While a four-leaf clover may bring you love or luck once you have it, you don’t need a ton of luck to find one. All you need is a little patch of clover and a little patience. Today, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know to go on a four-leaf clover hunt with your kids. Using a few of the following tips and tricks, you’ll not only increase your chances of finding a little luck, but you’ll also get to enjoy some fresh air and sunshine while you’re at it. If you need a super simple outdoor activity to keep the kids entertained outside (with very little/no prep work required), this activity is for you!
Love, luck, faith, and hope
Four-leaf clovers have long been associated with good luck. The leaves of a four-leaf clover are said to stand for faith, love, hope, and, of course, luck. Four-leaf clovers have been used over the years to bless new marriages, help lonely souls find their soulmates, heal the sick, ward off evil spirits and are even rumored to allow the holder to see magical fairies.
Do you see the 4-leaf clover in the photo above?!
Clover fun facts for kids
- The white clover’s Latin name is Trifolium repens.
- Clover is a genus of the pea family.
- Clover grows worldwide, mainly in Northern Hemisphere, but also in South America and Africa, including at high altitudes on mountains in the tropics.
- For every “lucky” four-leaf clover there are approximately 5,000- 10,000 three-leaf clovers.
- Some clovers produce five or more leaves? Some traditions say that anything over four is actually bad luck!
- The world record for leaves on a clover is 56!
- Three-leaf clovers are said to represent the holy trinity.
- It is believed that Ireland is home to more four-leaf clovers than any other place, hence the phrase “the luck of the Irish.”
- Some traditions say that four-leaf clovers are only lucky if you keep them hidden, while others say your fortune doubles if you give your clover to another.
- Abraham Lincoln carried a four-leaf clover with him everywhere for good luck. However, on the night he was assassinated he was not carrying it.
How to find a four-leaf clover
If you want to go on a four-leaf clover hunt with your kids, you don’t need much! Find a nice patch of clover where you can start your hunt. According to research, there is usually one four-leaf clover for every 5,000-10,000 three-leaf shamrocks. Around 200 clovers can be found in a 60-square centimeter plot of clover. Therefore, a space of about 1.2 square meters (or 4 square feet) should contain at least one four-leaf clover.
Start your four-leaf clover hunt by slowly scanning the patch of clover. Don’t try to look at every clover individually. Instead, stand above the clover and look for any that jump out at you as different. Look for a diamond shape, instead of a triangle. Many times the fourth leaf of a four-leaf clover is smaller or a different shade of green than the other three leaves. This anomaly will help you find the lucky clover in the patch that looks different than all the others.
If scanning the patch from above isn’t working, try getting down on your knees. Gently skim the surface of the clover patch with your hands. Focus only on the clovers that your hand touches, checking for that extra lucky leaf.
If you think you see a four-leaf clover, gently separate it from the other nearby clovers to make sure it has four leaves. Sometimes clover is clumped close together and gives the false impression of four leaves.
Extra lucky or not lucky?
If you’re lucky and find a four-leaf clover, stay in the area and look for more. The genetic mutation that caused the four-leafer is more likely to produce another nearby.
Don’t worry if you don’t find a four-leaf clover; they’re rare for a reason! The more often you look for one, the more likely you are to eventually find one. In the meantime, get outside and enjoy the fresh air and sunshine of the clover patch.
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