How to Organize a Children's Pirates of the Caribbean Party

A "Pirates of the Caribbean" themed party is perfect for outdoor summer fun-especially if you have access to a pool.

Instructions

1. If you want to throw a pirate party, it's essential to get the lingo right. So on party day, and even before, it's "Ahoy!" instead of "Hello," "Avast" instead of "Hey," "Aye" instead of "yes," and toss in "Arrrgh" whenever you can. Check out Internet sites such as talklikeapirate.com for a broader education (see resources).

2. Set the perfect tone for the party with the right invitation. Write it in pirate-"Ahoy there Matey," for starters-and give the invitation other piratical touches, such as spilling coffee on it to age it, putting on a wax seal to give it authenticity and even burning the edges to show it's been through the wars.

3. Ask your child's guests to come dressed as characters from the "Pirates of the Caribbean" movies. Adults can also get in on the act and ham it up as Captain Jack Sparrow, Will Turner, Elizabeth Swann, Captain Barbossa, Davy Jones, Bootstrap Bill, Sao Feng and a host of other bloodthirsty raiders.

4. Decorate your pirate world. Pull out the Halloween decorations to find skulls and skeletons and make sure you have the Jolly Roger-the pirates' scull and crossbones flag-in a prominent position. Add black and gold balloons and streamers and visit your local party store to get more ideas.

5. If you're allowing the party to wander through the house, you can represent the geography of the movies by signs in different rooms, designating them as locale's from the movies, such as Port Royal, The Black Pearl, The Flying Dutchman and World's End.

6. Give the food you prepare pirate-friendly names. "Hard Tack Hamburgers" will look fine on your barbecue, and if you're really adventurous try making the pirate stew of choice, the legendary culinary feast of Salmagundi, with beef, chicken or pork. Also have plenty of "fish bait"-goldfish and gummy worms in decorated containers.

7. No pirate party would be complete without plenty of "grog" and Caribbean-themed drinks. Make fruit punch in a variety of tropical fruit flavors and serve everything with slices of lime to help ward off the dreaded seaman's disease "scurvy."

8. Have pirate things to do. Organize a treasure hunt for Pieces of Eight and Doubloons. Before the pirate hoards arrive, hide your treasure items-cutlasses, skulls, boxes of treasure, maps and compasses-around the house. Make the treasure hunt more challenging by making up riddles to give clues to where the various items are hidden.

9. Prepare a quiz based on the "Pirates of the Caribbean" world and divide the kids into rival pirate crews to play. Or have the teams play charades based on themes from the movies.

10. Many ordinary games can be turned piratical with a little bit of imagination. Water volleyball can become a battle on the Spanish Main, pin the tail on the donkey translates easily to pin the eye patch on the pirate, musical chairs becomes musical islands, tag games can have a "shark" pursuing pirates, and so on.

11. Pirates have to get wet or else they're just landlubbers. Take advantage of the pool-even a plastic blow up kiddie pool-to play walk the plank. play hot potato with a water-filled balloon. Organize tug-of-war games with the losers passing through an open sprinkler spray. Get everyone wet at some time during the party.

12. If money is not an issue, hire a fortuneteller to entertain or find someone who can braid hair and paint faces.

13. Organize a major event as a finale for the party. A limbo dance competition or a giant conga line will get everyone involved, as will a rousing chorus of the "Pirates of the Caribbean" theme song "Yo Ho (A Pirate's Life for Me)."

Tips & Warnings

• If you don't have time to make decorations yourself, there are whole sets of "Pirates of the Caribbean"-themed plates, napkins, balloons and banners you can pick up at most party stores or on the Internet.

• Have an alternative plan in case of bad weather. Be prepared to move the party inside and have DVD's of the "Pirates of the Caribbean" movies on hand so everyone can join in with their versions of the dialogue.

• There is also a Monopoly game and some computer games based on "Pirates of the Caribbean," which you can use to entertain your guests if your party is rained out.

• If you are going to get your child's friends wet, warn their parents and tell them to bring swim suits and towels.

• If you plan your party poolside, make sure you ask your child's friends' parents about each child's swimming ability. Get the weaker swimmers to bring water wings or life jackets.

Resources

• Talk like a pirate