Celebrating Birthdays> Birthday Party Themes

Pirate Themed Birthday Party

Ages: 4 to 10

Invitations:

Get brown construction paper and fold it twice, so that the two edges meet in the middle. Round the top two corners and decorate it so that it looks like a treasure chest (add a lock and go around the edges with a different color). Write the party information on the inside. As a fun touch you could add two or three chocolate coins.

Another idea is our Pirate Flag and Treasure Map invitation. You can use our ideas for Pirate Birthday Invitation Wording for either of the above invitation ideas.

Decoration Ideas

Use a toy box or some other item that resembles a treasure chest and display it in the party room. Put the kids goodie bags in it. Use some of those Halloween skeleton decorations; put an eye patch on them and a few other pirate items. Hang fish nets and a skull and cross bones flag. Decorate with red, black and white streamers and balloons.

Craft Ideas

Get large boxes, divide the party goers into groups and have them decorate their boxes to look like ships. You may also want to have them decorate flags to put on their boats.

Hand out square papers, have everyone make Paper Sail Boats and then race their boats in a large baking tray or a tub filled with water.

Game Ideas

Pirate Dress Up Relay

Divide the kids into two groups have pirate dress up items like a hat, hook, eye patch, vest, plastic sword etc. You should have two of each item. Have the kids line up in their two groups when you say go, the first person runs down to the items puts them on and then runs back. They remove the items and give them to the next person in line to put on. This continues until everyone has put on the items at least once. The first team to have everyone dress up as a pirate wins.

Save all the wrapping paper and tissue paper from opening presents. Divide them up between the kids boats that they decorated, and let them have a pirate “cannonball” (wrapping paper rolled into balls) fight. You could leave it unstructured or make it a little more structured by explaining that it only counts as a hit if they get the ball inside one of the other boats.

While the kids aren’t looking, hide the treasure chest and provide them with a map to find it.

Find more Treasure Hunt Party Ideas.

Food Ideas

Offer fish shaped crackers. Make mini edible swords by putting a slice of cheese on the end of a pretzel stick. Make hot dogs look like ships by adding a slice of cheese cut in a triangle on a toothpick and placing the toothpick in the center of the hot dog. Apple Sailboats can be made in a similar fashion. Blue Jell-o with small clean plastic boats on it is a cool looking and tasty addition to the snack table.

Cake

You could make a sheet cake look like a treasure map for a simple cake. If you want to do something a little harder try making one that looks like a pirate hat. See all our Pirate Themed Birthday Cakes.