How to Make a Leprechaun Trap

By
Chelsea Foy
Chelsea Foy
Chelsea Foy
Chelsea Foy is a DIY expert, writer, author, and the founder of Lovely Indeed, a popular DIY and lifestyle website featured in notable online outlets, such as HGTV and Martha Stewart, She has over a decade of experience with hands-on crafting. Chelsea is also the author of two e-books on crafting and she has instructed DIY workshops across the country.
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Updated on 08/03/20
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Project Overview
  • Total Time: 30 mins
  • Yield: 1 trap
  • Skill Level: Kid-friendly

If you celebrate St. Patrick's Day but have never made a leprechaun trap, then what are you waiting for? Legend has it that if you trap a leprechaun and look directly into his eyes, he has to tell you where he's hidden his pot of gold. So here's a sneaky trap to help you get your hands on the little guy.

If you have kids, this is a perfect holiday project to create together, and it provides an opportunity to share some holiday folklore. Do a little research on the history of St. Patrick's Day so that you can share that as well, while you make this fun and simple craft.

The key element for this trap is the gold, but you can lure your leprechaun in with other goodies, as well. We're hoping these fake coins will coax your leprechaun into the trap so you'll be good as gold. You'll find gold coins in dollar stores, party stores, and sometimes in the grocery store. You can even find chocolate coins covered in gold foil. A dollar store is also a great place to find a blank pencil box, or something similar that you can use for your trap. Otherwise, you'll likely have most of the materials right at home already.

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What You'll Need

Equipment / Tools

  • Scissors
  • Glue dots
  • Glue stick
  • Ruler

Materials

  • 1 plain pencil box or similar box with a swinging lid
  • Cotton batting (or cotton balls)
  • Fake gold coins
  • Lollipop stick, small dowel, or pencil
  • String or twine
  • Paper or card stock in rainbow colors

Instructions

  1. Stuff the Box

    1. Start by stuffing the pencil box with the cotton batting (or cotton balls).
    2. Then sprinkle some fake gold coins over the top of the cotton batting.

    Use a Wee Bit of Batting

    Stuff your box with enough batting or cotton balls so it looks full but it's not overstuffed. You want the lid to be able to close completely without having to press down on it.

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  2. Cut Rainbow Strips

    1. Use scissors to cut strips from your paper. Cut a strip of purple you've measured with a ruler that's approximately 3 inches wide.
    2. Then cut blue, green, yellow, orange, and red strips that each measure about a 1/2-inch wide.
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  3. Make the Rainbow

    1. Use a glue stick to affix the rainbow strips onto the purple strip in this order of rainbow colors: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple.
    2. Leave a 1/2 inch of the purple paper sticking out from under the blue to serve as the purple rainbow stripe.
    3. Trim any excess purple from the other side of the red so that you have a rainbow.
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  4. Attach the Rainbow

    1. Take one end of the rainbow and tuck it into the box, resting it underneath the cotton batting.
    2. Then apply a few glue dots to the underside of the other end and affix that end to the table or surface where you're creating your trap.
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  5. Add More Rainbow and Gold

    1. If you'd like to make your rainbow road longer, repeat Step 4 and use glue dots to affix the second rainbow onto the end of the first.
    2. Then sprinkle the rainbow road with gold pieces.

    Make a Bumpy Rainbow Road

    To make a bump or two in your rainbow road, just apply the glue dots under parts of the rainbow and glue it down on the surface to form the waves.

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  6. Set the Trap

    1. Cut a piece of string or twine that's about 10 inches long.
    2. Tie one end around the lollipop stick.
    3. Carefully stand the stick under the lid of the box so that it's propping the box open.
    4. To trap your leprechaun, let him run into the box to collect the fake gold coins, then pull the string to release the stick from the box. The lid will close and trap him inside.

    Good luck!

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