Family Matters: How to Have a Kid-Friendly St. Paddy’s Day
Friday, March 16, 2012
St. Patrick's Day doesn't have to be a drunken stumble... it can be a fun opportunity to enjoy and learn about Irish culture. Here's kid-friendly St. Paddy's day list of things to learn and do.
Wear something green.
A Shamrock, the national emblem of Ireland, is a three-leaf clover and considered to bring good-luck.
Read a good book with your children first, like Leprechauns Never Lie by Lorna and Lecia Balian. (Find more book suggestions here.)
If you can't find any, watch for leprechauns in Tipperary, Ireland.
Learn the legends: The Blarney Stone is a stone set in the wall of the Blarney Castle tower in the Irish village of Blarney. Kissing the stone is supposed to bring the kisser the gift of persuasive eloquence (blarney).
Go for walk with your kids and find your own Blarney Stone or create your own legend about the stone you find.
Make Irish Soda Bread with your kids. (Recipe below)
Watch the movie, Finian's Rainbow with Fred Astaire.
Plan an ALL green meal with your kids: salad, broccoli, peas, cucumbers, green frosted cupcakes, green ice cream... You get the idea.
Learn to dance an Irish jig. Watch dance clips on the official Riverdance website, then try out some moves.
Read an Irish Blessing below.
Near a misty stream in Ireland in the hollow of a tree
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Live mystical, magical leprechauns
who are clever as can be
With their pointed ears, and turned up toes and little coats of green
The leprechauns busily make their shoes and try hard not to be seen.
Only those who really believe have seen these little elves
And if we are all believers
We can surely see for ourselves.
• Check the Kidoinfo Calendar for local events, parades and celebrations.
Irish Soda Bread Recipe
My boys made this simple recipe with their teachers while they attended Child's Play Preschool.
Ingredients
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1/4 cup butter
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2 cups flour
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2 tablespoon sugar
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1/2 teaspoon salt
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1 teaspoon baking powder
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1/2 cup raisins
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1 egg
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3/4 cup buttermilk
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1/2 teaspoon baking soda
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degree.
Combine butter with flour, sugar, salt and baking powder with pastry blender.
Add raisins to flour mix.
Whisk together egg, buttermilk, and baking soda.
Add dry ingredients, knead into dough.
Place on greased cookie sheet, flatten to 2" thick.
With a sharp knife, cut X into top.
Brush with buttermilk. Bake for 20 minutes.
Anisa Raoof is the publisher and founder of Kidoinfo, the parents' guide for Rhode Island and beyond.
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