How to Throw a Pirate Party

Parties can be lots of fun, and little boys, especially, love dressing up and acting like pirates. Pirate parties can be fun for both kids and adults, and can be done affordably as well. Here are some tips on how to plan a pirate party.

Things You'll Need

• Guest list
• Invitations
• Streamers and balloons
• Party supplies (cups, plates, napkins, utensils)
• Skeleton
• Pirate flag
• Treasure chest
• Eye patch
• Bandana
• Pirate hat
• Beaded necklaces
• Goodie bags

Instructions

1. Put together a guest list and send out the invitations. Purchase pirate-themed invitations from the party store or make them by hand. For handmade invitations, take a piece of paper and write the date, time, location and phone number of the person to contact for the pirate party. Get a tube or miniature plastic bottle and roll up the piece of paper and stick it in the bottle. Mail the tube, if it’s plastic, to the guests or hand them out in person.

2. Decorate the party location with streamers and balloons. Hang streamers around the room that are red, black and gold in color. Have balloons floating in the air around the party area. One or two of the balloons should be Mylar with a pirate picture on them, whether it’s a skull, pirate with a parrot or a treasure box with gold and jewels. Choose latex balloons that are gold, black, red and white in color.

3. Set up food table with party supplies. Lay out black or white tablecloths over the tables. Place blowers, plates, cups, napkins and utensils on one of the tables. If it is a party with older kids, you can set the cake on the table with the plates and cups. Choose a cake that has a pirate theme, whether it has beaded necklaces, gold coins or a pirate image on it.

4. Set up other party decorations. Hang up a Halloween skeleton on your front door. Hang a pirate flag, which is usually a black flag with a white skull on it, in front of your home. Buy or make a pirate treasure box and fill it with treasures. You can find pirate treasure chests at your local party store, or make one yourself: Take a Styrofoam cooler, paint it and glue plastic jewels all over it.

5. Dress your guests up like pirates. Upon arrival, give each guest an eye patch, a bandana or paper pirate hat, and some beaded necklaces. Help children tie the bandanas around their heads.

6. Play some pirate games. Play “Walk the Plank.” Take a 2 by 4 piece of wood and use it as the “plank.” Have the children walk the plank, making fun pirate noises along the way and have them jump off the plank. Once they’ve jumped off the plank, give them a gold chocolate coin or beaded necklace. You can repeat this as many times as you’d like. Another fun game is a Treasure Chest Toss. Buy a cardboard treasure chest or decorate a Styrofoam container or cardboard box like a treasure chest and have children toss bean bags into the box from a certain spot in the room. Give each child a small prize after the toss.

7. Send your little pirates home with booty. Fill a small cloth bag or cellophane bag with some candy, some gold coins, a few more beaded necklaces and a toy telescope. Thank each one of the guests for coming and give each child a balloon when he leaves the party.

Tips & Warnings

• If you don’t want to buy a cake, you can make your own. Bake a 9 by 13 sheet cake and use blue frosting for the sea and brown frosting for the sand. Use little plastic palm trees or sailboats and Fisher Price Little People pirates for decorations on the cake.

• Be sure you know beforehand if there are any guests who have food allergies. If so, provide a substitute for anything they may not be able to eat.