St. Patrick’s Day games to print
Print a 28-card deck, a Lucky A-to-Z answer sheet and a gold-coin record for a classroom or home party. The cards include 12 challenges, 10 trivia questions and six trick questions, with answers for the host. Below are four games, the printable blanks and an example one-hour schedule for up to 20 players.
Use Print all 28 beside the card picker or Print cards and game sheets in the navigation. Both open your browser’s print dialog for this page. There is no separate PDF or ready-cut download. The picker can repeat a card drawn earlier; use a shuffled paper deck when you want to work through the cards without repeats.
What to print and prepare
Allow about 30 minutes to print, cut and set out the supplies, depending on your printer and how many copies you need. One shared deck serves up to 20 players in five teams of up to four. Extra copies let separate tables read their own cards.
- Print the 28 cards on card stock if you have it; ordinary paper also gives you a deck to use.
- Keep one uncut copy for the host. Cut player cards apart, keeping each question with its answer until you have covered the answer.
- Cover each printed answer with a folded paper flap, or copy only the question onto a separate player card. The print control does not hide answers automatically.
- Sort the deck into challenges, trivia and trick questions. Shuffle within each group and set used cards aside.
- Print one A-to-Z sheet per team per round. The example schedule uses two rounds, so five teams need ten sheets.
- Gather pencils, a three-minute timer, tape, three paper target rings, six paper rainbow arcs and a spoon for each relay team.
- Prepare 4 opening coins per player. A supply of 8–10 coins per player gives you some coins for rewards; use the blank record below for earnings beyond that supply.
- Set out the prizes and write the prices where everyone can see them: 6 coins for first pick, 4 for second pick and 2 for each later pick.
Confirm the number of players and any food requirements before preparing chocolate coins or prizes. The RSVP questions guide gives you questions about names, accompanying adults and food arrangements that also help with a classroom gathering.
Number the relay arcs 1–6 as well as coloring them. The color-blind-friendly games guide has examples of names, numbers and symbols that give players another way to follow a color-based game.
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Play coin toss and rainbow relay
These games need open floor space. If the room only has space for seated play, use the word and question rounds instead. The games without throwing guide offers alternatives when you want to keep play away from fragile furniture.
Coin toss targets
Tape three paper rings to the floor, measured 3, 5 and 8 feet from the throwing line. Label them 1, 2 and 3 coins respectively. Use a separate set of five throwing coins so players do not have to throw their earned coins.
Each player takes a turn throwing five coins from behind the line. For these suggested house rules, a coin scores when it comes to rest fully inside a ring. Pay the value of that ring for each successful throw; a miss earns zero. For example, two coins in the 3-foot ring and one in the 5-foot ring earn 1 + 1 + 2 = 4 coins.
Give younger players a closer line aimed at the 3-foot target and show them a practice throw. Finish after everyone has had two turns, or announce one turn each if your time is short. Retrieve the throwing coins before the next player starts. Players keep their earnings; you do not need an overall toss winner.
Rainbow relay
Lay six numbered paper arcs in a straight lane, 4 feet apart. Six arcs have five gaps, so the first-to-last arc spans 20 feet, with additional room needed at each end. Show the route before starting. If you cannot fit it in your space, use the seated games rather than trying to squeeze in this course.
Give each team a spoon and one playing coin. The first teammate carries the coin on the spoon along the arcs to arc 6, returns to the start and passes the spoon and coin to the next teammate. If the coin drops, the runner picks it up, goes back one arc along the route and continues. At the start, restart from arc 1.
The first team with every member back and seated wins the heat. Award 2 coins to each member of the winning team. For this version, tied teams share the win. Run two heats; younger children can walk the route. With unequal team sizes, agree on the same number of trips per team before starting, repeating a turn on a smaller team if needed.
If you are playing outside, the windy-day party guide helps you arrange an indoor alternative when loose cards and paper markers will not stay put. The outdoor party games guide has other games to use when this relay does not fit your available space.
Play Lucky A-to-Z
Give each team a sheet and a pencil. Choose one category for everyone, such as things that are green, lucky charms or things in a leprechaun’s workshop. Start a three-minute timer. Teams try to write one answer beginning with each letter; Q, X and Z are free spaces.
For example, possible answers for “things that are green” include apple for A, broccoli for B and cucumber for C. These are examples, not a complete answer key. Let teams explain unusual answers when you compare sheets.
Suggested house rules: Give one point for each accepted answer that no other team wrote for the same letter. Duplicate answers and blanks earn zero. The three free spaces earn no points. A team can therefore earn up to 23 points in a round. The highest-scoring team earns 1 coin per member; tied teams share that reward. These rules complete the word round’s scoring for this pack.
Stop writing when the timer ends, compare answers and play a second round with a new category and sheet. A reading buddy can write a younger child’s suggestions. For more category ideas, use the Scattergories lists, while keeping the A-to-Z rules here: this version uses every letter for one category.
Printable Lucky A-to-Z sheet
Team: ______________________________ Round: ______
Category: ___________________________ Time limit: 3 minutes
| Letter | Answer | Letter | Answer |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | ____________________ | N | ____________________ |
| B | ____________________ | O | ____________________ |
| C | ____________________ | P | ____________________ |
| D | ____________________ | Q | FREE — no point |
| E | ____________________ | R | ____________________ |
| F | ____________________ | S | ____________________ |
| G | ____________________ | T | ____________________ |
| H | ____________________ | U | ____________________ |
| I | ____________________ | V | ____________________ |
| J | ____________________ | W | ____________________ |
| K | ____________________ | X | FREE — no point |
| L | ____________________ | Y | ____________________ |
| M | ____________________ | Z | FREE — no point |
Accepted unique answers: ______ / 23 Team reward: ______ coins per member
Read the trick questions
Read one trick card aloud, give every team ten seconds to discuss it, then take answers before revealing the printed answer. Award 2 coins to each member of every team that answers correctly. Everyone can answer the same question; do not give the first team to shout an extra advantage.
Work through all six cards once. Tell players that “short on luck” is a joke answer rather than something they could work out from a fact. You can read the punchline together without scoring that card if that suits your group better.
Use the 10 trivia cards and 12 challenges between turns or while teams wait for sheets to be checked. Trivia pays 1 coin per member of each correct team. A completed challenge pays 1 coin to that player; passing does not cost coins. You do not have to use every card within the hour.
If rain changes where you are playing, the rainy-day party plan can help with contacting guests and reorganizing the space. Recheck which games fit the new room before keeping the toss or relay in your schedule.
Keep track of the gold coins
Every player starts with 4 coins. Explain the rewards before the first turn so the cards, team games and prize bowl all use the same rules.
| What the player does | Coins earned |
|---|---|
| Completes a challenge | 1 for that player |
| Belongs to a team with a correct trivia answer | 1 per team member |
| Belongs to a team with a correct trick answer | 2 per team member |
| Lands a toss fully inside a target ring | 1, 2 or 3 per scoring coin, according to the ring |
| Belongs to the winning relay team | 2 per member, per heat |
| Belongs to the highest-scoring A-to-Z team | 1 per member, per round; tied teams share the reward |
The original supply suggestion of 8–10 coins per player is a starting amount for physical counters. It will not cover every possible reward. For example, a player whose team answers all ten trivia cards correctly earns ten coins from trivia alone, in addition to the four opening coins. Write extra earnings on the record instead of stopping the game when the bowl runs out.
At the end, players can spend 6 coins for first pick, 4 for second pick and 2 for each later pick from the prize bowl. As a suggested house rule, offer first pick to the player with the highest balance who wants to pay six, then second pick to the next eligible player who wants to pay four. Draw names to settle tied balances. Everyone else who wants a pick pays two; give each player one pick before offering another.
Count the prizes for the number of people you intend to reward. If you promise an item to everyone, set those items aside regardless of scores or whether someone passes. The party game prize guide explains how to separate take-home items from winner awards. For alternatives to chocolate, see nonfood favor ideas and confirm the specific item with families where needed.
Printable coin record
Group or table: ____________________ Date: ____________________
Use one row per player. Print extra copies for more than eight players. Final balance = opening coins + earned coins − coins spent.
| Player | Opening | Earned | Spent | Final balance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ____________________ | 4 | ______ | ______ | ______ |
| ____________________ | 4 | ______ | ______ | ______ |
| ____________________ | 4 | ______ | ______ | ______ |
| ____________________ | 4 | ______ | ______ | ______ |
| ____________________ | 4 | ______ | ______ | ______ |
| ____________________ | 4 | ______ | ______ | ______ |
| ____________________ | 4 | ______ | ______ | ______ |
| ____________________ | 4 | ______ | ______ | ______ |
Prizes available: ______ First pick: 6 coins Second pick: 4 coins Later picks: 2 coins
Our tie rule or prize arrangements: ______________________________________
An example one-hour game schedule
This 60-minute example includes instructions, turns and transitions. It assumes you have prepared the cards and course before players arrive. Adjust the number of turns or use parallel toss lanes with helpers if your group needs more time. The blocks total 12 + 15 + 15 + 18 = 60 minutes.
- 0:00–0:12 · Open the coin banks and play coin toss. Explain the rewards, demonstrate a throw and give everyone up to two turns. Use one turn each if needed to finish the block.
- 0:12–0:27 · Play two rainbow relay heats. Show the route and dropped-coin rule, run the heats and record the rewards. Draw a challenge card while teams reset if time allows.
- 0:27–0:42 · Play two Lucky A-to-Z rounds. Allow three minutes of writing in each round, with the remaining nine minutes for instructions, comparing answers and changing categories. Use trivia cards only if you have spare time.
- 0:42–1:00 · Read trick questions and visit the prize bowl. Read the six cards, reveal the answers, record earnings and count balances. Reserve the last few minutes for choosing prizes and collecting the cards.
If a game finishes early, draw a challenge or trivia card. If players want to finish sooner, skip a second heat or word round. The easy party games guide offers other short activities if you want a different backup.
Host answer key
Keep this copy with you. Numbers follow the order within each printed card group, even if you shuffle the cards for play. Challenge cards have no factual answer key: follow the action and reward rule written on the card.
Trivia answers
| Card | Question topic | Answer |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shamrock leaves | Three |
| 2 | Country of leprechaun stories | Ireland |
| 3 | Leprechaun’s job | Making and mending shoes; a fairy cobbler |
| 4 | Treasure at the rainbow’s end in stories | A pot of gold |
| 5 | Color worn on St. Patrick’s Day | Green |
| 6 | Treasure from a caught leprechaun in stories | His gold, if you keep your eyes on him |
| 7 | Ireland’s national-symbol instrument | The harp |
| 8 | Irish flag colors | Green, white and orange |
| 9 | Middle color on the Irish flag | White |
| 10 | St. Patrick’s Day date | March 17 |
Trick-question answers
| Card | Question topic | Answer |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | A shamrock has four leaves | False; it has three |
| 2 | Reaching a rainbow’s end | False; it has no fixed end you can walk to |
| 3 | What not to do with a caught leprechaun in stories | Blink or look away |
| 4 | Familiar lucky clover’s leaves | Four |
| 5 | Leprechaun who lost his gold | Short on luck — a joke answer |
| 6 | Reason for a tiny hammer | He is a fairy cobbler who mends shoes |
The leprechaun answers describe stories, not real rewards or events. Keep those qualifiers when reading the questions aloud.
More games to print
For your next gathering, the printable party games guide helps you keep player sheets separate from host notes. Two spring options use different kinds of preparation:
- Easter picture bingo supplies a caller list and blank boards. You draw and copy the pictures before play; it is not a finished picture-card download.
- Easter egg hunt clues supplies riddles, picture prompts and host answers. Select locations that fit your home or yard before copying the player cards.
For a broader gathering rather than another printed deck, browse seasonal party ideas. The party games collection gives you other formats to consider alongside the printed activities.
Questions about the pack
How many players can use one deck?
One shared 28-card deck serves up to 20 players in five teams of up to four. Print extra copies for separate tables and one A-to-Z sheet per team per round.
What can I use instead of gold coins?
Use plastic coins, suitable chocolate coins or written balances on the coin record. Eight to ten physical coins per player is a starting supply, not enough for every possible payout. Record extra earnings on paper.
Can children who cannot read play?
Yes, with someone to read the cards and write their suggested words. Offer a closer toss line and let younger players walk the relay. Trivia is suggested for ages 7 and up; younger children can answer with their team.
How long does the pack take to play?
The example schedule lasts 60 minutes: 12 for coin toss, 15 for relay, 15 for A-to-Z and 18 for trick questions, counting coins and prizes. Shorten the rounds or leave out a game to fit your gathering. Allow about 30 minutes for preparation, depending on printing and cutting.
Does the print button download a PDF?
No. It opens your browser’s print dialog for the page. Check print preview, keep an uncut host copy and cover the answers on player cards before play. There is no separate ready-cut download.