It is March which means St. Patrick’s Day is near, and when we think about St. Patrick’s Day, we think about leprechauns. What is a leprechaun, and where do they come from?
Are they even real or just a myth? Find out below with these Leprechaun Facts for Kids.
What is a Leprechaun?
A Leprechaun is a type of Irish fairy in Irish folklore. Sometimes they are compared to gnome or elf-like creatures. Leprechauns are part of the Tuatha De Danann.
Tuatha De Danann is a type of person in Irish Mythology. The original name for Leprechaun was luchorpan, an old Irish word for small-bodied fellow.
What Does a Leprechaun Look Like?
That is an interesting question. Today, when people think of leprechauns, they usually picture a tiny little man with a green hat, green jacket, and pants.
He may or may not have red hair, and he may or may not have a beard.
Leprechauns are tiny, about 1-2ft tall. They have a small body and a small head. Some are round and plump, while others are slim. Each one has a different body type.
Sometimes leprechauns are pictured to be carrying a walking stick. They might be grouchy and, often times tricksters. Especially the old leprechauns, who love playing tricks on people. Some leprechauns are old, while others are young.
Can you guess a common leprechaun name? If you said Patrick, then you would be correct.
Did you know that in old folktales, leprechauns originally wore red? According to the book Legends and Stories of Ireland, published in 1831, leprechauns wore red and cocked (tri-cornered) hats, shoes, and buckles.
There are no female leprechauns.
It is believed that a leprechaun’s occupation is a shoemaker.
Where do Leprechauns Live?
That is a very good question. It is unclear where leprechauns live exactly. Some people believe that they only live in Ireland. However, people have reported seeing leprechauns all around the world.
They most likely live in secret enchanted forests all over the planet. They are known to travel with rainbows.
In fact, if you see a rainbow, then you know a leprechaun is near.
Leprechaun Homes
Leprechauns aren’t believed to live alone. They said to live in groups called family units.
Have you ever seen a small door at the bottom of a tree trunk? If so, it could be a magical transport to an enchanted forest.
Leprechauns are believed to make homes inside tree trunks. If you see a tiny door at the bottom of a tree trunk, you can try to open it and see if it is a magical door.
When opened, you will see a green path to an enchanted forest
. These are extremely hard to find. Most of the time they are just regular tree decorations, but it doesn’t hurt to try and open one. Good Luck
What Happens if you Catch a Leprechaun?
Have you ever tried to catch a leprechaun? It isn’t easy. Leprechauns are very fast. In a blink of an eye, you will miss him.
Consider yourself lucky if you ever see one in person. It is customary for kids to set up leprechaun traps on the night before St. Patrick’s Day.
All sorts of materials can be used to set a trap. Popular items include a box (you can use a cereal box, shoebox, or any small box), little bowls of candy to lure the leprechaun to the trap.
Try these leprechaun trap ideas.
Why do kids want to catch a leprechaun anyway? According to legend, if a human catches a leprechaun, that leprechaun must grant three wishes in exchange for their freedom.
If you were granted three wishes, what would you ask for?
Is There Really a Pot of Gold at the End of the Rainbow?
Have you ever tried to find the end of a rainbow?
Legend says that leprechauns hide their gold coins in the pot at the end of the rainbow.
It is believed that leprechauns carry one gold coin for every year they have been alive. So, the older the leprechaun, the more gold is left at the end of the rainbow.
But is there really a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow?
Well, we aren’t sure. Whenever there is a rainbow, rainbow hunters set out to find the leprechaun’s gold treasure.
People always search for the pot of gold, but no one has ever reported finding it.
Does that mean that no one has ever found it or someone has found it but kept quiet? No one really knows for sure.
Leprechaun Facts for Kids
According to legend leprechauns dance the Irish Jig so much that they wear out their shoes.
Some stories about leprechauns say that they are mischievous, while other stories say they are harmless creatures that keep to themselves.
Leprechauns are a type of fairy, gnome, or elf-like creature.
Some people claimed to have seen a leprechaun and said they were real.
Other people believe they are just a myth and not real. What do you believe?
Lucky Charms cereal has a leprechaun on the box.
Click Here to find out how to build a leprechaun trap.
St. Patrick’s Day Symbols
Some popular symbols for St. Patrick’s Day include leprechauns, shamrocks, the color green, the word luck or lucky, corned beef and cabbage, and Irish folklore.
Folklore is a belief or tradition passed down from generation to generation by word of mouth.
To learn more about St. Patrick’s Day. Read our article: Why Do We Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day? Fun St. Patrick’s Day Facts for Kids
Free Printable Leprechaun Coloring Pages
Click the links below to print your free leprechaun coloring pages.
