Homemade St. Patrick's Day Shamrock Craft for Kids

Brighten up your St. Patrick’s Day with these fun and easy stained glass shamrocks! Perfect for rainy March days, this craft lets kids explore creativity and learn about light while decorating your home. With just a few materials, you can create great window art that everyone will enjoy.

Shamrock craft pattern printed on white paper on a clover background

These stained glass shamrocks are a simple and engaging activity for kids of all ages. Whether it’s cutting tissue paper, experimenting with colors, or exploring how light passes through different materials, this craft offers endless opportunities for fun and learning. Plus, it’s mess-free (well…pretty much mess-free!) thanks to clear contact paper!

Create Stained Glass Shamrocks with Your Kiddos

What You’ll Need

Gather these materials before you start:

Construction paper (green, black, or brown works best)
Tissue paper (yellow, light and dark green, white, and orange)
Clear contact paper
Optional: Green cellophane, shiny ribbons, or leftover craft materials

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Prepare Your Materials

Start by cutting out shamrock-shaped frames from construction paper. You can download our free shamrock patterns below or draw your own!

Two shamrock shapes cut from green and brown construction paper.

2. Cut the Tissue Paper

Give your kids scissors and sheets of tissue paper to create small squares or “confetti.” Keep each color in separate bowls or piles so they can easily choose what to use. Sorting colors also doubles as a great sorting and fine motor activity!

Shamrock cut-outs on a table with tissue paper decorations

3. Assemble the Shamrocks

Peel the backing off one piece of contact paper and place it sticky-side up. Lay a shamrock frame on top, then let your kids fill the inside with tissue paper squares, ribbons, or other materials. Once finished, seal the shamrock with the second piece of contact paper.

4. Trim and Display

Cut away any excess contact paper around the shamrock edges. Once the shamrocks are ready, hang them on windows or glass doors to let the light shine through their colorful designs.

Extra Tips for Fun

Add a variety of materials like green cellophane or sparkly ribbons for extra texture.
Encourage kids to create faces or patterns within the shamrock for a playful twist.
Use this craft as an opportunity to talk about St. Patrick’s Day traditions and symbols.