St. Patrick’s Day, the annual holiday that gives our kids an excuse to pinch each other. While that sounds like a painful idea, here are some better ones to pull off a fun, green-filled celebration with only a “pinch” of effort.

Green Apple Bites:

Start off with an (almost) healthy snack that the kids will love to make just as much as they love to eat. Some green Granny Smith apples are the staple of these adorable caramel apple bites, and this recipe tells you exactly how to make them eye appealing and delicious.

And to wet your whistle after this deliciousness, pop a festive straw into a colorful soda:

You can also stay on the healthy train with this fabulous snack or lunch side dish. We all know kids will eat anything that looks charming.

Crafts:

If the thought of crafts leaves you wanting to pinch yourself awake out of a nightmare, this simple craft is just for you. It’s not St. Patrick’s Day without shamrocks, and these shamrocks are too easy to pass up. Glue, some paint, and paper plates, and voila. Limited mess, unlimited cuteness.

For something a little more elaborate, first drink all the coffee (we know that won’t be a problem,) then turn that empty coffee can into a leprechaun hat bank, you know, for when you finally do find that pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.

But to really get the festivity flowing, you need to look the part. Luckily, kids love dressing up. You can use one of these DIY tutorials to create your own St Patrick’s day themed ‘do, or drop by Etsy to purchase some readymade items.

Entertainment:

If a movie with the kids sounds like the best way to relax on St Patrick’s Day, here is a list of family friendly films.

And lastly, if the little ones aren’t quite old enough to sit through an entire movie, you can still entertain them by helping them set up leprechaun “traps” throughout the house. It’s a great way to incorporate a little bit of mystery into this delightfully fun holiday.