Whether it’s already one of your customary holidays or not, St. Patrick’s Day presents the perfect opportunity to get the family together with fun activities.
In fact, to celebrate this verdant holiday, you can do much more than wear as much green as possible (to bring you luck and save yourself from leprechaun pinches) or enjoy countless bowls of Lucky Charms cereal.
To ensure a memorable holiday, try some of these fun St. Patrick's Day ideas below.
A well-crafted treasure hunt is a blast for all ages. It can be as simple as finding hidden coins (metal or wrapped chocolate) around the house! However, if you have teens of driving age or can pair adult-and-child teams, you can up the ante with:
Pro-tip: Be sure to purchase any gift card prizes from RaiseRight to earn money for your organization every time! With hundreds of popular brands to choose from, your pot of gold can include gift cards to fan-favorite retailers and restaurants like Amazon, Starbucks, McDonald’s, or Subway—now that’s lucky!
St. Patty’s Day isn’t all about green beer (although you can certainly add a few drops of food coloring to any light-colored beer and enjoy). Irish foods are hearty and warm, perfect for a sit-down family dinner or brunch. Try:
Luckily, Irish cooking uses many easy-to-find ingredients, so you can stock up at your usual stores (and use your RaiseRight grocery gift cards while you’re at it).
How many shades of green can one discover? If your brood is old enough to snap pictures, set them loose to find as many green objects or shades as possible in your house.
From houseplants to crayons to broccoli, see what they can capture. Once the timer goes off, ask for a show and tell of the colors. See if they can pinpoint the difference between olive, kelly, and emerald green, or devise their own silly names.
Visit the gorgeous countryside virtually, hear the music and some Gaelic words, or learn about Irish history from your living room with a movie night. For a younger audience, try:
For a teen-to-adult range, check out:
Everyone loves the gold at the end of a rainbow—but everyone loves the rainbow, too! This year, you can integrate every color of the rainbow into your St. Patty’s Day celebrations with a tie-dye party.
Starting with white or light-colored t-shirts, bandanas, or scarves, you can create basic rings to complex designs with rubber bands and a tie-dye kit from a craft store like Michaels or JOANN.
Don’t skip the protective gloves and plastic sheeting to avoid spreading the rainbow too far!
If you’re near a big city (or live in a town with an enthusiastic planning committee), gas up the car and take the family to the closest St. Patrick’s Day parade or festival. You’ll usually get to see:
Note that some events may not fall exactly on St. Patrick’s Day itself.
If you haven’t gotten enough green yet, St. Patrick’s Day marks the perfect time to work on sprouting something new in the dirt. Consider:
Activities for St. Patrick’s Day don’t have to be expensive or complicated. If you have a concrete driveway or sidewalks—and the weather is warm enough for outside time—grab some sidewalk chalk and get creative together.
Whether you search for a pot of gold, enjoy Irish delicacies, or take in the wonder of a parade, celebrating St. Patrick’s Day as a family is a fantastic way to spend time and build memories together. And, while you’re planning your holiday weekend, you can also raise funds to support your nonprofit or community organization.
Transform how you fundraise or earn with a RaiseRight program. Simply purchase and use gift cards (instead of cash, credit, or debit) or shop online for anything you buy throughout the year—think gas, groceries, clothing, or even travel. RaiseRight partners with hundreds of brands that offer earnings up to 20%—money that goes straight back to your fundraising program.
Learn more about how RaiseRight works, and check out our blog for more lifestyle inspiration, fundraising tips, and strategies.