Crafting St. Patrick's Day Magic: Transforming Jello Cups into Leprechaun Hats!

Crafting St. Patrick's Day Magic: Transforming Jello Cups into Leprechaun Hats!

As a class room mom, I'm always on the lookout for inventive ways to sprinkle a bit of magic into our classroom celebrations. 

Saint Patrick's Day class snack

With St. Patrick's Day just around the corner, I set out on a mission to concoct a whimsical snack that would enchant the children and embody the spirit of the holiday. After some brainstorming and a touch of inspiration, I stumbled upon a delightful DIY project that promised to do just that—turning ordinary green jello cups into charming leprechaun hats! Join me on this journey as I guide you through the steps of transforming simple ingredients into enchanting treats fit for a leprechaun's feast. Let's dive into the magic of crafting and celebrate St. Patrick's Day in style!

Our school doesn’t allow room moms to cook snacks for the class, but we are allowed to repackage and decorate store-bought treats. This is a great way to jazz up a simple store-bought snack and make it a little more special! This is also a great class snack if you have any food allergies in your classroom since these are gluten free, dairy free and nut free!

 Supplies Needed:
1. Individual Green Jello cups (I used the Snack Pack brand because they are shelf stable and don’t need to be refrigerated like the JELLO brand)
2. Green cardstock
3. Black cardstock
4. Yellow pipe cleaners
5. Round cookie cutter
6. Scissors
7. Pencil
8. Hot glue gun

Instructions:

Step 1: Prepare Your Materials
Gather all your supplies and clear a crafting area. Make sure your hot glue gun is plugged in and ready to use.

Step 2: Create the Hat Bands
Using your black card-stock, cut out thin strips to serve as the hat bands. These will wrap around the base of each jello cup to give them that authentic leprechaun hat look. I cut strips that were 3/4 inches wide. 

Step 3: Craft the Buckles
Make small squares from the yellow pipe cleaner to create the hat buckles. These will add a pop of color and charm to each hat. I cut each yellow pipe cleaner into four equal pieces.

Pipe cleaner cut into 4 pieces

I then folded each piece in half.


Then folded those halves in half again to create a square shape. 



Step 4: Form the Hat Brims
Take your green cardstock and use the round cookie cutter to trace and cut out circles to serve as the brims of the hats. I used the 3.2 inch circle from my favorite Circle Cookie Cutters set.

 

 

 

I then placed the jello cup in the center of the circle and traced around the outside of the cup.

I poked a hole in the center of this circle, and then cut to the traced line to cut out the inner circle. 


The brim is now ready to attach to the Jello cup!

 


Step 5: Assemble the Hats
Once all your components are ready, it's time to assemble the hats! Flip the Jello cup upside down, so it is laying on the foil wrapper. Carefully slide the green brim over the jello cup, the lip around the bottom of the top of the cup will hold it in place.

Next, glue the black hat bands around the base of each jello cup. Then, affix the yellow pipe cleaner buckles onto the front of each band.



Step 6: Let the Magic Unfold
Watch as the simple green jello cups are magically transformed into whimsical leprechaun hats, sure to bring smiles to everyone's faces!


Jello cup decorated as leprechaun hat

Step 7: Share the Joy
Display your delightful creations at school, parties, or any St. Patrick's Day gathering. These charming treats are not only delicious but also add a touch of festive flair to any celebration.

 

Leprechaun hat jello cups

Conclusion:

Crafting these adorable leprechaun hat snacks is a fun and creative way to get into the spirit of St. Patrick's Day. With just a few simple supplies and a touch of imagination, you can create memorable moments for the kids and add a bit of magic to the holiday festivities. So, gather your supplies, channel your inner leprechaun, and let the crafting begin! Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Last year, when my daughter got her teacher assignment and we saw her teacher had a very Irish-sounding last name, I was already looking forward to St.Patrick’s Day! My husband, whose name is Patrick, loves St.Patrick’s Day, and always claims it like a second birthday. I always plan special snacks and crafts for this March holiday! I went a little overboard last St.Patrick’s Day and made a ton of snacks for the class along with prepping Leprechaun traps for the kids and embroidering little leprechauns for the kids to find inside their traps. 

Check out some of the other St.Patrick's Day Snacks I made here: 

Rainbow Seed Packets

Skittle Rainbow seeds

 

Shamrock Fruit Kabobs

Shamrock Fruit Kabobs

Pot of Gold at the end of the Rainbow

Saint Patrick’s day rainbow snack

Pringle Can Leprechaun

Leprechaun craft made from Pringles can

 

And if you want help making Leprechauns or Leprechaun traps, check out my Class Leprechaun Trap Tutorial
Leprechaun traps

 

What fun projects are you doing this St.Patricks Day? 

 

 **I have included affiliate links to the products I used and can receive a small commission if a purchase is made after you click on a link in this tutorial. All items used in this tutorial were purchased by me and I did not receive anything in exchange.

MagpieTayleetot is a participant in the
Amazon Services LLC Associates
Program, an affiliate advertising
program designed to provide a means
for sites to earn advertising fees by
advertising and linking to Amazon.com. 

 

 

Profile Image Miranda Weldon

Miranda Weldon

Miranda Weldon is the owner and Chief Crafter at MagpieTayleetot. An accountant by trade, who left the world of finance in pursuit of more creative ventures. This mother of two and Class "Room Mom" to many, loves to DIY snacks, party supplies, and more! Miranda is a self-taught seamstress of 15 years who always prefers to make things herself.

Back to blog

Leave a comment

Please note, comments need to be approved before they are published.