Leprechaun Trap {with leprechaun bait}

Each year my boys build a leprechaun trap the night before St.Patrick's Day. They spend a lot of time designing and creating their traps, and today I am sharing their 2016 version.

My boys decided that last year's design wasn't tall enough, so they made this one extra tall by stacking boxes. They cut holes in the top of the bottom box, the bottom of the top box, and the top of the top box. Then, they covered the top hole with tissue paper. When the leprechaun steps on it, he'll fall right through!

Of course, the leprechaun will need stairs, so my boys built one set from Lego and another set from pipe cleaners. To set the trap, they used leprechaun bait.

Here is a close up of their final trap.

We have our fingers crossed for success this year... but even if our leprechaun manages to escape, I'm confident he'll leave some gold behind!

Do you set a leprechaun trap for St. Patrick's Day? If you catch one, take a picture and send it to me so I can show my boys.

♥ 
Gina Bell (aka East Coast Mommy)

***Update***

We didn't catch a leprechaun, but the tricky little guy dropped some gold while he was trying to escape. Maybe next year!

Simple Leprechaun Trap

One of our favorite Saint Patrick's Day traditions is setting a leprechaun trap.  We have been doing it for years, and we have never caught one, but we keep trying.  Leprechauns are tricky, but one of these years, I know we are going to get lucky.  Here's the leprechaun trap we built (from LEGO) last year.

Last year, the boys thought they had designed a fool-proof trap, but the leprechaun managed to escape.  According to my middle son... when the leprechaun fell in the trap, he grabbed the ladder as he was falling, and used it to get out.  Luckily, the tricky leprechaun dropped a bunch of his chocolate gold coins while he was trying to escape.

We always use Lucky Charms as leprechaun bait, and my boys like to package it up and share it with their friends.  You can check out the adorable free printable tags here.

This year, my boys will design a new trap, and I will enjoy watching them do it.  You never know... this might be the year we catch a leprechaun, he will give us his gold, and we can take a super-fun family vacation.  Fingers crossed!

♥ 
Gina Bell (aka East Coast Mommy)

Leprechaun Trap

Every year my boys put their heads together, make a plan, and build a leprechaun trap for St. Patrick's Day.  Thus far they have been unsuccessful in their attempts to catch a leprechaun, but maybe this is our lucky year.  Here is our lastest version... a "Lego" Leprechaun Trap.

Seriously... what leprechaun could resist this adorable creation? 

The boys used green painting tape to cover a box, I helped them cut out a hole, and they built a Lego staircase.  Pretty clever, aren't they?

All we need to do is add some leprechaun bait (which you can read all about here). 

I think we have a good chance of catching one.  And if we don't... perhaps he'll drop some gold chocolate coins like he did last year.

♥ 

Gina Bell (aka East Coast Mommy)

You can find more St.Patrick's Day ideas here.

Catching a Leprechaun... with free printable {leprechaun bait} bag topper

My boys love sharing little "treats" with their friends and classmates on special occasions, and St. Patrick's Day is no exception.  One of our favorite gifts to share on March 17 is Leprechaun Bait.  

To make Magic Leprechaun Bait, just fill little bags with "Lucky Charms" cereal, and attach a cute little note. (Click here for a "pdf" version of the one I designed. There are two on a page, and they can be cut to fit on top of a snack/sandwich baggie.) Easy, right?

Our note said:
On St.Patrick's Day, I am going to try and catch a leprechaun. I am using this "Lucky Charms" cereal for bait, and thought you might like to try catching one too.
But..... you should know..... Leprechauns are very tricky! They have been known to steal the bait without getting caught. Keep a lookout though... sometimes they leave footprints, play tricks, or drop some of their treasure. Good luck! 

Then... on the Eve of St. Patrick's Day, the kids can build a trap to try and catch a Leprechaun. Last year, we made ours out of a diaper box. We covered the box with green paper and decorated it with rainbows and pots of gold. {See below.}

In the morning, we didn't find a Leprechaun, but we did find some shiny pennies and gold bars (Caramilk bars).

This idea is simple and fun, and I guarantee the kids will love it!  Let me know if you catch one.

♥
Gina Bell (aka East Coast Mommy)

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