When you think of Irish music, you might think of dancing a jig: the music is upbeat and lively, played in triple rhythm, and you'll probably hear a fiddle, the bagpipes or both. Check your local library or bookstore to see if they carry Irish or Celtic jig CDs. Many come with dance instructions or lyrics so you can sing along. We've provided instructions for a simple jig kids can do by themselves or with a friend -- so get jiggy with it!.

Easy Jig
When you dance a jig, your footwork is the most important, with hand movements kept to a minimum. So keep your hands low, stomp those feet, and follow these easy instructions.

Hop on your left foot once while lifting your right foot off the ground.

Hop on your left foot again and bring your right foot behind your left foot.

Put your weight on your right foot and lift your left foot.

Hop once on your right foot.

Now hop and alternate feet: Left, right, left, right.

Now do the reverse: Hop left, right, left, right.

Start over. You're dancing a jig!

Fun Games for Groups:

These Irish children's games are fun, funny and perfect for playing on this holiday!

Shamrock Stomp
You'll need: Irish jig music and large green shamrocks, one for every child, taped to the floor.
How to play: This is a variation of Musical Chairs. Every child begins by standing on a shamrock that has been taped to the floor. When the music starts, the children must walk (or dance) around the room. When the music stops, the children must be standing on a shamrock or they're out. Remove one shamrock each time the music plays.

Irish Hot Potato
You'll need: Celtic or Irish jig music and a potato.
How to play: Have the children sit in a circle with one child holding the potato. When the music starts, the child holding the potato will pass it to the person on their right. When the music stops, whoever is holding the potato is out.

Freeze
You'll need: Irish jig music
How to play: When the music starts, have the children start dancing. When the music stops, they must "freeze" exactly where they are and in whatever position they are in. Whoever moves before the music begins again is out.

Pretty Little Ditties:

Here are a couple of familiar songs, with new words and actions just for St. Patrick's Day. The actions are written in brackets next to the words of the song.

"I'm a Little Shamrock"
Sing this like you would "I'm a Little Teapot."

I'm a little shamrock [hands on hips]
Look at me [point to yourself]
Oh what color can I be? [raise hands in the air, like you're asking a question]
If you said that I was [point to someone else on "you" then back to yourself on "I"]
the color green [point to something green, perhaps something you are wearing]
Then jump right up and yell
YIPPEE! [jump when you sing "jump" and yell "Yippee!"]

"Rainbow"
Sing this like you would "Bingo."

There was a little leprechaun
He lived under a rainbow.
R - A - I - N - bow
R - A - I - N - bow
R - A - I - N - bow
He lived under a rainbow.
There was a little leprechaun
He lived under a rainbow.
[clap] - A - I - N - bow
[clap] - A - I - N - bow
[clap] - A - I - N - bow
He lived under a rainbow.
Continue with the song, clapping for each letter of the word "rainbow," just as you would for "Bingo" in the original. By the last chorus, you should be only clapping the letters.

Fun fact: The cheerful leprechaun we associate with St. Patrick's Day is quite a departure from the cranky little man created by Irish folklore. We like the happy version better!