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Shiver Me Timbers!
A Page of Pirate Party Ideas

pirate party ideas

Avast, me Hearties! Looking for a treasure trove of pirate party ideas? Read on and get ready to throw a swashbuckling pirate theme party. You'll find suggestions for pirate party invitations, decorations, pirate games and activities, and a treasure trove of favor ideas!

Pirate Party Ideas for Invitations

AHOY MATEYS! GET READY TO SET SAIL TO A PIRATE PARTY, OR BE READY TO WALK THE PLANK!

Handmade invitations are always a great way to make your guests feel special. Here are some ideas for making your own pirate party invitations:

Treasure Map Party Invitations -- To make these pirate party invitations seem really authentic, you can either start by using cream colored paper, or you can dab white paper with a wet tea bag to give them the look of weathered age spots. Torn or burned edges can also make your invitations seem very piratey. Create a treasure map leading to your home by drawing a map of local landmarks that your guests might recognize, such as the school or park. Don't forget to use the language of a salty sea dog! ARRGH! Come if you dare!

Jolly Roger Flag Invitations -- To make this pirate invitation, start with squares of black fabric and use white fabric markers to draw a skull and crossbones on the front of the flag. Then turn it over and put your party information on the back. For extra fun, you might choose to send these invitations in mailing tubes, applying pirate themed stickers to the tube to set the mood!

Invitations in a Bottle -- Another cool delivery option for your invitations is to roll them up and put them into plastic bottles such as empty pop bottles (these should be hand delivered.) For an extra touch, add some sand and small shells to the bottles and make your own skull and crossbones label for the outside. Then leave them by your guests' front doors as if they were washed ashore!

**General Invitation Tips** -- If you choose to make your own invitations, don't forget to include the date, location, and time of your party. It is also helpful to put the host's name RSVP by date, and either your phone number or email.

Here are some pirate party ideas for invitations that we really like, available from our friends at Tiny Prints:

Treasure Map Invitations

Pirate Skull Invitations

Pirate Ship Invitations

Pirate Party Ideas for Decorations

When decorating for your pirate party, think pirate flags, skulls and crossbones, parrots, and treasure chests full of beads, gems, and gold doubloons. Similarly, all things nautical can help set the pirate scene. An old refrigerator box makes a great pirate ship that can do double duty as a fun base for a variety of games.

Here are some more ideas for pirate party decorations:

Hang Treasure Maps on the Walls -- Make or buy a fun pirate treasure map and post it on a wall in your party area. If you make your own, you might use real landmarks and hide your own buried treasure somewhere.
Post a Skeleton Greeting -- If you can find a paper or plastic skeleton one fun idea is to dress him up with an eye patch and bandanna and give him a sign to hold, saying something like, "Warning! Pirate Cove Ahead! Enter if ye Dare!"
Make a Refrigerator Box Pirate Ship -- A great activity and party focal point all in one is a giant pirate ship. Use a large appliance box or decorate a swing set to resemble your own party buccaneer.
Use a Pinata as a Table Centerpiece -- A treasure chest, pirate, or Pirate Ship Pinata can serve as a table centerpiece and then later be broken as a great pirate party activity!

Here are some great pirate theme party supplies available from Celebrate Express:

Pirates Party Supplies

Pink Pirate Party Supplies

Little Buccaneer Deluxe Party Pack for 8

Little Buccaneer Party Supplies

Pirate Party Ideas for Games

Rev up the action with some fun pirate party games!

Treasure Map Scavenger Hunt-- Create a treasure map with clues that take your party guests around your home or party location. Make it fun by adding extra little directions with a pirate theme. For example, you might say "start at the old tree and take 7 steps straight ahead. Spin around three times. Now take 5 jumps toward the road. Come up with a pirate name for yourself." Be creative and make this as funny or involved as you (and your guests) would like. At the end of the hunt, make a big red X out of electrical tape or paper and put the "treasure" on top of it. (Having a pinata as the final treasure is a good way to wrap up this scavenger hunt.)

Pin the Eye Patch on the Pirate Game --This is a variation of Pin the Tail on the Donkey. Make or buy a large picture of a pirate's face. Give each child a numbered eye patch with some tape on the back. one at a time, cover each child's eyes with a pirate bandanna, spin them around three times, and send them off toward the wall where the pirate is hanging. See who can get their patch closest to the pirate's eye.

Pop the Cannon Ball--This is a balloon popping relay race. Fill two large garbage bags with inflated black balloons and put them at one end of your race course. **note--this can be a straight run from one end to the next, or you could put obstacles along the way, such as a long board for the kids to walk the plank on their way to the balloons.** Divide the group into two teams and put them at the other end of the course. Then have them race one at a time to the balloons, take one out and sit/bounce on it until it pops, and race back to tag the hand of their next teammate. The first team with all its balloons popped and pirates back at the home ship wins!

Pirate Party Ideas for Favors

Pirate Favor Buckets

What's the most exciting thing about a pirate theme party? Dressing up and acting like a pirate, of course! Some of the best pirate party favors are items that can turn any land lubber into a swashbuckling pirate. here are some pirate party ideas for favors:
pirate party costume

Eye Patches
Pirate Hats
Golden Hoop Clip Earrings
Fake Moustaches
Pirate Bandannas
Pirate Figurines
Toy Parrots
Spy Glasses
Gold Doubloons, beads, and treasure gems!

Pirate Party Ideas for Food and Drinks

Fruit Salad in a Watermelon Boat-- A fun idea for a scurvy preventing snack that can double as a pirate party decoration is a watermelon boat. Carve the melon lengthwise and trim the edges to look like a ship. Make a mast out of a skewer with a paper skull and crossbones flag flying high! Fill the ship with chunks of melon, pineapple, strawberries, or other colorful fruit. If you have any little toy pirate figurines, stick them around to make things even more authentic!

Fish and Chips--True pirates love their fish. If your guest of honor does too, fish sticks or other breaded fish and fries make up a truly piratey main course. You might even serve them in paper boats such as the ones from restaurants.

Oversized Turkey Legs and Biscuits--Another fun main course option with pirate flair is oversized turkey legs (or fried chicken legs. Let your scurvy crew go at these with their bare hands, and serve them with hot buttermilk biscuits. ARRGH!

Pirate Punch--No self respecting pirate meal would be complete without pirate fruit punch. If you have a more bloodthirsty lot, make red punch and call it shark blood brew. For an extra touch, float some sliced oranges or limes to make it look more festive.