggles ensue! 

Here are some of our favorite leprechaun pranks you can share with your family for a memorable St. Patrick’s Day!

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1. The Leprechaun Trap

On the eve of St. Patrick’s Day, have your little ones set a trap to catch that cheeky leprechaun.  As the story goes – if you trap a leprechaun, he must grant you three wishes.  And hopefully, once trapped, he won’t be able to cause any mayhem in your house!

We created our trap with a green box, wooden dowel, and some fun St. Patrick’s Day stickers.  The kids also scattered some fake gold coins around to lure the leprechaun in.

We haven’t been lucky enough to catch our leprechaun – yet!  But there is always evidence he has visited including footprints, chocolate gold coins, and a taunting note!

If you don’t want to scrounge for materials to make your trap, there are cute kits available on Amazon below!

2. Trapping the Kids in Their Room

To ensure he isn’t caught, oftentimes the leprechaun will trap the kids in their rooms!  He does this by hanging green streamers or wrapping paper in front of the doorways.  When the kids wake up, they have to break through the trappings!

3. Leprechaun Footprints

Once the kids escape their rooms, they search the house for leprechaun footprints to track where he’s been creating mischief.

You can download our free printable leprechaun footprints below! 

Or, to keep things super simple, here are some adorable leprechaun footprint stickers available on Amazon!

4. Leprechaun Mustache Prank

Sometimes, the leprechaun will draw a mustache on the kids when they are sleeping, or even stick a fake one above their lip!

This prank gives mom the most giggles because the kids typically don’t notice until they’re looking in a mirror.  If you have a sound sleeper, there’s a good chance they will fall prey to this leprechaun prank!

You can find these mustaches on Amazon below!

5. Leprechaun Toilet Prank

Without fail, that tricky leprechaun always needs a potty break at our house.  His bathroom break is evidenced by green water and small footprints left on the seat. 

This prank typically solicits the most giggles from the kids!

6. Mirror message

While using our bathroom, the leprechaun also makes sure to leave a teasing message on our mirror! 

This may or may not be accompanied by some of his own doodles of shamrocks, leprechaun hats, mustaches, and glasses.

7. Create a Green Scene

As if messing up our bathroom wasn’t enough, that leprechaun also likes to get in the kids’ toys.  Typically, he digs out all the green toys and books he can find and leaves a scene in his wake. 

When the kids spot the mess, they know the leprechaun was playing with their toys while they were sleeping!

8. More Mustache Mischief

Now this one is so naughty.  Putting mustaches on the kids is one thing, but that leprechaun has a nasty habit of drawing mustaches on the people in our framed family portraits. 

He must be stopped!

9. Green Breakfast Foods

Just when you think the tomfoolery is over, breakfast brings about a new slew of shenanigans.  Scrambled eggs, pancakes, and cereal milk somehow become green after our leprechaun’s visit!

10. Magic Green Beverages

And that leprechaun doesn’t stop with breakfast foods!  He makes sure to leave a tiny dot of green food coloring in the bottom of everyone’s glass.  That way, when milk, water, or juice is poured in the cup, it instantly turns green! 

This bit of leprechaun magic is seriously impressive to the kids.

11. Rainbow Windshield

Heading to the annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade is a highlight of our St. Paddy’s traditions.  But that pesky leprechaun always has one more trick up his sleeve for us.  He likes to leave blobs of paint on our windshield right above the wipers.  Once we are piled in the car to see the parade, the wipers turn on and a rainbow appears across the window!  Luckily, he uses washable nontoxic paint so we can wash it right off.

To say my kids were stunned the first time they witnessed this prank would be an understatement.  But it sure was a great way to get them psyched for the parade! 

I hope you enjoyed reading about our leprechaun pranks and are inspired to make St. Patrick’s Day extra magical for your family! 

What are some of your family traditions to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day?  Let us know in the comments!

Looking for other St. Patrick’s Day content?  Check out our Family Friendly St. Paddy’s Party and our Crockpot Irish Stew Recipe!

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