A Family-Friendly, Coronavirus-Appropriate St. Patrick’s Day Activity

There aren’t going to be any parades this year, but if your little ones are already antsy, here’s a community-sourced idea for keeping kids occupied while also safely commemorating St. Patrick’s death (that’s what March 17 is technically all about, by the way). This “Shamrock Hunt” idea has been making the rounds on NextDoor, but if it hasn’t hit your neighborhood yet, here’s the gist:

1. Create a festive shamrock. Use paint, sparkles, glitter, feathers, whatever—make it as pretty as you have the time and resources for (we’ve all got a lot more of the former now, right?).
2. Put your shamrock in your window, so it’s visible to passersby, on March 17.
3. Take your kids on a “Shamrock Hunt” through the neighborhood and see how many they can spot. Share photos of particularly fun ones on social media.

Clearly this takes a little coordinating in your neighborhood, so if the idea hasn’t already popped up on NextDoor or other community sites, you might have to play organizer. Then again, what else are you doing tonight? #StayHome