ESL St. Patrick’s Day Activities, Games, Lesson Plans & Worksheets

If you’re looking for some of the best Saint Patrick’s Day ESL games and activities, then you’re certainly in the right place. We have the best options to choose from, along with complete lesson plans and worksheets. A lot of the games and activities on the list can be used as St. Patrick’s Day activities for adults. Have some fun in English class on St. Patty’s Day!

Interested in teaching other ESL holiday lessons? Check out ESL teaching resources for Juneteenth, Halloween, Valentine’s Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.

ESL St. Patrick’s Day Game and Activity Ideas

Let’s get to the best St. Patrick’s Day vocabulary, ESL games, and lesson plan ideas.

#1: Reading Lesson on Saint Patrick’s Day

Here’s something I didn’t know—just how easy it is to design my own ESL reading lessons on any topic, including this one! It all starts with a reading passage at an appropriate level. From there, follow the template and build out a complete lesson. Seriously. It’s easier than you might think.

Want to give it a try for yourself? Learn how here:

ESL Reading Lesson.

#2: Charades/Pictionary

A fun way to review key vocabulary is to use charades (acting) or Pictionary (drawing). Divide students into teams and have a number of words or phrases related to this holiday. Then, get ready to have some fun!

#3: Saint Patrick’s Day History

This holiday has an interesting story behind it that most students don’t know. There are a ton of interesting videos on YouTube that can form the basis for a holiday lesson plan.

#4: Word Association

Unless students are absolute beginners, it’s often the case that they already know a fair bit of vocabulary related to this holiday. If you suspect this, consider doing this activity as a quick warmer. It’s ideal because it can help students activate their prior knowledge, which will make any new words they learn more memorable.

Word association is essentially like making a mind map with words related to St. Patty’s Day. For a smaller class, or for beginners, do this all together. For bigger classes of more advanced-level students, consider putting students into groups of 3-4 and they can do it together. Learn more:

ESL Word Association Activity.

#5: Wear Green!

One simple thing to do to celebrate this holiday is to encourage students to wear as much green as possible. I usually make it into a contest of some kind and have a small prize for the winner in each class.

#6: Saint Patrick’s Day ESL Survey

Just ask my students, and they’ll tell you how much I love surveys! They are engaging, and interactive and cover a range of skills within a single activity.

To do this one, think up a number of yes/no questions related to this holiday. For example:

• Do you think St. Patty’s Day is overrated?
• Do you usually wear green?
• Have you ever had green beer?

Then, students need to circulate around the class to find someone who answers yes to their question. Once they do, they can ask a follow-up question. Find out all the details you need to know about making your own TEFL surveys on any topic:

TEFL Surveys.

#7: Saint Patty’s Day 3 Things Writing Activity

To use this activity for a lesson like this one, require that the 3 words chosen to be related to Saint Patty’s Day.

#8: Concentration Vocabulary Game

This is a fun way to review new vocabulary (see below for our Saint Patrick’s Day ESL vocabulary). Makeup matching cards, one card with the word and the other one with a simple picture.

In small groups, students mix up the cards and place them face down on a desk. The first student has to select two cards, and if they match, keeps them and gets one point. If not, they have to make sure all students can see what’s on the card and then place them down in the same spot.

The game continues until all the cards are gone. Want to find out more about it? Check this out:

ESL Concentration Game.

#9: Odd One Out

#10: Man/Woman on the Street Interviews: St. Patrick’s Day Activities for Adults

If you teach adults, this can be a fun activity for just about any holiday. Have students interview each other to find out their plans for Saint Patrick’s Day. Some people may say that they wear green and plan to go to an Irish pub, while others may plan to do nothing because they think this holiday is overrated.

Whatever the case, it’s interesting to find out what people think about it! Find out how to do it:

Man/Woman on the Street Interview Activity.

#11: Saint Patrick’s Day Spelling Challenge

Try out this simple game that works well for beginners. It’s ideal for reviewing the spelling of new St. Patrick’s Day vocabulary words, although you could also focus on meaning by giving hints about the word instead of just saying it.

Whatever the case, it’s a versatile activity that works well for ESL holiday lessons. Check out this spelling words activity:

ESL Spelling Challenge.

#12: I’m an Alien

It’s likely that your students already know a bit about this popular holiday before you teach them. If that’s the case, consider using this simple eliciting activity.

#13: Password

Try out this simple St. Patricks Day vocabulary review game using holiday-themed words. It’s low on preparation and materials and makes a nice, last-minute activity.

However, students should know the words reasonably well before playing this game. Learn more about it:

ESL Password Game.

#14: Dictogloss

Try out this challenging listening activity with higher-level students. Find, or write a passage about something talking about their experiences with St. Patrick’s Day.

Put students into pairs and then read it out at quite a fast pace for the level of the students. They can take some brief notes, and with their partner, attempt to recreate what they just heard. Repeat the process again. Finally, students can compare their version with the original one. Check it out:

Dicto Gloss Activity.

#15: Pot of Gold

This can be done as either a conversation or a writing activity. Talk about the legend and story of the pot of gold at the end of a rainbow. Then, students can decide what they’d do with the gold.

They can write a sentence, paragraph or essay about it (depending on the level) or talk about it with the class or in small groups. You could even get students to make a poster and do a short presentation about it. It really is up to you but this can be quite a fun and interesting activity for the classroom!

#16: ESL Saint Patty’s Vocab Auction

#17: Fly Swat

This is a fun St. Patrick’s Day vocabulary review game that’s ideal for helping students remember new words. Divide the class into two teams, and one student from each team comes up the board and is given a flyswatter.

Give some hints about a St. Patty’s Day word you have written on the board. The first student to slap the words get a point. Erase the word and replace it with a new one. Continue until everyone has had a chance to play. Find out more:

Fly Swat Game.

#18: Green-Themed Scavenger Hunt

A fun classroom activity for St. Patty’s day is to send students on a green-themed scavenger hunt. For younger children, this could be done in the classroom. They could collect:

• A green crayon.
• A green pen or pencil.
• A book with green on the cover.
• A person wearing green.
• Etc.

For older students, you can send them out in groups on a picture quest. They could take pictures of things like:

• A green tree.
• Someone wearing green.
• A food or drink that’s green.
• Etc.

#19: Door Decorating for Saint Patrick’s Day

This is something that I like to do with my students around the holidays. We do a bit of research about the history of the holiday and some popular colours and symbols associated with it. Then, we decorate a door in the school.

To level up, make it into a friendly competition with the other classes!

#20: Task-Based Activities

Something that my students really enjoy is a task-based activity related to the holidays. I put students into small groups and they each have to choose a different holiday.

Then, they need to do some research to find out the history behind the holiday, how people celebrate it, etc. They can make a poster or 1-2 PowerPoint slides and then do a presentation to the class.

Learn more about this style of teaching:

Task-Based Learning ESL.

#21: St. Patrick’s Day Running Dictation

Try out this engaging 4-skills ESL activity if you want to make your holiday lessons a little bit educational!

#22: Shamrock Cookie Decorating

A fun activity to do for Saint Patty’s Day is to decorate some cookies. Buy or make some shamrock cookies, along with green icing. Students can bring some sprinkles or candies to share for decorating them. Be sure to have some paper napkins or plates on hand to prevent sticky desks!

#23: Saint Patrick’s Day Puzzle

A fun way to review new vocabulary words is to make your own puzzle. Look up Discovery.com’s Puzzlemaker and get to work! It’s easy to design one for just about any age or level of students.

#24: Write a Limerick

For the higher-level students, why not let them have a go at writing a limerick? It’s a nice way to have some fun with English.

#25: St. Patrick’s Day Opinion Writing

There are lots of things that students can give their opinions about, related to this holiday. It can be done as a debate, talking with a partner or a short writing activity, in class or for homework. Here are some topics ideas:

• Should people who aren’t Irish celebrate St. Patrick’s Day?
• Does a shamrock actually bring you luck?
• If you found a pot of gold, what would you do with it?

#26: St. Patrick’s Day Crafts

Engage students in hands-on activities where they can create St. Patrick’s Day crafts. For example, they can make paper leprechaun hats, shamrock garlands, or even design their own Irish flags. Encourage them to discuss the process in English, describing the materials used and explaining the steps involved.

#27: Irish Folklore and Legends

Introduce students to Irish folklore and legends related to St. Patrick’s Day. Tell stories about leprechauns, fairies, and the history of St. Patrick. You can provide simplified versions of these stories and encourage students to retell them in their own words or write their own versions in English.

#28: St. Patrick’s Day Trivia

Organize a St. Patrick’s Day trivia quiz where students can test their knowledge of Irish culture, history, and St. Patrick’s Day traditions. You can prepare a list of questions in advance or use online resources to find suitable trivia questions. Students can work individually or in teams to answer the questions and discuss their answers in English.

#29: Irish Music and Dance

Play traditional Irish music and teach students some basic Irish dance steps. You can also introduce them to famous Irish musicians or bands and have discussions about their music. Encourage students to share their thoughts and impressions in English, and even have them create their own Irish-inspired songs or dances.

St. Patrick’s Day Worksheets

If you’re looking for some puzzles, worksheets and trivia to celebrate this holiday in style, have a look at the top choices here:

ISL Collective

Boggle’s World

English Worksheets

St. Patty’s Day ESL Lesson Plans

If you’re a teacher, then you already know how much time it can save to use lesson plans that other teachers have already created. Here are some of my favourite options for Saint Patrick’s Day lesson plans:

British Council

Lingua House

ESL Holiday Lessons

Or, plan your own:

St. Patrick’s Day Vocabulary

Here are some of the most common words to consider teaching students:

• beer
• church
• emerald
• four-leaf clover
• gold
• green
• Guinness
• harp
• horseshoe
• Ireland
• Irish
• leprechaun
• limerick
• luck
• luck of the Irish
• music
• parade
• pinch
• pot of gold
• pub
• rainbow
• saint
• shamrock
• tradition

Did you like these ESL St. Patricks Day Ideas?

Yes? Then you’re going to love this book you can easily find on Amazon: 63 ESL Holiday Games & Activities. The key to better TEFL classes is a wide variety of fun, engaging activities and what better way to do this than by celebrating the holidays?

There are activities for a variety of holidays, including Christmas, Easter, Thanksgiving, St Patty’s Day, and more. Pick up a copy of the book and get ready to level up your English classes with these fun ideas:

FAQs About ESL St. Patrick’s Day

Here are some of the most commonly asked questions about St. Patrick’s Day ESL lesson ideas.

What is Saint Patrick’s Day ESL?

Saint Patrick’s Day is a day that celebrates a Christian Saint named Patrick, who was a missionary that helped to bring Christianity to Ireland. That is why the Catholic Church, Ireland, and Irish people around the world celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. Also, many non-Irish and non-religious people join the celebration. Countries like the United States and Canada also largely celebrate this day because the tradition was brought by Irish immigrants.

What are the best St. Patrick’s Day activities for adults?

Some of the best St. Patrick’s Day activities for adults include Man/Woman on the Street Interviews, Dictogloss, Bingo, Flashcard Challenge, Concentration Memory Game, and Party to Practice Small Talk.

How do you teach St. Patrick’s Day ESL?

Go over the history of St. Patrick’s Day and learn new St. Patrick’s Day Vocabulary. Tell your students in advance to dress up in lime or green colour clothing. Play fun and engaging ESL St. Patrick’s Day activities to practice new vocabulary, ESL listening, and ESL speaking.

What are some St. Patrick’s Day words?

Here is a list of St. Patrick’s Day vocabulary for ESL students: beer, church, four-leaf clover, gold, green, Guinness, horseshoe, Ireland, leprechaun, luck, luck of the Irish, music, pub, rainbow, saint, and shamrock.

What are some classroom activities for Saint Patrick’s Day?

Some good classroom activities for Saint Patrick’s Day include going on a green scavenger hunt, writing a limerick, learning about the history of the holiday and some new vocabulary words, having a green clothing contest, a green snack potluck or doing a craft project.

St. Patricks Day ESL: Join the Conversation

Do you have any go-to games or activities for this popular holiday? Leave a comment below and let us know what you think about Saint Patrick’s Day lesson ideas. We’d love to hear from you

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Last update on 2022-07-17 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API