St. Patrick’s Day is an exciting holiday to celebrate with kids!
We are always attempting to strengthen little hands as we create and play.
This process based St. Patrick’s Day craft is beneficial for fine motor skills and festive!
Fine Motor St. Patrick’s Day Craft
Fine motor skills are a vital precursor to early writing skills for children!
Strengthening this dexterity requires the repeatedly practiced coordination of the small muscles in the hands and wrists.
Fine motor tasks that strengthen hands for later writing include any work that requires kids to pinch, squeeze, twist, or sprinkle with their hands!
Children who are reluctant writers are likely to engage in enjoyable fine motor crafts and games.
They are practicing writing in the process without ever even picking up a pencil yet!
Shamrock Craft Supplies
Here are the supplies you will need to create this fine motor St. Patty’s Day craft:
- white glue
- cardstock
- salt
- eye dropper
- green liquid watercolor paint OR water with green food dye
Check out this research-based, playful learning unit in our curriculum shop!
St. Patrick’s Day Bundle
18 of our most popular St. Patrick's Day resources, including math, literacy, fine motor and more! Make learning hands-on and fun!
First, an adult will draw shamrock shapes on a piece of cardstock paper or a paper plate. Older children may be able to do this step independently, too.
Put the cardstock in a box lid or rimmed tray. Invite children to pinch a bit of salt to sprinkle over the wet glue. Repeat until all of the glue is covered.
St. Patrick’s Day Fine Motor Craft
Gently lift the cardstock. Shake from side to side so any loose salt will adhere to any remaining glue. Then shake the salt down into the tray or lid. You can pour this salt back into a container for another activity!
Put green liquid watercolor paint in a shallow container. Alternatively, you can add a bit of green food coloring to water in the place of the liquid watercolor paint. Demonstrate to the children how to use the eye droppers if this is a new technique for them. I like to remind them to put it in the liquid, then squeeze, then lift.
Allow the kids to drip a drop of green coloring at a time on the salted glue shamrocks. This process is so visually appealing as the color is absorbed into the salt!
BIO: Devany LeDrew is a former kindergarten teacher who writes at Still Playing School where she shares play based learning activities. She specializes in fine motor activities and has co-authored the book 99 Fine Motor Ideas! Follow Still Playing School on Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter!
More St. Patrick’s Day Activities For Your Classroom
If you teaching a St. Patrick’s Day themed lesson then you might enjoy including one of these activities to follow up with this shamrock craft idea in your pre-K or kindergarten classroom.
St. Patrick’s Day Fine Motor Activities for Preschoolers – There are plenty of ways to develop fine motor skills with a thematic twist. Here are some fun fine motor activities you can do with your kids at home or school for St. Patrick’s Day!
St. Patrick’s Day I-Spy Activity – Your kids are going to love this Rainbow I-Spy bottle for St. Patrick’s Day! Shaking the bottle and searching for the objects hiding in the rainbow is only half the fun, I also created a printable that will help your kids practice identifying beginning sounds.
St. Patrick’s Day Bingo – Free printable bingo game for a St. Patrick’s Day theme or party in your preschool, pre-k, or kindergarten classroom. Includes both a black and white and a color version!
St. Patrick’s Day Play Dough Counting Mats – Free St. Patrick’s Day theme play dough mats to help your kids develop number sense and fluency within ten. Includes 11 printable color mats for you to use in your play dough center.
Green Mystery Bags– Whether your children are studying green as a part of a St. Patrick’s Day unit, a spring theme, or a color study, they will enjoy this fun color activity. They will have a blast trying to find objects at home that are “wearing green” that they can bring to class to share. It could be any object really as long as it is green.
