Pot o’ Gold
Start by creating a number of black pots like the ones you would find at the end of a rainbow. Next, create gold coins and assign values to each coin, such as pennies, nickels, dimes and quarters. You might also just assign a number to each coin for pre-schoolers. Label each pot with a value that correlates to the coins you made, $2.00 or 10, for example, depending on your coins and age group. Have the children use their coins to fill the pots as appropriate. Glue the coins onto the pots and then display the pots on your bulletin board, at the end of a paper or tissue paper rainbow. Laminate the pots and use tape instead of glue to adhere the coins so this display can be re-used.
Leprechaun spring fun
Combine St. Patrick’s Day fun with the advent of spring by making your own potted leprechaun plants. March 21st is the first day of spring is and would be a good day to do this activity. Ask your students to draw or color in pictures of leprechauns. Choose a plant that you feel represents spring or will grow quickly, like a bean. No matter which plant you choose, it’s going to be green, which ties into the St. Patrick’s Day theme. As soon as every child’s plant has sprouts, take a group photo of your students with their leprechaun planters and display it on your bulletin board.
Adorning your bulletin board
Memories are some of the greatest decorations for your bulletin board. Create memories with your students by coloring activity pages, making puzzles and creating games. There are dozens of different St. Patrick’s Day themed activities that can be turned into art for your bulletin board. Use simple materials that you have around the house or the classroom like old socks and paper bags, which make great leprechaun puppets. Hand prints and fingerprints make all kinds of rainbow drawings. Make your own bingo boards and play bingo with your students. When you are done, make an art project out of the candy or tokens you used for bingo chips and display both on your bulletin board.
Tell a story
The story of St. Patrick, and the day named for him, is a true one that you can teach your students. Encourage them to come up with a fun St. Patrick’s Day story of their own. Combine each child’s idea to create a mini-book. Have the children each illustrate a part of the story to create a story board that you can then display on your bulletin board.
Whatever St. Patrick’s Day inspired bulletin board ideas you choose to use, do something different, maybe something that you have never done before. Keep in mind that a bulletin board decorated by all of the members of your class can have a lot of special meaning.