Pirate Birthday Party Ideas

Looking for great pirate birthday party ideas?  Plan a Pirate Treasure Hunt Party

Looking for some extra help?  Try our downloadable treasure hunts...our printable treasure hunts in every theme imaginable will be a blast!  Choose easy, medium & hard hunts in all themes. 

Click here to view more details on our  Downloadable Treasure Hunts  

Pirates have fascinated children for all ages.  And a pirate birthday party…especially with a treasure hunt can be one of the most successful parties you will ever have, especially if you spend some time looking for some great pirate birthday party ideas.

There are some items you will need to pull this party off, but a few organization skills will help a lot when it comes to the big day.  Of course any time you’re working with kids you need to plan for the unexpected.  If you can do this, then a pirates life really can be for you.

Get things started with the right invitations.  A great invitation starts with a pirate’s map.  You can let “x” mark the spot for the party.  Give the date and the time and let everyone know they should dress in their best pirate outfit.  Knowing the theme well ahead of time gives everyone a chance to pick out their best pirate garb.  A neat rhyme can finish off the invitation…something like “ho hum, a bottle of rum, Tim turns nine and we’ll have a fine time”.

Now...if you want an invitation that will really impress...send an Invitation in a Bottle ...these invitations are totally unforgetable and your guests will be talking about them for years!

Costumes are always fun.  If your guests don't already have costumes, you might want to furnish them.  Full costumes aren't necessasary...you can use vests and hats to get into the Pirate theme!

Decorations can be easy for a pirate birthday party.  You’ll want to make the area look as much like a pirate ship as possible.  A pirate party is best held outdoors whenever possible.  This way you can find some great places to bury the treasure for your treasure hunt.  Of course, if you can’t do it outdoors, you’ll just have to be a little more creative indoors.

A fun and easy way to decorate (especially when you're indoors) is to use Posters.  There are all kinds of pirate posters available.  Here are just a few.  Click on the pictures to see even more!

You can also decorate with fish netting, treasure chest pinatas and large parrots... Pirate Hideaways & Pirate Props are also great additions to your decorating scheme.  You can even get a large inflatable or cardboard parrot for photo ops!

There are unlimited games for pirate parties.  The best, of course is the treasure hunt.  You can start by handing out clues explaining that there is a treasure map that you have divided into 4 pieces.  The first clue will point you to the first piece, and that will have a clue to the next piece and so on.  While the kids are doing the treasure hunt, you’ll have time to put together the refreshment table.

Don't forget...if you need some help planning your treasure hunt, you can use our Downloadable Treasure Hunts

Once the kids have all the pieces to the map, they can go on the actual treasure hunt to find the buried treasure.  You can do an individual treasure hunt or divide the kids into teams. 

Cool Pirate Treats are easy to do.  Refreshments can be simple or really elaborate but they should keep within your theme. A few examples would be:

Peg legs (chicken legs) * Frosty Mugs of Ale (Rootbeer in mugs) * Pizza's of Eight (pizza cut into small pieces) * Ships Ahoy ( hot dogs skewered with a flag on a skewer...use a regular triangle or a jolly roger flag) * Gold Coins (chocolate coins)

If you're really getting into the theme...you can make your own pirate treasure cake.  Just layer 3 or 4 (8" x 11") cakes and ice them with light chocolate icing.  Prop up a cardboard to the back of the layers (standing up so that it looks like an open lid), Ice the cardboard, like the cake, then just let your imagination run.  Use cream or light yellow icing to define the lock and the sides and then pile jelly beans, gold coins and anything else you think of on the top of the cake as the treasure.  You'll have a masterpiece with just a small amount of work!

If you would rather do something easier, try treasure cupcakes.  Just cut off the top of your cupcakes, scoop out a small amount of the middle, and fill the hole with "treasures".  Then put the top back on and ice as usual! Put jolly roger flags in the middle of the cakes or gold coin chocolates.

Of course you're going to need a treasure chest.  You can make one your own just by painting styrofoam or cardboard and then decorating it...OR...you can use one of these Jumbo Treasure Chest

Other Pirate Games & Activities

Don’t forget pin the peg-leg on the pirate  and “walk the plank” for the younger kids…of course, assuming you have a pool and the kids can swim.

You can also offer pirate crafts.... Make a pirate telescope with with paper towel rolls.  They can paint them and decorate them with fake "jewels".  Put cellophane or saran wrap over the ends to make them look more realistic.

Digging for treasure is always fun.  Fill a small pool or box with sand and fill it with all kinds of treasures.  Beads, chocolate coinsk & small gemstones make Great treasures.  And you can give each child a small velvet bag to carry home their treasures.  What a great goody bag!

If you want something really special...let the kids make their own treasure chest!

Stock up on empty tissue boxes so you'll have one for each child, some black and yellow construction paper, a printer, scissors, crayons and glue.   .

Glue black construction paper to all  sides of the box..

Have an adult cut around 3 sides of the box an inch or so from the top.  Bend the top back so that it opens and closes

Glue a piece of yellow or red felt to the inside of the "lid" and chest (so it looks like a nice velvety lining) 

Now comes the fun part! 

Let the kids start decorating...you can find pictures of key's, jolly roger flags, etc and let the kids glue them to their chest.  Jewels and sequins are always a favorite too.  And when they're finished....

Let the kids fill their chests with glittery beads and coins (chocolate ones are the BEST)

And if that's too complicated...try these Treasure Chest Craft Kits

Pirate Goodie bags are so much fun.   Try these Treasure Chest Treat Boxes  or....take the treasure chest the kids have made and fill them with all kinds of goodies!

These are just a few pirate birthday party ideas.  Use your imagination and  you’ll think of loads more.  Just make sure your little “pirate” has a day to remember.