🍀 THE BLARNEY STONE POT O’ GOLD TOSS

Objective: Land the most gold coins in the Pot O’ Gold.

Rules

• Spray paint a cardboard box gold to create your “Pot O’ Gold.”

• Decorate it with green shamrocks cut from construction paper.

• Allow at least 24 hours for the paint to dry before playing.

• Purchase gold chocolate coins (you may use different foil colors), or tape small pictures of each guest onto coins to personalize them. Toy coins may also be used instead of chocolate.

• Mark a “toss line” approximately 10 feet away from the pot using tape. Each guest takes a turn tossing 5 to 10 coins toward the pot.

• The guest who lands the most coins inside the pot wins. In the event of a tie, hold a toss-off between the tied players.

• If players are consistently landing all their coins in the pot, increase the difficulty by moving the toss line farther back.

• For an added challenge, blindfold guests before their turn and play again.

Props Needed

• Cardboard box

• Gold spray paint

• Green construction paper

• Scissors

• Gold coins (chocolate or toy)

• Blimey Pot O’ Gold scorecard (sheet of paper/pen)

• Optional: blindfold

⏱ Play Time: Approximately 5 to 10 minutes

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💃 SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE CONTEST

Objective: Be crowned the most awesome dancers at the party.

Rules

• Divide guests into teams of 2 to 3 players.

• Write types of dances on strips of paper, fold them, and place them in a container.

• Each team draws one dance style.

• Give teams 10 minutes (or more) to choreograph a unique 30-second routine in the style they selected. All teams must perform to the same Irish song, making their dance style fit the music. Play the song repeatedly during practice time so teams can rehearse with it.

• After practice time ends, teams perform one at a time for the group.

• The host may judge the winner, or guests may vote by ballot. In the event of a tie, the host will serve as the tie-breaker.

Props Needed

Music source (speaker, phone, etc.)

Dance-style strips

Container for drawing strips

One selected Irish song

⏱ Play Time: Approximately 30 minutes

 

🎤 SHAMROCKS AND CLOVERS RAP CONTEST

Objective: Deliver the most entertaining rap duo (or trio) performance.

Rules

• Divide guests into teams of 2 (or 3).

• Allow 10 minutes (or more) for teams to write original rap lyrics about St. Patrick’s Day themes such as leprechauns, shamrocks, and clovers. You may also allow full creative freedom.

• Play a steady instrumental rap beat during writing and practice time.

• When time is up, each team performs its  rap for the group. Every team member must actively participate in the performance.

• The host selects the winning rap duo or trio. Or you can vote via ballot, and each team may not vote for itself.

Props Needed

Instrumental rap beat (for practice and performances)

⏱ Play Time:  Approximately 15 to 25 minutes

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💵 OPTIONAL MONEY CHALLENGE (DURING THE MYSTERY GAME)

Objective

Have the most money when the murderer confesses.

Rules

• Give each player an equal amount of play money at the start of the game.

• Players may use this money throughout Rounds 1 and 2 to: bribe others to reveal secrets they’ve collected/overheard, or pay for concealable round one clues. Takey might be asking for loans, so watch out!

• Players may attempt to gain money through bribing, negotiating, bargaining, or persuading others. Skilled negotiators may not need money at all.

• After the murderer confesses, have all guests count their money. The player with the most wins.

• In the event of a tie, the tied players choose a number between 1 and 10. The number 7 wins the tie-breaker.

• An optional prize may be awarded to the winner.

Props Needed

Toy money (enough for each player to have at least four bills or coins)

⏱ Play Time: Runs throughout the mystery game

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🍬 GRANDPA’S REVENGE – GET YOUR SNACKS OFF MY LAWN

Objective: Blow all the snacks off your lawn and onto the opposing team’s lawn.

Rules

• Divide players into two teams.

• Create two equal “lawns” separated by an 8 to 10-foot taped property line on the floor.

• Optional: Use AstroTurf or green construction paper for visual effect.

• Scatter equal amounts of lightweight items (tissues, cotton balls, puffed cereal pieces, etc.) on each side.

• Give each player a straw.

• Players may only use the air from their lungs through the straw to move items. No hands, feet, or body contact allowed.

• When you say “Go,” teams blow the items off their lawn and onto the opposing team’s side.

• The first team to completely clear their lawn wins.

• If the game exceeds 5 minutes, stop play and count the items remaining on each lawn. The team with fewer items on their side wins. Items resting on the tape line do not count.

Props Needed

Lightweight items

Floor tape

Straws (one per player)

Optional lawn decorations

⏱ Play Time: Approximately 6 to 8 minutes

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🎭 SMASHIN’ SHAMROCK CHARADE CHALLENGE

Objective: Earn points by being the first to correctly guess each charade. The player with the most points wins.

Rules

• Write or print the charade topics on equally sized pieces of paper, fold, and place in a container.

• One player draws a topic and acts it out.

• The actor may not speak, point to objects, or respond to guesses in any way.

• The first player to correctly guess the topic earns one point.

• Players take turns acting out charades until all topics have been guessed.

Example Charades Topics

Chicago River

Saint Patrick

March 17th

Ireland

“Irish for a Day”

Irish Coffee

Shamrock

Leprechaun

Shoemaker

Pot O’ Gold

Rainbow

Irish Crème

Props Needed

Paper

Pen (or printer)

Hat or container

⏱ Play Time: Approximately 30 minutes

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LUCKY COIN STACK ATTACK

Objective: Stack the tallest tower of coins in one minute.

Rules

• Give each player a pile of identical coins (real or toy).

• On “Go,” players have 60 seconds to stack their coins vertically using only one hand.

• If the tower falls, they must rebuild from scratch.

• At the end of one minute, measure each stack.

• The tallest standing stack wins.

• Optional challenge: play with non-dominant hands or blindfolded.

Props Needed

Coins (equal number per player)

Timer

Optional: blindfolds

⏱ Play Time: 5 to 10 minutes

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RAINBOW RELAY RUSH

Objective: Be the first team to complete the rainbow in the correct color order.

Rules

• Divide guests into two or more teams.

• Scatter colored items (paper squares, balloons, candy, fabric strips, etc.) around the room in random order.

• On “Go,” one player at a time from each team runs to collect ONE item and bring it back.

• Teams must arrange their collected items in proper rainbow order:
  Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo, Violet.

• Players may only collect one item per turn. Continue rotating teammates until a full rainbow is completed.

• The first team with the correct rainbow order wins.

Props Needed

Colored items representing rainbow colors

Table or floor space for arranging

Optional: Give each team a cauldron mostly full of fake gold to place their rainbow pieces in as they are collected – just for a fun effect.

Optional #2: Get a fun Leprechaun top hat for each team, and the runner must have the hat on while retrieving their item. The next player in line must have the hat on before taking off to find the next item.

⏱ Play Time: 8 to 12 minutes

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GOLD RUSH SCAVENGER SCRAMBLE

Objective: Collect the most hidden “gold” before time runs out.

Rules

• Hide gold coins or small gold-wrapped objects throughout the party space before guests arrive.

• When the game begins, set a timer for 3 to 5 minutes.

• Guests search for hidden gold. No grabbing from others allowed. Once time is up, all searching stops immediately.

• The guest with the most gold wins.

• Optional twist: Hide one “Green Coin.” Whoever finds it must immediately swap their entire coin total with one player of their choosing. They may not ask how many coins the player has before choosing. The decision is final.

Props Needed

Gold coins or small gold objects

1 Green coin

Timer

⏱ Play Time: 5 to 10 minutes.

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THE LUCKY NUMBER 7 DASH

Objective: Be the first to collect exactly 7 points.

How It Works

• Everyone stands in a circle.

• Go around rapidly counting upward:
  1, 2, 3, 4…

• Any number that:

  • Is 7

  • Contains a 7 (17, 27, 37, etc.)

• Must be replaced with ‘LUCKY!’

• If someone says the number instead of “Lucky,” they’re out.

• Speed up as the circle continues.

• It gets chaotic very fast.

Props Needed: None

⏱ Play Time: 5–8 minutes

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LEPRECHAUN ACCENT OFF

Objective: Deliver the most convincing Irish-style storytelling performance.

How It Works

• Give each guest 30 seconds.

• They must tell a dramatic story about:

  • Finding a pot of gold

  • Losing a lucky charm

  • Escaping a grumpy leprechaun

• The group votes for:

  • Most dramatic

  • Funniest

  • Most convincing

• No prep required. Just imagination and confidence.

Props Needed: None

⏱ Play Time: 10 minutes

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RAINBOW FREEZE DANCE

Objective: Be the last dancer moving.

How It Works

• Play upbeat Irish music.

• Everyone dances.

• When the music stops, shout a color of the rainbow.

• Players must:

• Touch something in the room that matches that color.

• If they can’t find it within 5 seconds, they’re out.

• Last player standing wins.

Props Needed: Irish music

⏱ Play Time: 5–7 minutes

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THE GREAT SHAMROCK SHAKE-OFF

Objective: Be the best actor. Tiny acting challenge. Big laughs.

How It Works

• Write prompts like:

  • “Convince us you found a rainbow.”

  • “You just caught a leprechaun.”

  • “You lost your lucky charm.”

  • “You turned green!”

• Players draw a prompt and have 20 seconds to act it out dramatically.

• Group votes for:

• Funniest

• Most dramatic

• Most believable

Props Needed: Slips of paper with Irish/St. Paddies’ Day actions on them and a container to draw them from. Also, a timer.

⏱ Play Time: 10-15 minutes

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POT O’ GOLD HOT POTATO

Objective: Fast elimination game. Be the last one standing.

How It Works

• Play music while players pass around a small “Pot O’ Gold.”

• When the music stops, whoever is holding it is out.

• Continue until one player remains.

• Winner gets the “gold.”

Props Needed:

🧰 Chunk of fake gold or cauldron of fake gold (small) to pass around, and Irish music.

⏱ Play Time: ⏱ 8–10 minutes