silly Mcgilly

St. Patrick’s Day Children’s Book and Doll

 Silly McGilly is an adorable leprechaun who loves playing fun little tricks on children throughout the St. Patrick’s Day season

Read Silly McGilly’s book with your children and place his doll in the window overnight.

​Read his story, then place his doll by a window each evening that you would like Silly to come and play a trick in your home or classroom.

The next morning children will delight in seeing what shenanigans Silly McGilly has been up to while they slept.

Or, maybe he’s been up to a little mischief, turning over chairs or leaving the kitchen cabinets open.   

  • The magic of Silly McGilly is as limitless as your imagination.
  • YOU hold the power to decide what sorts of fun Silly will have in your home or classroom
  • Whether you’re Irish or not, wonderful memories are waiting for you with this new St. Patrick’s Day tradition!

Parents and Kids Love It!

Where does Silly McGilly come from?

Like all leprechauns, Silly McGilly is from Ireland!

What does Silly McGilly do?

Like all leprechauns, Silly McGilly is from Ireland.

How often does Silly McGilly visit?

Read his story, then place his doll by a window each evening that you would like Silly to come and play a trick in your home or classroom. This is the real Silly McGilly’s invitation to come visit you.

He’ll work his magic while everyone in the house is asleep. The next morning, children will delight in looking for what shenanigans Silly McGilly has been up to while they slept.

When does Silly McGilly visit?

Silly and his leprechaun friends work hard all year making shoes for fairies.

Leprechauns are notorious tricksters. They love a good practical joke.

What kinds of tricks does Silly McGilly play?

When March arrives, all leprechauns are ready to take a vacation from shoe-making.

Each leprechaun gets to choose whatever they’d like to do with their time off. Many travel and do what they love to do best; play tricks. Silly McGilly loves to travel the world and play fun little tricks on children to make them smile.

How can Silly McGilly visit me?

The magic of Silly McGilly is as limitless as your imagination. Maybe he’ll visit your home, and leave little treats behind; it could be chocolate coins, shamrocks or a St. Patrick’s day sticker. Or, maybe he’ll create a little mischief, turning over chairs or leaving the kitchen cabinets open.

Silly McGilly loves visiting schools too. When he visits the classroom, he’s been known to change the order of the day’s activities, decorate the classroom or collect everything that’s green in the class.

Tricks for the Classroom

  • Hide all the green crayons or markers
  • Change the name tags on the childrens cubbies
  • Change the order of the day’s activities
  • Rearrange the reading corner, by putting the books on the shelves upside down, or replacing all the display books with St. Patrick’s Day books
  • Change all the names of the colors to green
  • Add shamrock shapes to the classroom (e.g., ‘square’, ‘triangle’, ‘shamrock’)
  • Add Silly to the class photo
  • Leave shamrock cut-outs to be used for learning games
  • Change all the names of the children into Irish names (e.g., O’Mary or McSam)
  • Draw shamrocks on the chalk/smart board Replace the map of the United States with a map of Ireland
  • Decorate the classroom for St. Patrick’s Day Write the morning letter to the children
  • Turn classroom posters and furniture upside down
  • Change the screen savers on the computers to an image of Silly
  • Leave the Irish flag behind Leave behind materials to make a St. Patrick’s Day craft

Share your tricks using #getsillymcgilly or email us!

Coloring Pages & Templates

See our coloring pages, templates, and downloadable learning templates

Tricks for at Home

  • Unravel toilet paper Leave shamrock stickers around the house
  • Put a green tablecloth over the breakfast table Leave all the kitchen cabinet doors open
  • Turn the toilet water green
  • Draw shamrocks with (washable) bathtub markers Leave chocolate coins in shoes
  • Leave behind St. Paddy’s Day goodies for the children Leave green goodies in lunchbox: Green Krispie treats, jello, or cupcakes
  • Put a green bandana on the family dog Leave footprints behind with green washable markers in the bathroom
  • Turn household items and small furniture upside down
  • Turn breakfast (or other food) green: scrambled eggs, waffles, pancakes, milk
  • Write funny notes and jokes Draw outside with green sidewalk chalk
  • Gather green items from around the house Leave new green toothbrushes for the whole family Leave green balloons in children’s rooms
  • Tape his own picture over one of your family’s photos Leave a trail of gold chocolate coins
  • Leave behind clues for a treasure hunt

What makes Silly McGilly an Amazon Top-Selling Children’s Book?

Silly McGilly LOVES visiting homes and classrooms to play tricks throughout the St. Patrick’s Day season.  

Here’s how Silly McGilly’s magic works: each evening that you are ready for a trick to be played, place the Silly McGilly doll by the window– this is the signal to the “real” Silly McGilly that you are ready for a visit.  

It is YOUR decision how often Silly will come (each night, once a week, or just the night before St. Patrick’s Day.)   Children can (and should!) enjoy playing with the Silly McGilly doll all throughout the day; just remember to place him by the window at night to signal that you’re ready for a trick.

Whether or not Silly comes to play a trick doesn’t have anything to do with children’s behavior, but if that’s something you’d like to implement in your tradition,  that is your choice.

St. Patrick’s Day eve is the last night Silly can play a trick, as he must return back home to Ireland to celebrate.