Pirate Party Ideas

[gottalovethem]

Hello! DS is turning 4 and we are having a pirate-themed birthday party. I am hoping some of you DISers will have some great - CHEAP - pirate party ideas. From games to decor.

I am going through a challenging time right now and don't have much $$, and I'm not too crafty -- just to give you a challenge in ideas

Thanks, in advance for your help!!

 

[Disney-For-Life]

Here are my ideas - good luck!

Create invitations with a pirate treasure map on one side, and your party details on the other. Roll the invitations and tie with thin cord.

Ask guests to come to the party dressed as pirates or wenches or if you choose not to ask your guests to dress up, give the boys pirate bandanas and eye patches, and give lots of beaded jewelry, bandanas and bangle bracelets to the girls when they arrive. Try the dollar store for the costume kits, and second hand stores for some of the necklaces.

Make a treasure chest (out of a cardboard box) where the grab bags or stored (for when the kids leave).

Theme the food, and make up fun names for the food like "castaway cookies", etc. Make little inexpensive tags for the food display so people know what they are eating.
I'd serve fruit, coconut treats, fruit punch, jerk chicken, rice, etc.

Make the cake a big treasure map; buy a plastic pirate ship at the dollar store to place on it.

Organize a Treasure Hunt - with age appropriate difficulty and gifts.

Show Pirates on the Big Screen - In one of your party rooms play pirate movies, such as The Pirates of Penzance or Pirates of the Caribbean!

Have fun : )

 

[xyzabc33]

try birthdaypartyideas.com they always have some great ideas on there

 

[luckey-lasvegas]

Oriental trading has tons of pirate stuff.

 

[BlakeNJ]

I had planned on a pirate/princess party for DD2 but she really loves Pooh so we stuck with him. Here is an idea I did not use...

If weather permits and you have a sand box, I had planned on hiding small prizes in the sand box and let the kids "dig" for their treasure. Obviously this idea is best out doors. Good luck!

 

[susykt4]

A friend had a pirate party for her son and she had an amazing "treasure" scavenger hunt around the house. They followed a homemade treasure map to different places and found clues. She gave out loot bags at the beginning and there was a small (cheap) prize for everyone at each stop. The kids absolutely loved this. Some of her prizes included plastic coins, inexpensive "jewels" from the craft section at WalMart, I think they're called Hershey's pot of gold chocolates that are wrapped in gold wrappers and small plastic toys. They also put a pirate flag on the swingset and the kids played that was their pirate ship. Plastic eyepatches are inexpensive. I think my friend used a lot of foil and cardboard to make swords and hooks. It was a great party!

 

[ceiligh1]

How about a pin the tail on the parrot game? Or is that too old fashioned now? You could also turn a simple square cake into a treasure chest using gold foil covered chocolate coins and candy necklaces and maybe some rock sugar candy for jewels. Another idea is go to a michaels store or other craft store that sells wooden boxes that you can paint. THey are not very expensive and they sell small ones that look like treasure chests. get a bunch of pens or pirate themed stickers and let the kids decoarate them. Get a bunch of white muslin and cut/hem bandana size pieces for each kid. Then they can take fabric pens and decorate their own pirate flag to wear.

 

[tinker-belle]

Hiya. I made a pirate party for ds8. We served macaroni & cheese & tater tots & called them 'gold nougats'. We served blue & red hawaiian punch & labeled them "sea water & pirate's blood". We played musical chairs to pirate music. WE played pin the patch on the pirate. We did a craft of make your own pirate hats (from oriental trading). I made a pirate ship birthday cake. On our door I made a pirates flag that said 'enter at yer own risk.' Decorations were red & black. For main activity we had a treasure hunt. There were about 8 different 'pirate type' rhymes leading them all around the house. The last hint lead the kids to a pirate map I drew up with "X" marks the spot- there the kids found a pirate treasure chest & inside was a small chest with their name with pirates gold (gold foil wrapped chocolates) & swords & eye patches for them. OH, and I also had pirate tattoos we put on the kids as they came in. Hope that helps!

 

[MelAnderson]

While Oriental Trading is usually cheaper than most other stores, I wanted to mention that Target's dollar spot has a bunch of pirate items out now -(pirate hats & vests, hooks, coins, etc.).
HTH

 

[StitchandPooh'sMom]

Costco has their bags of chocolate gold coins marked down to 6.97 from 12.99 in case you are looking for gold chocolate coins for treasure chests or goodie bags. I think there are about 200 coins in the bag.

 

[gottalovethem]

I was at Target today and saw their Pirate stuff

I should have mentioned, the party is this coming Saturday. Invites are out. At the Target dollar spot I picked up a pirate treasure chest and coins that I can use to decorate the cake (got an idea at the grocery store today to make half the cake blue icing like the ocean and the other half brown like sand -- how do I make brown icing???).

I want to do a treasure hunt but am unsure about how to "design" a map 4 year olds can read, any suggestions?

I thougth about black construction paper and yarn for eye patches, and when cleaning the basement I found a very large box that I thought could be a pirate ship, but am not sure how to go about doing that one (I'm hopeless, I know ).

Love the idea about the enter if yer dare sign, thanks!!

I appreciate the ideas/help!!

 

[tadamom]

My DS had a pirate themed party last year when he turned 4. I did a lot of what the others said. I got a lot of stuff from Oriental Trading b/c they are generally the cheapest place to order stuff. We went with a red/black/white theme. I just bought crepe paper in those colors and made streamers for decorations. I also had my sister draw some skull/crossbones on posterboard to put on the door and it said "Argh Mateys - Enter at Yer Own Risk" the kids loved this. I also ordered eye patches, bandanas, swords for everyone and then went to Wal-Mart and bought red felt in the fabric department and made everyone a sash to wear around their waist. I made about 20 sashes for about $2.00. We made my DS, DD and nephews outfit they wore to the party - made a t-shirt w/iron-on transfers, cut grey sweatpants (that were too short) to look ragged around the bottom, red sash around their waist and the bandana for the head (super cheap outfit). My son loves pinata's so we got a treasure chest shaped box. For his cake, I made my own and used the Wilton Pirate boy shaped cake pan. We served fruit and goldfish. We also made his invitations - he had a pirate costume from when he was 2 and we used that. This was a real easy party to do and the kids just loooved it all. Also one other easy and cheap thing to do is buy the solid colored plates, cups and napkins at Wal-Mart. You can get 20 of each for .98 cents (the cheapest way to go).

Here's some pics:

 

[tadamom]

Also, someone told me that Long John Silvers had pirate hats for kids in their restaurant. You might try there too!

 

[cinjam]

how do I make brown icing???).

For sand you can use brown sugar or crushed graham cracker crumbs. For brown icing you could just use chocolate icing.

For the treasure map: could you do pictures rather than words (ie - a pic of a toilet to lead them to the bathroom; a pic of the refrig to lead them to the kitchen & so on)?

We are having a pirate party in february for my soon-to-be 6yo & soon-to-be 3yo. I think DH & I are having more fun with the planning than my DSs!

Here's a link to a cake I made, which has water & sand on it: http://cinjam.aboutmybaby.com/photo/1546189

 

[Schachteles]

Oriental trading has tons of pirate stuff.

I second that...we went to a Dora Pirate party last year and they got everything from Oriental Trading Company...had pirate hats to wear...the whole nine yards...if you go to their website they have a section just for that. GOOD LUCK!

 

[xyzabc33]

At the Target dollar spot I picked up a pirate treasure chest and coins that I can use to decorate the cake (got an idea at the grocery store today to make half the cake blue icing like the ocean and the other half brown like sand -- how do I make brown icing???).

I want to do a treasure hunt but am unsure about how to "design" a map 4 year olds can read, any suggestions?

I thougth about black construction paper and yarn for eye patches, and when cleaning the basement I found a very large box that I thought could be a pirate ship, but am not sure how to go about doing that one (I'm hopeless, I know ).

Cake use crushed grahm cracker crumbs for sand and put a thin layer of the blue on top of white icing where you want the water and take a knife layed on its side and make it peak up like waves. Dont forget a few palm trees and a nice X for marks the spot. You can get small plastic palms at most craft/cake decorating stores for next to nothing. Oh and maybe some raisenette rocks/coconuts.

Treasure hunt use pictures as clues. EXP- look behind the couch= a picture of a couch. then behind the couch put a picture of a lamp perhaps= next clue in lamp, etc etc. with the ultimate prize being the goody bags in a box decorated like a treasure chest. Plain box with black electrical tape bands. Add a small padlock to the front and whalla! cheap and neato --at least for kids.

EyePatches DO NOT USE CONSTRUCTION PAPER It will last all of 2 seconds and you will have whining children on your hands. Same goes for the yarn. Unless you plan on tying re tying tying re-tying tying re-tying, etc. for the whole length of the party. Use cardstock/poster board instead and elastic string. Slightly sturdier and the elastic string makes it easier for them to get on and off. (use your kids head as a guide and tie them off in advance) Wish I had know about your party sooner, a local dollar store has eye patches 10 for a buck individually wrapped. I would have sent you some.

BOX How about a pirate cave with some loot inside (fake coins) Lay it on its side drape entirely with an earthtone sheet (green brown yadah yadah) No skill necessary. Cut a hole in the back (unbeknownst to the kids) have another adult stationed back there with the booty. Let the kids take turns going into the cave to hunt for treasure. Right before each has a go in have the adult in back throw in some goodies thru the hole. This way each one gets the same amount and no crying--"he got more then me" Make sure they cant see in.

Good luck and take pics for us.

 

[sleepinbootie]

I've done a 3d pirate ship cake - but I cheat for the cake part
Use Sara lee pound cakes- one regular shaped and the other cut so that one end is the front end of the ship. Attache with icing or marshmallow fluff. Cover "ship" with chocolate icing - looks like dark wood. get the pirolle (sp?) cookies - wafers that have been rolled so that they are longish and round to be the cannons. Use malt balls as the cannon balls make stacks of four at the bottom and one on top. I used straws and paper for the sails. Nestle makes treasures candies that are in the shape of treasure chests. You can ice the cake board whiite and then spray it with blue icing coloring spray (grocery stores carry it near me but if not try a craft store).

An activity that I saw at a pirate party was a walk the plank. They had brown paper bags on the floor in a stripe the shape of a plank. They then blindfolded the kids, spun them twice around and then sent them down the plank. Whoever made it the farthest without "falling off" won.

Hope you have a great party!!!

 

[gottalovethem]

Thank you for the plank idea! My mom and I were trying to come up with an idea and nothing came to mind. That's a fun way to do it!

I also thought today that maybe I can put plastic coins in the bathtub as one of their challenges and make them each get some out of there....or maybe I'll use my son's fishing pole with the magnetic fish and for whichever fish they "fish" out they get so many coins?? hmmm, will keep thinking!

Also, thanks for the heads up on the construction paper eye patch thing! And I do like the box idea!!

 

[rt2dz]

I don't have a whole lot to add. DS did attend a pirate party when the kids were 3-4 years old; they did a treasure hunt in the back yard where it was yarn wrapped around trees/bushes/toys/etc that the kids had to follow. At the end of their yarn was individual loot bags (pirate design) filled with gummy fish & chocolate coins.

A treasure chest pinata would also be good.

Here are some games from Family Fun:

•Walk the plank. The Bonaccios secured a board across a Little Tykes pool with duct tape. They set toy alligators in the pool for ambience, then each child got to walk across. Upon reaching the other side, the pirate was awarded a Hook Hand. To make one, cut a slit in the bottom of a plastic cup. Cut a hook shape out of cardboard, wrap with foil, and slip it through the slit in the cup.

•Make spyglasses. Have kids cover the end of a toilet-paper tube with a square of colored cellophane and fix it in place with a rubber band.

•Tick tock, find the croc. With a little imagination, an egg timer makes a suitable crocodile. Have pirates try to locate the hidden croc by its tick, before the bell rings.

•Musical islands. Set as many hula hoops on the floor as you have guests, and play music. Pirates must walk around the hoops until you turn off the tunes, at which point they must be standing inside one of the "islands" or they're out. Every few minutes, take away a hoop, until only one seafarer remains.

And here are some more from boardman's:

Fishing: Use cardboard fish with paper clips, stick poles with string and magnet.

Cannonball Pop: Use black balloon with prize slips inside a few of them.

Peg Leg Race: Three legged races.

Buried Treasure: Make a treasure chest by recycling a diaper wipes box. (see above)

Gold Nugget Treasure Hunt: Spray paint small rocks to make the gold. Hide. Give each child a handmade 'nugget' bag made from black cloth.

Sunken Treasure: Cleaned out all your child's old "McDonald" toys from the past year or so, and added some gold coins, etc -- anything that fit the theme. Fill a small pool with water and put the "treasure" in the bottom. The children can use shovels and kitchen utensils (can't use their hands, except the littlest who were under 3) to "dig" for sunken treasure.

Panning for gold: spray paint some rocks (more of that trusty gold spray paint) gold. Fill a small wading pool with water and added a 25 lb. bag of sand (about $3) and the "gold nuggets". Give the children metal pie plates and show them how to "pan" for gold.

Marooned: A game of tag were the person chasing everyone is "Shark" and the marooned sailors can go to the "Island" (home free - a towel on the floor) one at a time. When the shark catches a sailor he becomes a shark too and tries to catch sailors. The last remaining sailor wins the game.

Decorate felt hats cut and glued as pirate hats.

Cannonball Piñata: make from a balloon, paint black.

Pin the parrot on the pirate

Draw a picture of a pirate ship on some poster board and have the children throw Styrofoam balls (cannon balls) at it. This can be done from the cardboard Pirate Ship.

Get a refrigerator box and cut in half. Divide children and put each team in their box. Give team one, 2 dozen ping-pong balls and see how many "cannon balls" they can toss into the other teams "ship" to try and sink it. Team two can catch the "bombs" and toss back into team ones ship, but they cannot pick "bombs" up off of the floor. After team one has used their 2 dozen balls, give team two a try, then count the bombs to see who sunk who's ship.

Walking the plank: Use a little tykes pool or other hard side kiddie pool and make a wooden plank to go across the top. Purchase enough rubber alligators for each child and put them at the bottom of the pool. Then filled with water. As they go out at Musical Island, they walked the plank.

 

[htmom]

DS had a birthday themed with pirates this is what we did. When the kids came in they decorated little wooden treasure boxes with stick on jewels (got them at a craft store) This gave us something to do while everyone showed up.
Then we had a board with fish on it proped up with dh behind and the kids "fished" with ds fishing pole and a binderclip to win stuffed parrots. After that they had a treasure hunt to our cabin (about 1/2 mi in the woods) they followed picture signs the whole way that I stapled on trees and each family got a paper with all the pictures on it. At the end they met my dh (dressed like a pirate) to get thier tatoos put on, eyepatches, sashes, and jewelry.

They came back and "walked the plank" over a pool with blow up alligators in it to get their hooks. Then we ate. I just got a cake with blue icing and an island and put a Wiggles mini pirate ship on top. Then they did pin the patch on the pirate (I took a picture of ds with a pirate hat on and blew it up and printed it out then I made "patches" out of black paper)

Oh and our invitations were in clear plastic bottles with shells dropped in. Everyone loved it and was angry that this year we didn't have a b-day party for ds. LOL