Making your own St. Paddy’s Day Paper Cup Leprechaun is easy and fun! This cute DIY St. Patrick’s Day craft is perfect for kids of all ages, especially preschoolers. It’s inexpensive, mess-free, and best of all, we are providing a free printable template to use at home or school.
So find your green paper cups, cardstock, and glue, then follow along with our simple step-by-step directions and video tutorial so you can get your kids St. Patrick’s Day crafting in no time!
RELATED: St. Patrick’s Day Hedgehog Craft
Paper Cup Leprechaun
Inspired by our Paper Cup Elf craft, this leprechaun craft also uses green paper cups, the same black and gold belt, and craft embellishments such as wiggly eyes.
Like our Paper Cup Christmas Tree and Paper Cup Valentine Card Holder, it’s simple, mess-free, and inexpensive to make with large groups of kids! Pair this craft with:
- St. Patrick’s Day books
- Building a leprechaun trap
- A St. Patrick’s Day gold coin hunt
- Festive writing prompts, such as “If I were a leprechaun…”
RELATED: Fused Bead Rainbow Suncatcher
Craft Supplies Needed for This Project
Before you start this St. Patrick’s Day Craft with your kids, make sure you’ve got all the right supplies.
- Paper Cup Leprechaun Template
- Green paper cups
- Colored cardstock
- Gold glitter cardstock
- Wiggly eyes
- Scissors
- Black pen
- Glue stick or Glue Dots
- Single hole punch
- Mini shamrock paper punch
Paper Cup Leprechaun Directions
Follow the instructions below to learn how to make this craft!
STEP 1: Download, print, and color the craft template. Download our free printable pattern. Print the template on white cardstock, then cut out the shapes with scissors if you plan on using it as a tracing pattern. Use a white colored pencil to trace the shapes onto colored cardstock. Cut out the shapes with scissors.
Alternatively, kids could paint the template or color it with markers or crayons instead of tracing it.
Tip: We love to craft with Astrobrights Spectrum Cardstock! We chose Gamma Green for the leprechaun’s hat, then accented with Terra Green for the leprechaun’s bow and shamrock. We used Orbit Orange for his hair, beard, and eyebrows.
STEP 2: Glue the craft together. Glue two wiggly eyes to the leprechaun’s face, then draw a nose and a smile on the face of your leprechaun with a black pen. We used a single hole punch to create tiny pink circles for the leprechaun’s cheeks.
Use Glue Dots or a glue stick to piece together your leprechaun and attach the pieces to the cup. Top off the hat with a miniature belt, buckle, and shamrock.
STEP 3: Enjoy your craft! Your leprechaun craft is complete! If desired, write your child’s name and the year on the paper cup with a gold Sharpie marker.
More Leprechaun Crafts for Kids
Looking for more? You may also enjoy:
- Popsicle Stick Leprechaun Craft
- Popsicle Stick Leprechaun Hats
- Leprechaun Milk with Mustache Straws
- Leprechaun Handprint Card from The Best Ideas for Kids
Paper Cup Leprechaun Craft
Making your own Paper Cup Leprechaun is easy and fun! This cute DIY St. Patrick’s Day craft is perfect for kids of all ages, especially preschoolers.
Materials
- Paper Cup Leprechaun Template
- Green paper cups
- Colored cardstock
- Gold glitter cardstock
- Wiggly eyes
- Black pen
- Glue stick or Glue Dots
- Single hole punch
- Mini shamrock paper punch
Tools
- Scissors
Instructions
- Download the free printable Paper Cup Leprechaun Template. Print the template on white cardstock, then cut out the shapes with scissors if you plan on using it as a tracing pattern. Use a white colored pencil to trace the shapes onto colored cardstock. Cut out the shapes with scissors.
- Glue two wiggly eyes to the leprechaun’s face, then draw a nose and a smile on the face of your leprechaun with a black pen. We used a single hole punch to create tiny pink circles for the leprechaun’s cheeks.
- Use Glue Dots or a glue stick to piece together your leprechaun and attach the pieces to the cup. Top off the hat with a miniature belt, buckle, and shamrock.
- Your leprechaun craft is complete! If desired, write your child’s name and the year on the paper cup with a gold Sharpie marker.
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