10 Ideas for Making Your Child’s Pirate-Themed Party a Success

Have you decided on a pirate-themed party for your child’s birthday celebration this year? If so, you have chosen a great theme that can be tailored to any size guest list, age group and budget! Here are 10 creative ideas for making your child’s pirated-themed birthday party a huge success:

Party Favor – Send each child home with a soundtrack from the party. Download pirate related music and copy to a cd. Personalize the cd by adding a personalized label. Here are some good pirate-themed songs:

a. Pirate Song by Linda Arnold
b. Pirate Ship by the Brian Waite Band
c. Pirate by Mr. Kim Webster
d. The Pirate Song by the Hit Crew
e. Yo Ho Yo Ho, a Pirate’s Life for Me by Toucan Pirates

Wrap a paper napkin around each guest’s tableware (plastic fork, spoon and knife) and tie with a curling ribbon. You can also string a plastic skull ring in the curling ribbon before tying off.

Check-out second hand and thrift stores for great party props like your treasure chest.

If having your party at home, make sure to decorate your mailbox and door with balloons in your party theme to help your guest find their way.

Show Pirates of the Caribbean on your television during the party for some nice background ambience.

At the beginning of the party, have each child create their own nametag. Provide children with a square of card-stock weight paper, markers, stickers, glitter paint, etc. You can also assign a special pirate name to each of your guest. Visit the following site for pirate names: http://www.piratenames.net

Play Musical Islands with your guest. Set as many hula hoops on the floor as you have guests and play pirate-themed music. Pirates must walk around the hoops until you turn off the music at which point they must be standing inside one of the "islands" or they’re out. Every few minutes, take away a hoof until one child remains.

Instead of filling a goodie bag with a ton of loot, consider wrapping one special item very well!

For younger children, consider reading a pirate themed book at the end of the party as a "calm down" activity. Here are a few suggestions:
f. Pirates Don’t Change Diapers by Melinda Long and David Shannon
g. Do Pirates Take Baths? By Kathy Tucker and Nadine Bernard Westcotti
h. The Night Pirates by Peter Harris and Deborah Allwright

Create pirate-themed Jello Jigglers. Purchase your favorite Jell-O brand gelatin. Follow the directions to make Jigglers and use different shaped cookie cutters to make pirate-related shapes.