Leprechaun Trap Ideas: Fun DIY for St. Patrick’s

Leprechaun Trap Ideas – Leprechaun traps are creative, whimsical projects typically crafted by children around St. Patrick’s Day to “catch” the elusive and mischievous Irish fairies known as leprechauns. These traps are often made using simple household materials such as shoeboxes, construction paper, pipe cleaners, glitter, and gold coins (often chocolate or plastic).

The goal is to design a clever and enticing setup that would lure a leprechaun in with promises of treasure—usually represented by a shiny pot of gold or rainbow pathway—only for the trap to be triggered and capture the tiny trickster. Common ideas include a box with a spring-loaded lid, a trapdoor disguised with fake grass, or a ladder leading into a jar from which the leprechaun cannot escape. Children often leave a note or use symbols like shamrocks and rainbows to make the traps look magical and inviting. While the traps are never successful in catching a real leprechaun, they spark creativity, storytelling, and festive excitement.

Leprechaun Trap Ideas

Rainbow Slide Trap

Credit @Brite and Bubbly

Create a colorful rainbow using pipe cleaners or paper strips leading into a box. At the end of the rainbow, cut a hole just big enough for a leprechaun to fall through. Inside the box, place gold coin bait to lure him in. Cover the hole with light tissue paper so he falls in when stepped on.

Gold Coin Pitfall

Credit @USA Today

Use a shoebox and cut a pit in the center. Cover it lightly with paper or a leaf. Glue fake gold coins on top to hide the hole. When the leprechaun grabs the bait, he’ll fall into the box! Decorate the box with clovers and green glitter for a festive look.

Hat Box Trap

Credit @Morena’s Corner

Craft a large green leprechaun hat from construction paper or felt. Hide a small trapdoor in the brim. Inside the hat, place shiny objects or chocolate coins. When the leprechaun reaches for them, a hidden mechanism (like a flap on a hinge) drops him into a small container below.

Ladder-to-Treasure Trap

Credit @Just Simply Mom

Construct a popsicle stick ladder leading up to a platform with a fake pot of gold. The platform is actually a trap door. When the leprechaun reaches the gold, the platform opens and he drops into a box below. Add a sign saying “Free Gold!” to make it irresistible.

Mug of Gold Trick

Credit @Our Kid Things

Place a mug or small pot on its side and put a few gold coins inside. Use a stick or pencil to prop it up like a classic animal trap, attaching the stick to string. When the leprechaun grabs the gold, pull the string to trap him under the mug.

Sticky Path Trap

Credit @Bright Color Mom

Lay out a colorful path of gold glitter or rainbow paper leading to a small shoebox. Line the entrance with double-sided tape or sticky glue. When the leprechaun walks in, he’ll get stuck trying to reach the shiny treasure. Decorate with shamrocks and green ribbon for flair.

Pop-Up Box Surprise

Credit @Mommy Mafia

Use a spring-loaded box or a Jack-in-the-Box toy rigged with a fake rainbow or gold bait. When the leprechaun opens the lid, the trap triggers a net or flap to snap shut over him. This trap adds surprise and motion, exciting for kids and effective for storytelling.

Cloud and Rainbow Fall Trap

Credit @tiny_teachings

Craft cotton “clouds” with cotton balls and place them above a colorful rainbow bridge made of paper. At the end of the bridge, set a trap door that leads into a container. Bait it with gold glitter and chocolate coins. The magical cloud setting makes it feel enchanted!

Garden Path Trap

Credit @artfullyalissa

Build a tiny fairy garden with mini mushrooms, fences, and gold coins leading into a small garden shed (box). Hide a trap inside the shed — a flap that closes once the leprechaun steps inside. The scenic setup makes it feel magical and lures the leprechaun in with wonder.