Kids Pirate Party Ideas
Every pirate will have fun searching for buried treasure or walking the plank. Have your little party guests ready to set sail with these kids pirate party ideas. You could even hire a real-life pirate to surprise the kids.
Invitations
If you don’t want to use generic shop bought Pirate invitations then try making your own. We have some simple creative ideas to help get your imagination working.
Ye Old Treasure Map Invitation
You will need:
White Paper
A tray
Instant Coffee powder
Lighter
Some markers and stickers
Write or print the details of your party in the white paper. You can draw a map or add stickers if you want to. Then set these aside.
On your tray, mix a pinch of coffee and water. Once the solution is even, lay your papers flat on the tray one by one. The coffee gives it an ancient smell – like it’s been hidden in a closet for a very long time. Hang them to dry. Once they’re dry, you can burn the edges a bit. If you’re feeling artsy, roll your invitation, tie it with a string and put it inside a bottle.
Not feeling that creative. Feel free to download and print our pirate invitation by clicking on the image below
Costumes
Remember to write on your invitations for the children to dress as pirates. Have a few extra items for the child whose parent didn’t read the invitation properly and forgot the pirate costume.
How to make your own costume
Start with the eye patch – Draw the shape of an eye patch on a piece of lightweight card.
Cut out the patch.
Paint the outer side black. Let dry.
Pierce two holes into the top of the patch on either side of it.
Thread elastic or string through the holes to tie around child’s head.
Add a bandana, striped shirt and a torn sash as a belt. Cut jagged edges in the legs of a pair old pants. Add a plastic hook or sword from your nearest discount store to complete the look.
Decorations
Setting up your DIY Pirate Party is super easy. Pirates are not princesses. No worrying whether the door is spotless or the table is perfectly straight. You know what I mean. You can have as much as fun as you want and get the whole family involved. Instant family bonding!
Create table backdrop decorations from sheets/tablecloths or scrap pieces of material and some artsy keepsakes from the thrift shop. A broom handle comes in handy as a ship’s mast. Hang nets, old ropes and fabrics on walls to get the feel of life on deck.
Image from Pirate Party Decorations
Gather up treasures, trinkets or chocolates coins. Place them in piles on tables or fill a chest and make a treasure centrepiece.
Image from pirate party table decoration
Food
Pickled or salted vegetables and meats were pirates food. We’re not sure that’s what our little pirates would like, so we have a few other ideas for you.
Place some Malteasers in a bowl and label them “Cannon balls”
Fish shaped crackers are great. Hot dogs with little sails poked in them look like boats.
Blue jelly becomes instant sea water and a watermelon can become a shark with a little imagination and creative carving.
Image from Pirate Party food ideas
Images from Pinterest
Drinks
Use a keg-like jar filled with juice so your Mateys can feel what it’s like to drink like pirates.
Games and Activities
Have the little Scallywags decorate their very own pirate hats
You will need:
A pirate hat template
Card stock or heavy paper ( one for each pirate)
Staplers
Hat elastic or string
Some stickers, pictures, beads and other scrapbook-y stuff
Glue
Cut this pirate hat template out of black coloured paper and give it to each guest.
Image from: How to make a Pirate Hat
Attach hat elastic to the template. Staple one end of the hat elastic / string 4cm or 2” from the leftmost part of the template. Staple the other end to 4cms or 2” from the rightmost part of the template.
There, you have your pirate hat! But it looks so boring right? Give each guest a blank pirate hat, and let them decorate it with anything they want. Let them add stickers or beads for girls, etc. This can be their very own pirate party name tags too!
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Treasure Hunt
Have your little pirates go on their very own treasure hunt.
You will need:
An improvised treasure map
Small gifts/ trinkets
Draw a map in a brown scrapbook paper, and give clues as to where the treasure is. To add more fun to this activity, give physical instructions and rhymes. Try things like “to get the treasure in your sight, hop four times then slide to your right”. Make the clues and tasks appropriate for the age group that you are entertaining.
Image from How to make a treasure map
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Pin Me Eye Patch On
Played like the party game “Pin the tail on the donkey”
You will need:
A DIY Pirate Poster
Bandanas or Blindfold
A DIY Eye Patch for your Pirate Poster
How To Play
Hang the DIY Pirate Poster on the wall. Make your guests line up single file. Put the blindfold on the first player. Spin them a couple of times and see if they can stick the Eye Patch to the Pirate’s eye. Whoever does, wins the game.
With all our kids pirate party ideas, you are sure to have the best birthday party ever.