How could I let a holiday go by without a garland? I love decorating with garlands. What makes this one so fun is that it’s made with coffee filters. The surface absorbs the paint well and when it’s dry it really looks like a leaf. Add a little glitter and you have a simple shamrock garland and an inexpensive St.Patrick’s Day decoration. That’s not all though, adding in a little step of making the green paint by mixing yellow and blue and you also have a lesson!
- Gather your materials. You will need multiple coffee filters, some yellow and blue paint, a paintbrush, some gold glitter, sharp scissors, and some green ribbon.
- Start by cutting your coffee filters into shamrocks. With really little toddlers, I would draw a shamrock and let them paint it, then cut out. Painting on the small shamrocks is a challenge as they have to be careful. For a young toddler, it would prove to be really frustrating which isn’t what we want.
- Mix your green paint. When activities are shorter like this one, I like to have my son mix the paint. He loves it too!
- Paint your shamrocks.
- Let dry.
- Add the gold glitter and let dry.
- Poke 2 small holes in each shamrock. I alternated between the top and the stem.
- Thread the ribbon through.
- Hang up and enjoy!
Shamrock Book
The title below is an affiliate link. All of our book lists contain them. 
S is for Shamrock: An Ireland Alphabet (Discover the World)
 by Eve Bunting is a book full of possibilities. The text is long, but you can easily shorten it for young children to only be each alphabetical item such as L for leprechaun, V for vikings, and Z for zed. Older children will enjoy the detailed information on each page and even the youngest babies will love the illustrations.
 by Eve Bunting is a book full of possibilities. The text is long, but you can easily shorten it for young children to only be each alphabetical item such as L for leprechaun, V for vikings, and Z for zed. Older children will enjoy the detailed information on each page and even the youngest babies will love the illustrations.
Where's The Aspirin? says
Great idea! I am so glad that I found your blog.
Melissa says
Another neat craft! I have to tell ya, I love seeing your little guy always doing his crafts in his PJ’s!!! It makes me smile, because I thought mine were the only ones! LOL!
Anonymous says
We just finished this craft and the girls loved it. We did ours a little differently. We used contact paper like you had done in one of your other crafts, shaped it into a shamrock, put green tissue paper, stickers and glitter in the middle and then closed it up and hung it in the window. Unfortunatly it is raining today but the girls are having a blast looking at them. Thanks for the idea!!
momof3 says
I also love seeing your little one in his pajamas. My little girl loves it when she sees him in his monkey jammies. She has the same ones and calls them her Curious George jammies
Allie says
Great sun catcher idea!
Pjs are so easy to clean if they get stuff on them and are his favorite clothes, I have learned not to fight it. He often goes to the market in them too.
Marianna says
I love this. DH’s irthday is St Patty’s Day so he would love decorations made by his boys. Do you think brown coffee filters would look weird?
Allie says
nope I used brown ones too ! I didn’t use them on the final one because I have serious ocd issues with symmetry and didn’t have the right number. Use darker green paint though.
Toni says
how sweet and cute, I have a ton of filters to we got a new machine that uses diferent ones great way to use up the escess.
Lori says
How cute, I love it and we might just try it. Thanks!
Marianna says
ok so i have no coffee filters. lol. i’ll figure something out…
Allie says
Brown paper bags are strong enough for it too Marianna !
Jen says
I love garland, too. I did little ghosts at Halloween and Santas at Christmas! Might have to steal your idea for St. Patty’s Day!
Jen
Creative and Curious Kids!
http://raisingcreativeandcuriouskids.blogspot.com
sarah says
Allie – How old is your son? He looks the same age as mine (2 yrs) but I find it very difficult to keep my son’s interest in crafting! How do you do it?
Winter has been far too long and I am DYING to find activities that don’t involve the blimmin’ t.v. Any suggestions for helping my 2 y.o. son gain/hold interest in crafting/colouring?
Thx so much!
Mom, M.Ed. says
Count me in…love seeing your little guy in his jammies. We usually do school in the A.M., in our jammies-and your little one reminds me of mine!
Love your site!!
Kat says
I love that he mixes the paint! I was just thinking about how I don’t have any green paint for St. Patty’s crafts, so that is a perfect solution.
Allie says
Sarah –
He turned 2 in November, and you know some days he isn’t into it either. I think it helps when I give him choices – so I ask him “Do you want to make a dinosaur or paint with feathers today?” instead of “Do you want to do art?” I find yes no questions almost always result in a no no matter what you ask a 2 year old.
Also I am really really relaxed – I expect paint on things, and give friendly reminders but really never get angry. Which keeps art fun and enjoyable for both of us- also if he’s not into it I don’t push I just go with it.
Find something he really likes and use that as a hook, then once he is really enjoying art time sneak in the less outwardly desirable things to see how he likes them. Sometimes children just need some good “marketing” to get them started, but if he really isn’t into it, I would let it go. Try again in a bit.
I hope that helps!
Sarah says
Thanks Allie! I will try approaching crafts and the like as you’ve suggested.
Oh, btw, this website is really wonderful. I’ve been perusing for an hour now and I feel inspired and hopeful – thank you, thank you, thank you for the much-needed ideas and guidance.
Keri says
Allie- I love your site! I wrote up my 20 favorite posts on my blog-
thehometeacher@blogspot.com
I had so much fun reading ALL the amazing ideas that you come up with! And making it so much fun for your little guy- he sure is lucky to have you as a mommy!
Allie says
Keri you have an awesome site!
Trese says
My son and I had a blast with this activity! This was the first time we mixed two colors together to make a new one and he was amazed! We spent almost 1/2 an hour mixing “boo” and “lellow” to make “geen.” We only actually painted 3 shamrocks (he didn’t want to paint, he wanted to mix the colors), but we had fun. Thanks again!
Anonymous says
You have wonderful ideas and are resourceful with everyday items around the house. We are trying the coffee filter garland at a St Patty’s Day children’s party tomorrow. Thanks!