Living in the Boston area, St. Patrick's Day is a pretty big deal, so we always like to do a little something special to celebrate the day. An all-time favorite of ours since the preschool years (keep in mind that Pumpkin is now ten!) has been to hand out lucky pennies! This is honestly the simplest classroom handout you will ever do, but the kids get so excited that you would think you just handed them a nugget of gold.
The first step is to go to the bank and get some shiny new pennies. Over the years, my luck with the banks in my area have been mixed. Some years it's no problem at all, other years I have been told that they do not have any new pennies. No new pennies?!?!! How is this possible? I'm not sure, but if this happens to you as well, you can take the alternate route of cleaning some pennies yourself (go here for penny cleaning formula). If you clean them yourself, they will not be as shiny as if they were new, but the kids do not notice at all, so not to worry.
Once you have the pennies, you have already completed the most time-consuming part of this project! Simply download the design template here, print on the cardstock of your choice and cut as indicated. (Hint: the cards are 3X3 squares) Then attach the pennies to the cards using glue or double-sided tape and you're done! We usually put the cards in small glassine or cellophane envelopes to hand them out, but only because I tend to have those types of supplies on hand. The cards are perfectly fine to hand out as is.
Everyone can use a little extra luck now and again, so have fun with this quick and easy project and maybe as you're spreading some cheer, you'll find yourself a bit o' gold at the end of the rainbow this St. Patrick's Day.
Oh, and no shenanigans! OK, maybe a little...
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30 comments:
What a cute idea!!! I would love a copy- thank you! I'll send an email over right now!
I love it! I so hope I can use it this year for Anna's class ...
How adorable! Would you mind emailing this to me? My kids are a little too big to do it for their class, but I'd love to make a few to hand out to the kids and some co-workers! Fun stuff!! Thanks!!!
Cyn
I love it! I was looking for something to send along with Clover to a St. Patrick's Day party.
SO GREAT!!! I'm emailing you right now!
So cute. I was all set to get $1 coins today but this is better. Thanks for the template. Emailing...you...now...
Jo-Ann,
Thank you so much for this. It is simply wonderful. I got mine from the automatic download. Worked fine. I will save this till next year now, 18th here in Oz. I sent jelly clovers to school for all yesterday.
Jules
What size cello bags do you use?
I'm using this idea! I love it!
I LOVE this idea! I have never done anything for my kids class for St Patrick's Day but now I feel like doing this for my 2nd grader's class! Thanks!
This is ADORABLE! I knew I'd forget about it so I ran out today and got the green cardstock and just finished cutting them right now. They turned out great! I even found little plastic bags to put them in so they look 'extra' special. Now to find 30 pennies to clean.... Thank you for the print out!
Cute! Thank you.
Tami C.
This is so cute! Perfect little favor to hand out. Thank you!
Hi, Jo-Ann,
I really liked the story of your lucky penny handouts for St. Patrick's Day and would like to thank you for the free template. Since I love quilling (paper filigree) I added quilled shamrocks to your design and featured it on my blog giving you full credit for the template and a link to your site. Thanks for sharing your inspiration!
Charlotte
www.theartofquilling.com
This is so cute. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you so much for this great template! You are awesome for sharing! I will be posting the ones we made on my blog tomorrow! Thank you!
Thanks so much! This is such a great idea. We're going to have to do this next week since school is out the week of St Paddy's Day.
I'm a new follower, I found your blog from 24/7 Moms.
Angela
http://www.hotmomtips.com
Cute! I printed just one on a 5x7 paper and framed it - love it! Thank you.
Super cute! I love it and plan on giving them out to my son's preschool class tomorrow (St. Patty's Day here is during spring break).
What a precious and inexpensive idea!
Cute! Almost out of ink and it still looks great--like a faded tattoo :)
Love this idea! Thanks so much for sharing :)
Thank you so much! I just came across this on Pinterest.
Yay! thank you for sharing...will give this to my first graders
Thanks for sharing...found this on pinterest and will hand out to my first graders!
Awwww, you take me back to my childhood with this one! My mom used to something like that but she used to hide the card with the penny on it and leave clues from the leprachaun(sp?) I'm from the Boston area too! I thought everyone was as crazy about ST. Paddy's day as we are :O)
Ahhh! so cute. How do you download this template?
Just printed the template and shined some pennies and will give them to nursing home residents for good luck when they play bingo on St. Patrick's Day and other bingo days as a good luck charm. Love it! Thank you so much.
Thank you! I made up the cards and glued the pennies on for nursing home residents for St.Pat's Day Bingo. Hope it brings them some good luck for all their bingos. Maryj
Love this, thank you so much for sharing it with the world! My son's kindergarten class is going to be thrilled!
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