No Luck with Leprechauns

Allana’s teacher sent home a note encouraging the children to build leprechaun traps and bring them to school to try a catch a leprechaun.  The trap could be a design as simple as a pencil propping up a shoebox.

School trap

With my sister’s wedding the weekend before St. Patrick’s Day, there wasn’t enough time to get too creative.  Sunday evening, we used an empty strawberry container to create this masterpiece.

The bait (pasted chocolate gold coins) would lure the leprechaun to the top of the carton where the leprechaun would fall through the invisible trap door.  The Easter grass would soften his fall and of course, camouflage this ingenious, inexpensive, truly “green” trap.

Allana also wanted to build another trap for the house.  In the previous years, we’ve built traps out of old shoeboxes, but this year, Allana wanted to build something different since the others never seemed to catch a leprechaun.

Family Fun magazine featured some very creative leprechaun traps this month, which got Allana’s wheels spinning and she decided to build the rainbow model, of course.  We found some time after homework on Monday evening.  Even Dad got into the act because this high-tech triggered trap would require his assistance to construct it properly.

Daddy helps

Once the leprechaun snatched the pot of gold (one egg cup from an egg carton painted black and filled with chocolate gold coins), the cloud (an applesauce pot covered in cotton balls) would drop and trap him underneath.

Allana's Rainbow Trap

 Alas, neither trap caught a leprechaun this year.  Her trap at school snatched the leprechaun’s pants (a small piece of green felt cut in the shape of pants) and one gold coin, which she thinks fell out of leprechaun’s pocket when the trap snagged his pants.

The rainbow trap at home failed to catch the leprechaun as well, however, this leprechaun decided to leave gold and green trinkets and goodies.  A can of green beans, emerald green jeweled Jibbitz, a sparkly green jump rope and two books are some of the items the leprechaun left.

Leprechaun GoodiesThe leprechaun also left a note tucked in the Easter grass of the trap.

 

Thought you could catch me!

Ha!  Ha!  Nice try!

But I was too clever and swift

For a trap from the sky!

 

Allana is already designing and planning next year’s trap with the help of the book The Night Before St. Patrick’s Day.  Actually, she isplanning to build several traps next year!

 

 

Should I feed her obsession and buy the book  The Leprechaun Trap?

 

10 comments

  1. Kelly K says:

    Olivia’s teacher told her that leprechauns were imaginary. I’m a little upset but its not like she told her there was no Santa Claus.

    I just blew off her questions, told her I thought it was more fun if Leprechauns do exist and not to mention it to her sister.

  2. Peggy says:

    That is SUCH a cute idea! I live on the Southside of Chicago where 97.6% of the population is Irish and I’ve never seen this!

    At my kid’s school, they have a mischevious leprechaun who comes and messes up the desks, room etc. for the little kids while they are out at recess. It’s so cute to hear them talk about what the leprechaun did that day! 🙂

  3. lindsay says:

    this is so cute. the facial expressions are great, and i love the morning (assuming anyway) hair in the last photo. you are a great parent. if i ever have kids i’m sending them to summer camp at your house. 😉

  4. Jen says:

    Thank you so much for stopping by and sharing all of your great leprechaun traps! This is the first time I’ve done Mr. Linky, so not sure how much of a response I’ll get.

    I really like your book suggestions.

    Take Care!
    Jen from Creative and Curious Kids!

  5. Alex aka Ma Whats for Dinner says:

    Ok, being a Fitzpatrick I feel like I should be waaaaay more up to date on all the awesome St. Patty’s day stuff. I’ve failed!!! And here I was just going to make a big pot of Corned Beef & Cabbage and toss back some Guinness. Gotta get with it!!!!

    Commenting here for Sat Sharefest since I got your other funny post already yesterday!!! Such a fan of your blog!

    Happy Saturday Sharefest!!!!

    Alex aka Ma What’s For Dinner
    http://www.mawhats4dinner.com

  6. Just Jenn says:

    SO funny! I love it when my husband gets involved in these crazy ideas of ours!! 😉 my son is 7 this year… and he doesn’t want to try to catch him…because if we do… “he might not bring any gold coins or candy!” ha ha ha ha…. nice logic little man!

    another Jenn ~ =)

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