Preview draft. Activities have not been tested with caregivers.
Celebrations · The activity desk
Pretend leprechaun box trap
Design a pretend box trap for a paper story character.
Let's play →
A little plan for play
Open interactive activity →Add to play journal →What you need
An empty shoebox with a lid, two sheets of paper, paper tape and large child-appropriate crayons
Age: 3–5 years; choose for the individual child.
Stay with the child throughout. Check the space and supplies, including anything within reach of younger siblings. Skip any activity that is unsuitable. Stop if a child puts non-food material in their mouth or becomes distressed. Use intact books, full sheets of paper, a large child-appropriate crayon and a clean, dry towel. Follow product labels; remove torn paper and keep broken crayons and caps away from children. Adult handles and stores supplies.
Set up: Set the open shoebox on a table. Draw a leprechaun on one sheet and a rainbow path on the other.
Adult's role: Explain that leprechauns are folklore characters and this is a pretend trap. Help handle the box and encourage the child to test and redesign the path.
Let's make it happen
- Tape the drawn rainbow path so it leads to the open box. Decorate the box with your own designs.
- Fold the character sheet so the drawing is easy to hold. Pretend it follows the path and place it inside the box.
- Move hands clear, then place the lid on the box. Open it to release the paper character and make up another adventure.
Make it simpler: Draw a box and a path on paper and move a finger along the path.
Clean up: Collect loose tape and paper and put the box away.
Use only a paper character, never a person or animal. Keep the box off heads and keep tape away from younger children.