, , , St. Patrick's Day Craft for Kids Hanging Tiss

Lara Smith - is a freelance writer with a Bachelor of Arts in English, History and Religious Studies.

Hanging Tissue-Paper Shamrock - Lara Smith

The shamrock has long been a symbol of Ireland and St. Patrick's Day. Share in the symbol's magic and history by creating one you can proudly display in your home. Kids will love transforming a cereal box and tissue paper into a festive decoration while you share what the shamrock symbolizes. When dangling from its perch, this St. Patrick's Day craft for kids will breathe some lucky spirit into its surroundings.

Things you will need: Green tissue paperGreen paper (construction/card stock)Nontoxic glue stickScissorsCereal boxHole puncherGreen pipe cleanerUnsharpened pencil

Steps for Making a Hanging Tissue-Paper Shamrock (Scroll to bottom for pictures and click to enlarge)

Trace or draw a shamrock shape onto a piece of green paper and cut it out. You can make it as small or large as you like. As it does require some time and patience, a smaller one would be better suited for younger children.With a glue stick, have child apply glue to the back of the shamrock and glue it onto a piece of cardboard (cereal boxes are perfect).Cut the glued shamrock with cardboard backing from the box.With the hole puncher, make a hole in the middle of the shamrock's top.Have child thread a pipe cleaner through the hole and twist ends together for a hanging loop. For a two-tone look, wind two pipe cleaners of different shades of green together and then thread through the hole.Cut your tissue paper into strips that are 2" wide. Wrinkled tissue paper works just as well, so if you have been saving it from gift bags, now is the time to put it to good use. Feel free to use different shades of green together if that is what you have available.Pile the strips evenly on top of each other and cut into squares approximately 2" x 2".Place your tissue-paper squares into a bowl.Have child apply glue to a small section of the shamrock at a time so it does not dry while they are applying the paper. Starting in the middle and working outwards is easiest.Next, they can place the unsharpened pencil end into the center of a tissue-paper square and wrap/twist it tightly around the pencil.Have them press the tissue paper onto the glued section with the pencil.Repeat above step until the paper-covered cardboard is no longer visible.For a finishing touch, the tissue paper can be trimmed with scissors to look more uniform. To enhance the shamrock shape, trim into and along the edges.Hang and enjoy!

This St. Patrick's Day craft for kids is a great way to share in the excitement and history of the holiday. So if you could use some extra luck and kissing the Blarney stone or catching a leprechaun seems unlikely, opt for a simpler approach and pay homage with a hanging tissue-paper shamrock.