A pirate party is one of those birthday party themes that never seem to go out of fashion. What's more, it is very easy to implement and suits boys and girls. This is definitely a favorite kids party theme of mine.
So scroll on down for some fabulous kids party ideas...
Party Pieces
Superb site. Check out the pirate parade party packs catering for boys AND girls. Party Delights
One of my top sites. Lots of choice and good prices. Check the giant pirate banner which is pretty cool. Party Box
For pirate party ware and favors Jokers Masquerade
Great for Pirate costumes of all sorts and for all ages.
US suppliers
Makesparties
Huge choice for everything piratey. Best for value. Birthday Express - Lots of choice and lots of original products too. Birthday in a Box
My favorite for favors and the most comprehensive 'all in pirate party packs'. Buy Costumes Excellent choice of pirate costumes and kit. My favorite costume store. Shindigz
Swashbuckling pirate favor packs, party ware and lots of pirate accessories.
Ahoy there matey!
Ye be invited for a swashbuckling birthday bash
that's set to ride them seas
Get set to hoist the rigging at (address)
And me galleon sets sail at (time + date)
Be prepared to plunder the booty and have a Jolly Roger of a time.
And make sures ye wears yer kit or be prepared to walk them planks. Sees ya there me hearties..….Aaarrrggh!
Put the invites in plastic milk or juice bottles. Soak off any old labels and attach your own picture of a skull and crossbones.
Soak plain white paper in coffee. Let dry and then carefully burn round the edges. Write on your party instructions using black ink, roll up in a scroll and seal with a blob of red play-dough.
Give each party guest a pirate name on their invite such as Captain Jake Sparrow, Bootstrap Bill, Peg Leg Pete, First Mate XXX, Blackbeard XXX, Jolly XXX, Fearsome XXX, One-eyed XXX.
Draw a simple map of your street or neighborhood. Put a X to mark your house then add familiar places and give them pirate names such as Bootstrap Bakery, Hangman's Hill, Jolly Roger Junction.
Pirate Party Costumes
Most kids will no doubt come dressed as pirates but for those who don't, make sure to have a few pirate accessories to hand.
Make pirate hats out of strong black craft paper. Make a front and back and staple the two together and stick a white circle on the front that the kids can personalize when they arrive. Alternatively have a selection of colored head scarves, eye patches and plastic swords.
If you want to buy ready made pirate costumes and accessories try the following who both have a great selection of well-priced outfits:
Make an extra large pirate from some strong card and hang it on your gate or door to welcome the pirate party guests. Or what about this really impressive 39" cardboard pirate cut-out (US supplier) which you can also buy in the UK
Put up loads of red, gold, and black balloons. Make some flags and hang above the doorway or try this pirate flag bunting (UK supplier)
Paint a piece of old wood saying, " Property protected by pirates! Enter at your own risk!" and place by your front door.
Make a center piece for the table by decorating an old lidded box to look like a chest and fill with plastic trinkets and gold chocolate coins.
Crumple up a large piece of paper and burn slightly round the edges. Draw on it a large map of islands and countries. Make up strange place names such as 'Dead-Mans Den', 'Creeky Cavern', 'Bootleg Bay'.
Cover the table with fish netting and place plastic fish and sea shells amongst the party food.
If you are feeling really adventurous, make a cave or pirates den out of large cardboard boxes or wood and bits of netting. Cover with a large piece of tarpaulin or cover with grey paint. Put a torch lantern inside and a few wooden stools or barrels.
Jolly Roger flag Make using A4 paper and lots of paint, crayons or marker pens. This is a good ice breaker activity for when the kids are arriving.
Telescope Collect lots of cardboard toilet rolls or better still the ones from silver foil and cling film. Let the kids decorate and personalize their own with paints and stickers.
Create your own Treasure Chest Use old shoe boxes or plain white party food boxes and let the kids decorate them with stick on jewels, beads and glitter. They can use them later to store any loot that they win at the party.
Alternatively here's a great Treasure Chest Craft Kit (US supplier) complete with coins, beads, jewels and gold ribbon (enough for 12 kids!).
Pirate Action Shots Using a Polaroid camera, take action shots of the kids posing as their favorite pirate. Let them take them home as party favors.
Face Painting Practice your face painting skills or hire a professional.
Washable Tattoos These can be bought cheaply from most toys shops or party suppliers. For example look at these Pirate Funtoos! (US supplier)
More to get them pirates swinging from the rafters
Escape the cannon ball bomb One child is nominated as the villainous captain and must hide an egg timer in the house or garden. Set the timer for about 3 minutes. His crew (the other players) then have to hunt for 'the bomb' before it goes off. Whoever finds it is the next captain.
Peg leg race Play in pairs as a three-legged race or get each kid to hold one leg bent up behind his back and have a race to the finish line.
PiñataHaving a piñata is always a great success at a kid party. Instead of using a plain stick to bash the piñata, color it with red, black or gold paper or use a wooden sword. Here are my favorite Pinata Suppliers:
Hunt the golden nuggets Spray paint small garden rocks with gold paint. Hide around the house or garden and see who can find the most. They could use the treasure chests that they made in pirate party activities to store their loot.
Panning for gold My kids just love this game. Spray paint some very small garden stones gold or buy some plastic gold coins (UK supplier)Fill a large paddling pool or even better, a trough, with water and a little sand. Put the gold amongst the sand and give each child a tin plate to see who can make their fortune.
Attack on deck This needs to be played outside on a warm day. Fill a paddling pool with water and across it put a plank of wood which is securely suspended on bricks or wood blocks situate round the edge of the pool. It should sit about 6 inches above the pool. Divide into 2 teams and issue each team captain with a cushion and his crew with cannon balls. These could be foam balls, Ping-Pong balls or even rolled up socks. The two captains have to battle head to head on the wooden plank using the cushions to knock each other in the water whilst the crew throw cannon balls at their opposing captain to try and make him wobble. This is great fun and pretty riotous but the kids just love it
Walk the plank This is a fun kid party game for a crowd. Everybody stands on a plank or rope with one person in front and facing them. When that person calls out "In the sea", all the players have to jump forward. If he calls out "On the plank", they all jump backwards. But the tricky bit is, if the person calls out "On the sea" or "In the plank", everybody must stand still. Anyone who wobbles the slightest is out.
Shipwreck Use a large room or garden where there are various items of large furniture or objects that you don't mind the kids clambering on. One person is chosen to be the captain and then all the kids run round the garden or room. As soon as the captain shouts "Shipwreck – bench" for example, the kids all have to rush to the bench and climb on it. The last one on is said to have sunk in the sea and is out of the game. As more and more players are out, the captain names smaller and smaller things to climb on.
Treasure Hunt No pirate party is really complete without some sort of treasure hunt. If you haven't time to create one, I can highly recommend the one below that I have used on several occasions and with huge success.
The Jolly Roger Flag with its black background and skull and crossbones has been feared for centuries, symbolizing the wicked pirates of the sea. However as a pirate, it was the red flag that was feared the most as it meant no mercy would be given and no prisoners taken. It was battle till death!
Although we associate the Jolly Roger with the skull and crossbones, each pirate ship had it's own flag design and the scarier the image the better.
The name Jolly Roger is thought to have originated from the French pirates who would often fly a red flag know as the "Jolie Rouge".
UK suppliers
US suppliers
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