Lucky Charm Playdate

One of the greatest joys of being a mom is hosting playdates with friends and their mamas. St. Patrick’s Day is an easy holiday for preschoolers or early elementary kids to host a playdate. With some planning and creativity, you can have multiple kids in one space, play festive holiday games, and host a green buffet of treats.

When I host a preschool playdate, I find it easiest to have a variety of activities, and I spread them out into stations so there is not too much going on in one place. Parents can spread out if emotions are high or skip an activity to avoid supplies or vary in abilities.

A Lucky Charm Playdate is a great St. Patrick's Day activity for preschoolers, toddlers, and early elementary. Crafts, storytime and science activities are a great way to help kids learn with sensory experiences and explore the St. Patty's Day holiday. #stpatricksdayactivites #stpattyparty #greenactivities #preschoolstem #noahactivities #rainbowSTEM #springpartyforkids

Schedule for Lucky Charm Playdate

I usually send a little invite graphic a few weeks before my event. This allows parents to set aside time on their calendars to join you. I also consider the age of the kids in the group and my personal schedule to accommodate the time I need to plan or host the day of. I started my party at 10 am, but you could easily push it back an hour for younger kids to get home for naps. Or, move it to late morning/early afternoon for older kids. Adjust the timeframe to match what you are capable of doing or hosting in your space

10:00 am – 11:00 am – crafts and stations
11:00 am – read Noah’s ark and talk about the rainbow and God keeping His promises – coins remember it’s not luck, it’s God’s taking care of us. Then, do the STEM rainbow science activity with kids gathered in one place.
11:30 am- free play and prepare food
noon – eat once you are ready
Then, they can stay and play as long as they want. (or, as long as you want)

Another tip I would like to share here is a piece of advice I got from my friend Abby at A Table Top Affair – let people bring things and be part of your planning. Often, when people are committed to bringing a food item or supply item, they are committed to being there, and they and their kid feel pride as you do things at the playdate. I like just to do everything and have control over the details, but I have a few things that are an easy “yes” when someone says, “Can I bring something?” or “How can I help?”

Party Layout and Stations for Lucky Charm Playdate

One of the ways I make a party easier is by spreading out activities that I don’t need to supervise but allow parents to circulate with their kiddos. This usually has a craft kit, easy instructions, or writing/math practice. I usually use card tables if your space does not have tables already set up. In my home, there is an island with chairs, a breakfast nook table and a dining table, so those usually serve as three of the stations, but I do not allow paint in these spaces, so if paint is part of an activity, I will set up a card table with a plastic table cloth or tarp down on a floor that’s easy to clean.

To help things go smoother, I usually include a pen or marker at each station to write children’s names on their craft. I also have lunch sacks, gift bags, or grocery bags with kids’ names on them to drop their crafts in as they make them. Just like they are accustomed to doing at school or church, they can complete a project and add it to their bag. Decorating their bag with sticker and their name could easily be the first station for everyone to go to as they arrive.

I also like to put everything out at each station in a basket or bowl. This helps me organize while planning and ensure I have all the supplies in one place. I also find that parents and kids have an easier time keeping craft areas clean when supplies have a place to land.

Station 1: Fuzzy Pom Pom Guy | I grabbed this in a craft kit from a hobby store. So, nothing big to do other than have glue ready, and kids could follow the picture and directions on the packaging.

Kits – have one for each child and maybe a couple of extra if you aren’t sure about a walk-up
glue or glue dots

Station 2: St. Patty’s Day Windsock | Pre-cut crepe paper and yard before everyone arrives. Crepe paper could be 12-18 inches depending on how long you want it. You will need four pieces of crepe paper and one length of yarn per child. This one is for the brave host, but it turns out so cool!! You cut a green bell pepper in half across the middle. This made 2 “stampers” for kids to paint with. For multiple kids, I like to have 2 to 3 sets of bell peppers. Put a silver dollar-sized amount of paint on a paper plate, and rub the bell pepper around in the paint.

Before any painting, kids must write their name on the “back” of the paper.

Children stamp the bell pepper in patterns or crossing patterns on the cardstock. (it may help to have an example paper on the table for parents to see your vision.) Set aside papers to dry while children complete other stations and return after storytime to complete the windsock.

To finish the windsock, fold the long end of the paper around to make a cylinder. Use the stapler to hold the top and bottom together and maybe in the middle if it’s making a gap. Staple on four lengths of crepe paper to hang from the bottom. Punch two holes just below the edge of the “top.” Make sure the holes are opposite of each other on the rim. Tie a piece of yarn through each punched hole. This will be how you can hang the windsock when you get home.

Green construction paper and white or yellow paint – OR – White cardstock and green paint
Three green bell peppers
Stapler
Staples
green crepe paper
Yarn and hole punch – or strips of crepe paper for top

Station 3: Cereal Math – sorting and matching practice | I made worksheets for sorting. Rather than using a Lucky Charms cereal, I used fruit loops, so regular Lucky Charms math activities didn’t work for us. But using cereal to complete some math or writing activities is really the way to go.

Baggie of cereal for each child
Worksheets – Worksheet for Fruit Loops and Worksheet ideas for Lucky Charms – one set for each kid
Pens or Markers for writing
trays – depending on age, sheet pans or cafeteria/paint trays might be helpful for the child to complete the activity

Station 4: God keeps His Promises Rainbow Worksheet | This activity could drop if you run out of time. Before the party, cut strips of paper on the long side of each of the following colors: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple. The strips should be 1/2 inch long. Then, cut the strips in half so they are only 5.5 inches long. Print off one worksheet for each child.

To complete the activity, the kids trace the words on the worksheet and write their names on the dotted line. Then, they can glue a cauldron on the bottom right or left corner. Then, they glue the paper strips to make a rainbow from the cauldron. Another thing you can do that’s easier with younger kids is tear the strips into tiny pieces. Put them in bowls and let the kids pick them up and make a “band” with the small squares – this helps with the pincher reflexes they are working on developing at this stage.

God keeps His promises printable – cardstock – one per child
Cauldron cutouts – foam or paper can work
Rainbow paper strips – some of each (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple) pre-cut
glue
pencils or makers to write

Storytime and STEM Activity for Lucky Charm Playdate

The main lesson of our party was to use the rainbow as a symbol of God’s promises. Slowing down, gathering the kids, and bringing down the energy is always helpful. Reading a story together usually helps with this. While I gather them, I like to do any “show and tell” type activity so the learning is focused, and then they promise to return to play.

So, we gathered all the kids in the living room to read the story of Noah. Afterward, we discussed how the rainbow was God’s symbol to his people not to bring a flood again and that God always keeps His promises. To help them remember, we do a little chanting back to each other to help them remember. Plus, it lets them get loud, and they always like that.

Here’s what it sounds like – “In the story, we learn that God keeps His promises just like he told Noah. What was the symbol God gave to Noah to help him remember?” The kid will either raise their hand and answer or shout it out. “RAINBOW” Encourage them in their answers and remind them when they see a rainbow it can be a reminder that God always keeps His promises. Ask: “Who keeps His promises?” and get them to yell back, “God!”

Who keeps His promises – God

Who? – God

Always? – Always!

That’s right, let’s say it together one more time…..God. Always. Keeps. His. Promises.

While they are all still gathered together, I like to do my rainbow STEM activity. You may want to try these before they get there to make sure it will work out. But, I like to give an overview of what we will do. Tell them we will do 3 experiments and have them be silly scientists. Teach them the word “hypothesis,” which means “guess.” This is an experiment where there’s not a right or wrong answer. (This is an important lesson for these literal preschoolers to learn!). We are doing this experiment to discover something new and test our guesses. Are you with me?

Rainbow STEM activity Supplies

white styrofoam foam plate – one for each set of candy
regular jelly beans
sour jelly beans or something speckled with a lot of color
MMS
Skittles
gummies or gummy bears, optional
pitcher or bottle of water

I like to do this on the coffee table, remove everything, and cover it with a beach towel or plastic tablecloth to absorb any water we spill.

Lay a plate down in the center of the table. Line up candy around the edge of the plate – basically one layer, all the way around, near the rim. Keep as much variety as possible in colors next to each other. Ask all the kids to sit down or stand so everyone can see at the same level. Have the kids put their hands behind their backs because you want them to observe with their eyes. Ask them to hypothesize what will happen when you pour water in the middle of the plate. Listen and let them see if they can guess all the possible options. Maybe have them tell their neighbor what they think will happen when you pour the water in the middle of the plate.

Remind them again to put their hands behind their back so they don’t interfere with the experiment. Slowly pour water in the middle of the plate until it barely touches the candy. Stop pouring the water and encourage them to observe quietly. Watch and see what happens.

Some candies will form a rainbow in the water as the dye from the candy melts into the water. The point of the experiment is to try multiple candies and see if any of them make the rainbow and many don’t. Usually, regular, old-school jelly beans won’t do anything, but the other candies typically will.

Maybe start with the Skittles so they know what will happen, and then they can make other hypotheses/predictions about the other. They will be excited and feel like they know everything once they see what happens in the first round, so setting up the order to not trick them but keep them engaged will help with their amazement and involvement. You could even time how long it takes the color to get to the middle and what’s different with each type of candy.

Once the color starts to melt/blend, watch and see how long it takes. You can add as much or as little as your kid’s attention span will allow. You can also repeat it in smaller groups as your kids are able.

After the science experience, let the kids have free play time in your space. They could go back and finish a craft or play while the moms visit and get lunch/snacks together. While it’s important to have activities, kids just love to play together as well.

Lucky Charm Playdate Snack Ideas

Food never has to be some big extravaganza, but it’s always fun to serve food on the theme for the occasion. When everyone arrives, I like having easy-to-grab snacks on the counter. Make sure to offer things you are comfortable with kids and grown-ups eating and drinking in any space of your home or gathering space. Charcuterie boards or bowls with individually wrapped snacks are easily accessible. Most kids will bring their own cups, so feel free to wait until lunchtime to pull out juice pouches. You may want to have some options set up for moms, like a coffee bar or a special party punch. Water with fruit floating in it is always a nice and refreshing treat. Something like mint or sliced citrus would be on point for the occasion. Make sure you have a marker with cups for grown-ups…there are a lot of people around, and this time of year, you don’t want to be swapping germs!

Snack and Lunch Ideas for Kids:

Arrival – basket of chips and pirate’s booty
Corndogs and mac and cheese or french fries
Rainbow Fruit Tray
cereal bars (like Rice Krispies made from Lucky Charms or fruit loops) or themed cookies/brownies
kids drink boxes or pouches

Snack and Lunch Ideas for Moms:

Arrival – individual snacks in a bowl, charcuterie, pretzels, or cereal bars
Iced coffee bar – cold brew, sweet condensed milk, cream, cinnamon, syrups
U Lucky Shamrock Soup – soup mix, sausage, kielbasa – any black-eyed pea soup, Hoppin’ John, Beef Stew or Gumbo works. I like something easy that you can cook the day before or have sitting in a crockpot.
Sandwiches or sliders may be more your thing, and Hammie Sammies, Reuben Redo, or Reuben Braid are great options if you have time to put them together and cook them with guests around.
Dill dip and carrots or creamy jalapeno ranch/cilantro ranch and veggies or chips
Green Pudding Pound Cake – the best St. Patty’s Day dessert!
Green punch – green Hawaiian punch and pineapple drink (like a soda, usually a cheap brand)
water with citrus fruit or strawberries, or green grapes, or lime and mint

***Remember, the main goal here is to find a way to get mamas together and kids playing, throw in a little learning, and just let them have fun making a memory.***

I’m all about the easy hosting. Yes, it takes work to host a party. But, much of the pressure comes from ourselves. Think about all the things you are okay with going to someone else house and experiencing – mess, not the perfect spread, toys out – are you just thankful for adult conversation and a safe place for your kid to hang with other kids? Set that same tone here and lower your expectations of yourself!

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