Ahoy Mateys! So your child wants t’ have a pirate party and it’s up t’ you t’ save da day you say!?! Don’t you worry one wee little bit because I be her t’ save da day wit you. Lets gather up your young matey and get your pirate bloomers t’ work

I had to throw in a little pirate talk for you to get you in the mood now didn’t I? Every one of us, young and old, alike loves to play dress up and what better way than by throwing a good ole pirate party. Let’s break it down into steps and make it real simple for ya matey.

Pirate party Invitations

Invitations are a good place to start when planning a party. If you take a look around, you are sure to find some invitations at your local party store. Or maybe you are the crafty kind that wants to make your own. I found some really cute pirate party invitations that deliver the message in a bottle that are charming as could be. You can also make some invitations that are shaped like pirate ships or even pirate eye patches.

Don’t forget when sending out your invitations it’s always best to send them out at least two weeks in advance and to have them RSVP so you know how many will be attending this fabulous pirate event. Make sure and let them know on the invitation if this is going to be a party that they need to dress up for. I’m sure every mom is up for the challenge and it’s pretty easy to put together a pirate outfit by using things from your local thrift shop or something in mom and dads closet. There is nothing cuter than a boy or girl dressed up and ready to save the day.

Plan your party decorations

Using anything red, black and white will be sure to set the mood for the party and won’t cost you a fortune. Balloons, crepe paper, and plastic cutlery are fairly cheap and easy to find.  Old fishing net with skulls hanging from it would make a cool backdrop and a great place to take pictures of your party goers. Find some old, banged up wood and paint signs like BEWARE and WALK THE PLANK with bones drawn on it. Checked tablecloths and pirate flags galore will help bring everything together for you. You could even make a ship mast centerpiece to make your table look like a pirate ship.

Make sure you put a big red X on your mailbox to mark the spot of this fabulous party. A treasure box would complete the decor and give you a place to keep the treasure chest of goodies for your party goers to grab as they leave the affair.

Games

Dig for treasure matey

Gather gold coins, rings and necklaces and hide them in your sandbox for the young ones to find. If a sandbox is unavailable, you could put some sand or dry rice into a Rubbermaid container and have them dig around in there. Everyone gets a turn and once they find a prize it’s time for the next pirate to dig for treasure. You could also set a timer and see who can find he most treasure in the set amount of time. Remind everyone that the sand (or rice) needs to stay in the container!

Treasure Hunt

No pirate party is complete without a good old-fashioned treasure hunt. All you need to put this game together is a pencil, paper and some imagination. Draw out a simple puzzle that resembles a map. Cut all the pieces to the map out and write a clue on the back. While they are following the clues they will be collecting the puzzle pieces and when they find all the pieces and put them all together they will have a map with an X marking the spot of where they can find the treasure (you can make this the last game of the day and make the goodie bags the treasure). This is a very good game to get everyone working together!

Walk the plank

Grab a few wooden planks (old 2×4’s work well) and lay them around the yard so that the children can walk the plank (great for little ones to work on their balancing skills). If your child is a little older you can make it a little more challenging by stacking books at both ends and setting the planks on top of them or, better yet, over a small wading pool would be even better.

Pin the patch on the pirate

Draw a simple stick figure on a large poster board and add a hat, striped shirt and black vest to make it more pirate like. Have the kids play just as they would the traditional pin the tail on the donkey.

Pirate party food

Planning the food for your party is more about presentation and labeling then the actual food itself. Make sure you label everything with descriptive names. You don’t have to spend a fortune on some fancy grub, just be a little creative with your thinking. Here are some ideas to get you started.

• Corn dogs – Peg legs
• Gummy worms – Fish bait
• Goldfish crackers – Shark bait
• Cheese balls (the puffy snack kind) – Cannon balls
• Cut white cheese into triangles – Shark teeth
• Red juice – Pirate punch
• Blue juice – Salty sea water
• Pirate cake with pirate birthday candles

Pirate party favors

Some of the treasure found while playing the games (gold coins and other loot) will definitely make great party favors. You can also have each party goer make a pirate hat and eye patch that they can take home with them. To take home their treasures, you can have them decorate a pail to look like a parrot or personalize their own miniature treasure chest.

Planning a party doesn’t have to break the bank. All it takes is a little creativity and planning and you and your crew can have a smashing good time! Who are you planning your pirate party for?