St. Patrick’s Day falls on a Monday this year, and as tempting as it is to let your kid’s teachers have all the fun (or ahem, tackle the planning), hear me out: a St. Patrick’s Day scavenger hunt is absurdly easy to throw together—and it livens up an otherwise ordinary start to the week like no other.

So, whether you are a teacher planning some fun for the class (hi!), or are a parent hoping to infuse a little magic into their Monday, you’ve come to the right place. Here’s how to host a St. Paddy’s Day scavenger hunt in-person or virtually (because yes, Zoom scavenger hunts are still a thing), along with some other fun ways to cap off the day.

How to Host an In-Person St. Patrick’s Day Scavenger Hunt

Part 1: Design the Clue Cards (and Other Surprises)

To keep things festive, your clues will be hidden on four-leaf clovers made out of construction paper (get the kids involved and help you cut ’em out, using this free printable as a template!). However, the way you play can vary:

• If You Have a Large Group (5 or More Players): You can create a list of clues, give everyone playing the list and set a timer, encouraging them to find as many as they can—and bring them back as evidence—by the time the timer runs out. The person with the most points (aka items found) wins.
• If It’s a Smaller Group (2+ Players): In this version, you’re leading the other player down a problem-solving path, with one clue on each shamrock. This will take them from one area to another, and when they finally reach the end, a surprise awaits.

Potential Prizes (Beyond Bragging Rights):

Note: I’m dropping Amazon links here, largely because this post is going live so close to St. Paddy’s Day and I know quick delivery is key.

• Pot o’ (Chocolate) Gold Coins ($14, Amazon)
• Rainbow ribbon wands ($12, Amazon)
• How to Catch a Leprechaun book ($7, Amazon)
• St. Patrick’s Day-themed playdough sensory jar ($10, Amazon Handmade)

Part 3: Come Up with Your Scavenger Hunt Clues/Items to Find

17 Race-Against-the-Clock Items to Find for Large Groups

Skip to the very bottom of this story for the full list, as the virtual and large group search items can be the same!

8 Scavenger Hunt Clues for Small Groups (Where One Find Leads to Another)

Feel free to tweak these ideas to fit your space, whether it’s a classroom, your home, backyard—anything goes. Whatever you do, I recommend numbering your clues, so it’s easy to set them up—and track your progress.

For this concept, we’ll stick to a theme: Find the Leprechaun’s Lost Laundry!

On one side of the shamrock, you can draw the “lost” item (or print and paste clipart) and number. On the other side, write the next clue!

1. Start with your first clue hidden in plain sight, setting up the premise: Lucky the Leprechaun was traveling and lost his laundry. Can you help him find his loot? Start with his left boot, where you keep your shoes.
2. [This shamrock should have a boot on one side. On the other, write…] Now, where did he leave his socks? I hear it’s near a box that talks?! [That could be a tablet, TV or phone.]
3. Look to the skies to find what Lucky puts on his eyes! [sunglasses; the next shamrock could be taped to the ceiling]
4. He’ll do a happy dance if you help him find his favorite pants. Where can he listen to music?
5. You won’t find his right glove by looking above. In this fable, he lost it near a table. [Tape the next clue under a desk or counter.]
6. Uh oh! Did Lucky’s shirt get dragged through the dirt? Where do you clean your clothes? [Or cut that line and put the next clue near a plant/planter, if you’re in a classroom.]
7. Every leprechaun needs his hat. He thinks he spotted it near a cat. [Stuffed animals are great, if you don’t have a pet!]
8. All that’s missing is his pot o’gold—and your reward! He thinks he left it someplace cold. [Place the final shamrock/surprise on Antarctica on a map, or—depending on the prize—in the freezer.]

How to Host a Zoom/Virtual St. Patrick’s Day Scavenger Hunt

Part 1: Establish the Ground Rules (aka How to Play)

Honestly, it’s not too different from an in-person scavenger hunt. Someone acts as the leader, calling out clues of things to find. Everyone else is given 30 seconds to 1 minute to scour their homes, and the first person to procure the item in question gets three points (or however many you assign). Anyone else who finds an item within the timeframe gets one point. At the end of the game—whether you play five rounds or go for every idea listed below—tally up the points, and whoever has the most is the winner. Easy, right?

Part 2: Try These St. Patrick’s Day-Inspired Zoom Scavenger Hunt Search Ideas

Run out and find…

1. Items that complete ROY G. BIV, aka one in every color of the rainbow
2. Something gold
3. Something valuable
4. A clover
5. A coin
6. A rainbow
7. Something that can create a rainbow (prism, mirror, bubbles, etc.)
8. Something that brings you good luck
9. An Irish song
10. A snake (some say St. Patrick drove all of the snakes out of Ireland, after all)
11. Something you’d see at a parade
12. The largest green item you can find
13. Something that makes people green with envy
14. The smallest blue item you can find (because—fun fact—the holiday was originally associated with the color blue)
15. Corned beef, cabbage, a potato—any Irish food
16. A leprechaun
17. Something featuring the number 17 (or the day’s date, or 17 of something)