Boost your St. Patrick's Day theme with this fun math play for preschoolers. A kid-made puzzle with shamrock cutouts combines art and math in a simple activity to celebrate St. Patrick's Day.

 Privacy and Disclosure for information on cookies and affiliates

Top o' the morning to you! This activity for St. Patrick's Day is a fun way to start your day.

What starts out as an art activity, ends up as a math activity, with the swipe of a paint brush.

• The activity combines principles of S.T.E.A.M learning - art and math - without the need for special materials or instructions.

After some basic preparation, this project can proceed as a child-led activity. Set out paint, canvas, and cardboard cutouts, then let the fun and learning begin.

Shamrock puzzle craft

The technique used in this painting project is often referred to as relief. The raised cutouts create a unique canvas that is part flat and part raised.

Shamrock puzzle pieces can be made with cardboard or craft foam - or both! - to add sensory play to the activity.

Supplies for a shamrock puzzle

Cardboard canvas

Green paint

Shamrock cutouts

• Download this shamrock printable with the shamrock templates you can transfer to cardboard. Included is a four leaf clover to add an interesting challenge to your puzzle.

Optional: Green craft foam

Instructions for making the shamrock puzzle

Trace shamrock templates onto cardboard. Cut out the cardboard shamrock puzzle pieces. 

• Use different shamrock sizes, or just one size, for the puzzle pieces.

Roll a piece of tape over, then apply to the underside of each cardboard cutout.

• You can also use craft putty for attaching the cutouts to the canvas.

Place cutouts randomly on the cardboard canvas.

Paint over shamrock cutouts and canvas entirely with green paint.

Remove the cutouts when the paint is dry.

Your finished art work will be a unique design of shamrocks, with one or more four leaf clovers.

Some paint may bleed under the cutouts as you paint the canvas. The amount will vary depending on the thickness of the paint and how much is applied. It will not affect the overall function of the completed puzzle.

If preferred, outline the shape of each shamrock on the canvas with a black or green marker when the paint is dry.

This will help kids match the puzzle pieces to the outlines on the puzzle mat.

Foam puzzle pieces

You can also make puzzle pieces by cutting shamrocks from craft foam, using the cardboard cutouts as templates.

• Craft foam is brightly colored and durable, and provides a different sensory experience than the cardboard puzzle pieces.

This puzzle activity is ready for top of the morning play!

Enjoy your morning coffee while kids have fun with a St. Patrick's Day puzzle.