St. Patrick's Day the Toddler Way

Keep with the green theme even with the food you serve. To keep it simple, frost cupcakes with green frosting, or you can make a cake that looks like a rainbow and a pot of gold. "Bake a white sheet cake (add a few drops of green food coloring to the batter) and frost with vanilla frosting tinted green," says Gladden. "Create a rainbow using M&Ms arranged in colored rows. Separate an Oreo cookie and place one half flat on the cake at the end of the rainbow—the 'pot.' Break the other half of the Oreo in half and stick it into the cake sideways for the top of the pot. Sprinkle butterscotch chips on top of the pot to resemble pieces of gold."

Gladden suggests setting out a pitcher filled with green Kool-Aid, or placing green Squeeze-Its beside each child's plate. Another option is to make up a batch of lime punch.

For non-sugary snacks, "Serve spinach bagels (they are green but taste great) with green-tinted cream cheese; make spinach dip and serve with cucumbers or broccoli pieces; top individual pizzas with green peppers or serve a big tossed chef salad with green ranch dressing—basically, use your imagination and color your favorite food green with a few drops of food coloring," says Gladden.

Most little ones are familiar with the book Green Eggs and Ham, so why not serve something a little different? Yes, green eggs. Simply tint the eggs green with a little food coloring. Have a parent read the story as the kids eat their green treat.