It is very fascinating to me as an adult to watch how children’s eyes sparkle when they talk about magic and make believe. With St. Patrick’s Day approaching I am hear more and more talk about the Elusive Leprechaun. 1st and 2nd graders are conspiring about how to catch him in their homemade leprechaun traps and having discussions about the last time they made traps. “I saw him last year,” one would say or, “His coat got stuck in my trap,” and another would add, “He left me a gold coin!”
Meanwhile the kindergarteners are trying to find out who left such a big mess in the classroom and why the water has turned green. “It has to be the leprechaun,” they say, “We have to search for clues!” The next morning they arrive to see tiny green footprints all over the window along with a letter enticing them to search for his treasure. They find more and more clues around the school and finally find his treasure.
Now my older students are great with the younger students. Most of them seem to no longer have the same belief in magic and make believe but they are good at letting the younger students have their fun (with the occasional snicker here and there of course.) One year to my utter astonishment I had two 5th and 6th grade students who still believed. I had accidentally misplaced one of the kindergartener’s clues to find the leprechaun’s treasure along with the leader’s “map” of where the clues were to be hidden. The wind had carried it to a small grate under our building. While the two boys were playing ball they stumbled upon the missing clue along with the map. They ran up to me very excitedly and said, “We found the leprechaun’s treasure map, he left it where we could find it so we could find his treasure.” And off they went to find their treasures ~ it was precious and inspiring to me. Maybe sometimes those older kids who we think are past believing in magic and make believe still believe but just aren’t willing to show it!!
Tiny Leprechaun Footprints
Materials needed- green tempera paint, dish soap & 2 hands.
Directions:
1) Mix 2 tbs green tempera paint with 1 tsp dish soap (for easy clean up and disposal of the evidence)
2) Make a fist, use the pinkie and side of the palm as the base of the foot and use paint brush to cover in paint. Use your fingers or handle of large paint brush to make five toes.
