Cereal and oatmeal, a spoon and a cup. Look where the breakfast bowls stack up.Hide it: the bowl cupboard. Inside the top bowl. Skip this one if the bowls live on a high shelf.
A fork with three tinesCount the points. Try the dessert forks and the play kitchen.
Some stairs go up and some go down. Look on the lowest step around.Hide it: the bottom stair. On the bottom step only, so nobody hunts on the stairs.
Whistles and fiddles and beats on a drum. Look where the songs in this house come from.Hide it: the speaker, radio or piano. Behind the speaker or on the piano's closed lid.
A green toy brick or game pieceA building brick, a pawn from a board game or a marble.
Something green growing on a windowsillA houseplant, a pot of herbs or a sprouting onion. Point to it and leave it growing.
Stories of fairies and stories of kings. Look on the shelf that holds such things.Hide it: the bookshelf. Let it stick out of a storybook like a bookmark, on a shelf within reach.
Ireland on a map or a globeAn island in the North Atlantic. The Irish Sea lies between it and Great Britain to the east.
A word that means green, in printEmerald, lime, mint, olive, jade or sage. Try paint cards, crayon labels and clothing tags.
A book with a green spineFind it on the shelf without pulling the others out, then read the title aloud.
St Patrick's Day Scavenger Hunt Printable: how it works
This St Patrick's Day scavenger hunt printable holds 79 things to find and 36 rhyming clues. The finds run from a green crayon to a Celtic knot, and each note says where to look or gives a checked fact about the day. The clues form a trail through the house to a pot of gold you hide.
Pick a list of finds
With no chip pressed, New items mixes finds with rhymes, so press a chip first. Something green holds 17 finds, Irish symbols 18, Rainbows, luck and gold 17, and On a walk or at a parade 16. Threes, like a shamrock holds 12, such as a tricycle. Lock what your house or classroom has, Swap what it lacks, then Print a sheet for each team.
Set the trail to the pot of gold
Press Clue trail rhymes, Lock the ones whose hiding places your home has and Swap the others. Each note begins Hide it and names the place, so after you Print, cut the strips apart and trim that line away. Then press Pot of gold clues, print 5, keep one and write where the pot sits in its blank. Hide the pot first and work backward to the rhyme you hand over.
Tips
For a class, deal 15 from Something green and give each table a sheet. Finds are pointed at, never collected.
No candy at school? Fill the pot with gold star stickers or yellow pencils, both among the eight pot ideas in the notes.
Hang the flag with green next to the pole. With orange at the pole it is the flag of Ivory Coast.
Questions and answers
What ages does this St Patrick's Day hunt suit?
The 51 easy lines suit ages four to seven: a green fruit, a number 7, a rainbow. The 24 hard ones suit older children, such as a harp on a coin, a Celtic knot or the day's name in Irish. There is no level filter, so Swap a line that is too hard.
Is a shamrock the same as a four-leaf clover?
No. A shamrock has three leaves, and its name comes from the Irish seamróg, meaning young clover. A four-leaf clover is a rare clover with a fourth leaflet, called lucky since the 1600s. Both are under Irish symbols, with the potted wood sorrel often called a shamrock in the United States.
Why is a red coat on a St Patrick's Day list?
Before the 20th century, the leprechaun of Irish stories wore red, not green, and his trade was making and mending shoes. So Rainbows, luck and gold asks for a red coat, a shoe with a buckle and a shoe that needs mending.
A book with a green spineFind it on the shelf without pulling the others out, then read the title aloud.
A green animal, alive or in a picture bookA frog, a caterpillar, a parrot, a lizard or a grasshopper.
A green crayon, marker or colored pencilRead the name on the label if it has one. Lime, mint, olive and forest are all greens.
A green fruitA lime, a kiwi, a pear, a green apple or green grapes.
A green lid, cap or bottle topOn a marker, a milk jug, a glue stick or a jar.
A green signStreet name signs and exit signs are often green. Spot one from where you stand.
A green thing smaller than your thumbnailA pea, a bead, a sequin or one leaf of clover. Point to it and leave it where it is.
A green toy brick or game pieceA building brick, a pawn from a board game or a marble.
A green vegetable in the refrigeratorBroccoli, peas, a cucumber or lettuce. Ask before you open the door.
A word that means green, in printEmerald, lime, mint, olive, jade or sage. Try paint cards, crayon labels and clothing tags.
Green printed on a box in the pantryA label, a logo or a printed leaf. The box stays shut.
Someone wearing green todayGreen ribbons and shamrocks have been worn on Saint Patrick's Day since at least the 1680s.
Something green growing on a windowsillA houseplant, a pot of herbs or a sprouting onion. Point to it and leave it growing.
Something green in the bathroomA towel, a toothbrush, a bar of soap or the stripe in the toothpaste.
Something green that is softA sock, a cushion, a stuffed frog or a blanket.
Something green with wheelsA toy car, a wagon or a wheeled bin. Real cars are spotted from the sidewalk.
Two greens that do not matchHold them side by side: a lime and a leaf, a sock and a crayon. Say which one is darker.
Irish symbols 18
A Celtic knotCords drawn weaving over and under each other. Most are endless: trace one with a finger and you arrive back at the start.
A cream sweater with cable patternsThe Aran sweater is named for the Aran Islands off the west coast of Ireland. Its patterns run from top to bottom.
A four-leaf clover in a pictureIt is not a shamrock. It is a rare clover with a fourth leaflet, and finding one has been called lucky since the 1600s.
A hand drumThe Irish frame drum is called a bodhrán. It is played with the bare hand or with a stick called a tipper.
A harp, in a picture or on a coinA gold harp with silver strings on a blue field is the coat of arms of Ireland. It appears on Irish coins and passports.
A loaf of soda bread, or a recipe for oneIt rises with baking soda in place of yeast. The basic recipe is flour, baking soda, salt and buttermilk.
A picture of Saint Patrick in a book or on a cardA missionary and bishop of the fifth century. He is said to have taught with a three-leaved shamrock, a story first written down in 1726.
A plant in a pot sold as a shamrockWood sorrel is often called a shamrock, especially in the United States. The shamrock of Ireland is a clover.
A shamrock on something that is not a decorationA shirt, a mug, a cereal box or a team badge.
A shamrock with three leavesOn a card, a sticker, a napkin or a window. The name comes from the Irish seamróg, which means young clover.
A tin whistle, or a picture of oneA simple whistle with six finger holes, closely tied to Irish traditional music.
The date March 17 on a calendarThe day is held on March 17, the traditional date of Saint Patrick's death in the fifth century.
The flag of IrelandThree upright stripes with green next to the pole, then white, then orange. Orange at the pole is the flag of Ivory Coast.
Ireland on a map or a globeAn island in the North Atlantic. The Irish Sea lies between it and Great Britain to the east.
The name of the day in Irish: Lá Fhéile PádraigIt means the Day of the Festival of Patrick. The host can write it on a card and hide the card in plain sight.
Something blue, the saint's other colorThe Order of St Patrick, founded in 1783, chose blue as its color, and blue became linked with the saint.
The word Irish or Ireland printed on something in the houseTry a food label, a tea box, a map, a book or an album cover.
The words Emerald Isle on a card, a book or a bannerA nickname for Ireland that first appeared in a poem in 1795.
Rainbows, luck and gold 17
A coin that is gold in colorA real one, a chocolate one in foil or a plastic one. Small coins stay with the adult.
A double rainbow, in a photo or in the skyThe second bow sits outside the first, and its colors run in the reverse order.
A horseshoe, real or in a pictureKept as a charm, a horseshoe is said to bring good luck. People disagree about which way up it should hang.
A number 7On a clock, a calendar, a playing card or a house number. Seven has long been called the luckiest number.
A pot, kettle or bowl big enough for treasureCold and empty, from a low cupboard. In the stories, the leprechaun's pot of gold is hidden at the end of the rainbow.
A rainbow made by light indoorsTry a glass of water on a sunny sill or the beveled edge of a mirror.
A rainbow, real or drawnA real one always appears in the part of the sky opposite the sun.
A red coat, hat or scarfBefore the 20th century, the leprechaun of the stories wore red, not green.
A shoe that needs mendingA loose sole, a frayed lace or a worn heel. A job for the shoemaker of the old stories.
A shoe with a buckleIn Irish folklore the leprechaun's trade is making and mending shoes.
A story with treasure in itA book with a chest, a map or a pile of gold on the cover or inside.
A trail of tiny green footprintsHosts: cut them from green paper the night before and lead them toward the pot.
Seven things set out in rainbow orderRed, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet. Isaac Newton settled on seven colors.
Something gold or gold-coloredA button, a picture frame, a foil wrapper or a ring. Ask before you touch jewelry.
Something red, for the outer edge of the rainbowRed is on the outside of the bow and violet is on the inside.
Something that sparklesFoil, glitter, a sequin or a polished spoon.
Something yellow that passes for gold from across the roomA lemon, a rubber duck, a highlighter or a banana.
Threes, like a shamrock 12
A 3 on a clock face, or a clock showing three o'clockA clock with hands, a microwave display or a watch.
A flag with three stripesIreland's flag has three, and so do many others. Count before it counts.
A fork with three tinesCount the points. Try the dessert forks and the play kitchen.
A knife, a fork and a spoon laid out as a setA place setting is a set of three. Table knives only.
A leaf made of three leafletsClover and wood sorrel both have them. Outdoors, point and do not touch: some three-leaved plants cause a rash.
A stool, stand or tripod with three legsCount the legs. A milking stool, a camera tripod or a plant stand.
A three-leaf shape in a patternOn fabric, a tile, a playing card or an iron railing. The club on a playing card is one.
A triangleThree sides and three corners: a clothes hanger, a roof gable or toast cut corner to corner.
A tricycleThree wheels. Tri means three, as in triangle and tricolor.
Paper with three punched holes, or the punch that made themLook in a binder or on a classroom shelf.
The three lamps of a traffic lightRed, yellow and green. Spot it from the sidewalk with your adult.
Three of the same thing in a rowThree windows, three fence posts or three books of the same height.
On a walk or at a parade 15
A dog wearing greenA bandana, a collar or a coat. Wave from where you are.
A flag carried past in a paradeParade find. Say its colors in order, starting at the pole.
A green car, truck or busParked or passing, spotted from the sidewalk.
A green front doorSpot it from the sidewalk.
A green mailbox, bench, hydrant or binAnything on the street that was painted green on purpose.
A marching band drumParade find. Count how many drummers pass.
A parade banner with a shamrock on itAt a parade, stay beside your adult and behind the barrier.
A patch of clover in a lawnCrouch and look for leaves in threes. Leave it growing.
A set of bagpipesParade find. You will hear them before you see them.
A window decorated for the dayPaper shamrocks, green lights or a flag. Look from the sidewalk.
An evergreen treeIt stayed green all winter. Look on the ground under it for cones.
Green lights on a building after darkSince 2010, famous landmarks around the world have been lit green for the day.
Green water: a fountain, a pond or a riverChicago dyes its river green for the day. A pond green with duckweed counts too.
Moss on a wall, a tree or a stoneCheck the shady side. Look closely and leave it in place.
New green shoots in a flower bedLook from the path and keep feet out of the bed.
Clue trail rhymes 28
A leprechaun naps where it's soft and deep. Look under the pillow where you sleep.Hide it: the hunter's own pillow. Set it after the bed is made, so it is not found early.
A leprechaun's lunch is kept on ice. Check by the milk, and look there twice.Hide it: the refrigerator. Stand the clue against the milk, low enough for the hunter to see.
Brush them at morning, brush them at night. By your toothbrush, gold shines bright.Hide it: the toothbrush holder. Wrap the clue around the hunter's own toothbrush handle.
Cereal and oatmeal, a spoon and a cup. Look where the breakfast bowls stack up.Hide it: the bowl cupboard. Inside the top bowl. Skip this one if the bowls live on a high shelf.
Coins go clink and coins go clank. Your next clue sits by the piggy bank.Hide it: the piggy bank or coin jar. Under it, not in it.
Cushions are soft and good for a rest. Lift up the one that you like best.Hide it: the sofa. Under the cushion of the hunter's usual seat.
Every rainbow color lives in this box. Find it near paper, not near socks.Hide it: the crayon box. Inside the lid of the crayon or marker box.
Green is the grass and green is the hill. Find a green plant on a windowsill.Hide it: a houseplant on a windowsill. Slide it under the pot, with a corner showing.
Green things grow with water and sun. By the watering can is the very next one.Hide it: the watering can. Under an empty can, indoors or on the porch.
He mends one shoe, then mends another. Look inside yours, then check its brother.Hide it: the hunter's shoes by the door. Push it into the toe of the second shoe.
I lean on a kickstand and wait for a ride. Check my saddle, where a clue can hide.Hide it: the hunter's bicycle. Taped to the saddle. If the bike lives in the garage, an adult goes along.
I'm full of water but I'm not the sea. After your bath you pull the plug on me.Hide it: the bathtub. Bone dry, with the clue by the drain.
It shows your face when you look in. The clue is waiting beside your twin.Hide it: a mirror at the hunter's height. Tape it to the frame's lower corner, never to the glass.
Knock, knock, who's there? Luck, it's true. Look on the mat where you wipe your shoe.Hide it: the doormat. Under the inside mat, with an edge poking out.
Letters arrive here, and bills come too. Today there's a small green note for you.Hide it: the mailbox. Your own mailbox only. An adult walks out with the hunter.
The luck of the day is on your side. Look where the hats and mittens hide.Hide it: the hat and mitten basket. Inside a green hat or glove if there is one.
My face has numbers, my hands go round. Below my tick-tock the next clue is found.Hide it: a clock. Beside or below a clock the hunter can reach. Nothing goes on a high wall.
Pencils and books and homework too. The bag you take to school has a clue.Hide it: the school backpack. In the front pocket, zipped shut.
Pots of gold are hard to find. A pot for soup? Look just behind.Hide it: the big pot in a low cupboard. A cold, empty pot in a cupboard the hunter can reach from the floor.
Rain makes rainbows and rain makes you wet. Look where umbrellas and raincoats get set.Hide it: the coat hooks or umbrella stand. In a raincoat pocket, or tucked in a folded umbrella.
Shamrocks have three leaves, I have four legs. You sit on me to eat your eggs.Hide it: a kitchen chair. Tape it under the seat of the hunter's usual chair.
Socks of green and socks of blue. The drawer they sleep in hides a clue.Hide it: the sock drawer. Roll it inside a green pair if there is one.
Some stairs go up and some go down. Look on the lowest step around.Hide it: the bottom stair. On the bottom step only, so nobody hunts on the stairs.
Spin the world round to an island of green. Ireland's the smallest hiding place seen.Hide it: a globe or an atlas. Tape the clue over the North Atlantic, or tuck it in the atlas at the map of Europe.
Stories of fairies and stories of kings. Look on the shelf that holds such things.Hide it: the bookshelf. Let it stick out of a storybook like a bookmark, on a shelf within reach.
The table is set with a fork and a spoon. Look under your plate, and do it soon.Hide it: the hunter's place at the table. Under an empty plate at the hunter's own seat.
Wash off the glitter, wash off the green. Look near the soap that keeps hands clean.Hide it: the bathroom sink. Beside the soap dish, in a sandwich bag so it stays dry.
Whistles and fiddles and beats on a drum. Look where the songs in this house come from.Hide it: the speaker, radio or piano. Behind the speaker or on the piano's closed lid.
Pot of gold clues 8
A leprechaun hid it, but you are wise. Look ____ and claim the prize.Last clue. After printing, write where the pot is hidden in the blank. Pot idea: a cooking pot with a new box of crayons in every rainbow color.
Count the gold and share it fair. Look ____, the pot is there.Last clue. After printing, write where the pot is hidden in the blank. Pot idea: a jar of wrapped butterscotch candies to count out evenly.
No more riddles, the hunt is done. Look ____, the gold is won.Last clue. After printing, write where the pot is hidden in the blank. Pot idea: a flowerpot lined with tissue and filled with yellow pencils and stickers.
The rainbow ends where the gold is stored. Look ____ for your reward.Last clue. After printing, write where the pot is hidden in the blank. Pot idea: a small saucepan of clementines, one for each hunter.
Seven colors led you all the way. Look ____ for the gold today.Last clue. After printing, write where the pot is hidden in the blank. Pot idea: a bowl of popcorn with a paper cup for each hunter.
Three leaves for luck, one trail, one pot. Look ____, and see what you've got.Last clue. After printing, write where the pot is hidden in the blank. Pot idea: a basket of gold star stickers, one sheet for each hunter.
Tiptoe now, for he may be near. Look ____, the gold is here.Last clue. After printing, write where the pot is hidden in the blank. Pot idea: a lidded pot with a library book about Ireland and a bookmark for each hunter.
You followed the trail and you were bold. Look ____ for the pot of gold.Last clue. After printing, write where the pot is hidden in the blank. Pot idea: a mixing bowl of chocolate coins in gold foil.
How this list was compiled: Written for this site by its editors in September 2026: 79 original finds, 28 original rhyming clues that each lead to one hiding place in an ordinary home, and 8 last clues with a blank for the place where the host hides the pot of gold. Nothing was copied from another list. Every line was screened against the family's rules: nothing is bought, picked or taken, outdoor finds are spotted from the sidewalk or beside an adult at a parade, hiding places are never hot, sharp, locked or above a child's reach, and the day's drinking customs are left out because children use this page. Leprechauns appear only as the shoemakers of Irish folklore; costume caricatures are left out. Facts in the notes were checked on 2026-09-19 against these Wikipedia articles: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Patrick%27s_Day (held on 17 March, the traditional death date of the saint, c. 385 to c. 461, a missionary and bishop; the Irish name Lá Fhéile Pádraig, 'the Day of the Festival of Patrick'; the shamrock story first appears in writing in 1726; green ribbons and shamrocks worn since at least the 1680s; the Order of St Patrick, founded 1783, adopted blue; 'the Emerald Isle' first used in a 1795 poem; landmarks lit green since 2010; the Chicago River dyed green), https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shamrock (from Irish seamróg, young clover; a clover; wood sorrel often called a shamrock, especially in the United States), https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four-leaf_clover (a rare variation with four leaflets; the luck belief dates to at least the 17th century), https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_Ireland (vertical tricolour of green at the hoist, white and orange; Ivory Coast's flag has orange at the hoist), https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coat_of_arms_of_Ireland (a gold harp with silver strings on a blue field; used on coins, passports and official seals), https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celtic_knot (most are endless knots; interwoven cords), https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ireland (an island in the North Atlantic, separated from Great Britain to its east by the Irish Sea), https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leprechaun (principal occupation making and cobbling shoes; a hidden pot of gold at the end of the rainbow; before the 20th century generally held to wear red, not green), https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rainbow (appears in the section of sky directly opposite the sun; red on the outer part and violet on the inner side; Newton's seven colours; the second bow's colours are reversed), https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soda_bread (baking soda in place of yeast; flour, baking soda, salt and buttermilk), https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tin_whistle (six-holed; closely associated with Irish traditional music), https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bodhr%C3%A1n (a frame drum used in Irish music; skin tacked to one side; the stick is called a tipper), https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aran_jumper (named for the Aran Islands off the west coast of Ireland; cable patterns in columns from top to bottom; usually off-white) and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horseshoe (said to bring good luck; opinion is divided on which way up; seven called the luckiest number). Easy, medium and hard are the editors' judgment. Licence: own work