Do you have a little swashbuckler in the family? Throw him or her a birthday bash worthy of the Seven Seas with our Pirate Party Ideas! From decorations to party favors, we have all the bases covered so your party sails along smoothly.
Invitations
Decorations
Food
Party Favors
Games & Activities
Planning & Invitations
Your first decision will be whether to hold your Pirate Party at your own home or at another location. You can plan a great party at home, complete with decorations, activities, and food that fit your theme. If you choose a different location, however, a swimming pool or an amusement park might be good choices for this theme. For additional ideas, see our article on When & Where to Have the Party.
What do I need for the Party?
Basic party supplies include paper tableware, such as plates, napkins, cups, and cutlery, as well as a tablecloth, streamers, and balloons.
You can stick with the basics, or add other items to fit your theme. For example, for a Pirate Party, you may also want to consider renting or purchasing the following:
To help you with your shopping, take a look at our Suggested Party Supply List. You may not need everything on the list, but you can use it as a guide. For additional party planning tips, our Party Planning 101 Guide includes cake ideas, party etiquette tips, a printable guest list, and more.
Pirate Party Invitations
If you have the time to make your own invitations, here are a few ideas to consider:
- Send a Message in a Bottle! Thoroughly wash and dry old soda bottles. Write your party details on a slip of paper, roll it up, and slide it inside. Make sure the paper is rolled tightly and secured so it will easily slip out of the bottle once your guests receive it. Check out our Invitations in a Bottle for inspiration!
- Make a treasure map invitation. Cut a jagged edge around a piece of brown construction paper to give the paper the illusion of being burned. Draw a crude map of your neighborhood on one side, with a dotted line leading from one edge of the paper to a big X, marking where your home would be. Write your party details on the opposite side of your map.
- Punch a hole in the corner of a card-style invitation and attach it to a bag of Pirate Gold Nugget Gum. Hand deliver these to your guests.
- Cut the shape of a skull and crossbones out of black construction paper. Write your party details in gold pen.
- Include creative wording for your party details, such as:
Come sail a ship on the Seven Seas,
With Captain [child’s name] and his crew!
We’ll steal some gold and bury our treasure,
Then relax with some grub and brew!
If you would rather not make your own invitations, but would still like a personalized touch, consider our Personalized Pirate Invitations, which include all the party details for you! We also offer blank invitations that you can fill in yourself.
Whichever invitation option you choose, seal your envelopes with Pirate Stickers to add a final festive touch!
Decorating & Food Ideas
Pirate Party Decorations
To get your guests in the mood for buried treasure and sea battles, consider these options for decorations:
- As guests arrive, give them each a black bandana and eye patch to wear during the party. You can even dot on rough beards with face paint and clip gold hoop earrings to their ears.
- Make a treasure chest to place in one corner of the party area. Cover a large shoebox with brown construction paper and strips of gold foil. Fill it with shells, plastic necklaces, faux jewels, and gold coins.
- Hang fishing nets from the walls and ceiling.
- Cover the tables in the party area with blue tablecloths. Sprinkle sand, seashells, and faux pearls on top.
- Make a skull and crossbones out of white construction paper and black markers, and hang it on one wall of the party area.
- Balloons are a must at every party! Fill the party area with bunches of blue and black balloons! Add pirate-themed Mylar balloons to a few of the bunches.
- Perch a stuffed parrot on a table, chair, or shelf in the party area.
- Hang a banner. Check out our personalized pirate banner and let us do the work for you.
- Hang a Pirate Ship Pinata in the party area that can be used as a decoration before the activity begins. Remember, you can transform any pinata into a pull-string with these easy instructions.
Pirate Party Food Ideas
Get creative with your party food by serving theme-specific treats. For a Pirate Party, consider the following ideas:
- A fun main dish to serve to your sea-faring travelers is chicken or turkey legs – without utensils! Let them eat like real pirates!
- Place a few cranberries and gold nugget candies in the bottom of a clear plastic cup. Make blue jello to pour into the cup. The end result will look like a bit of ocean and sunken treasures.
- Tint a bag of chex cereal green with a little food coloring. Mix with goldfish crackers and call it “Swimming with the Fishes Snack”.
- Make “Sea Water” by coloring pitchers of apple juice with blue food coloring, and serve with fish-shaped straws.
- Cook seashell-shaped pasta and spinach linguini and serve chilled with a little butter. Call it “Seaweed & Shells Pasta”.
- Serve Swedish Fish, gummy sharks, and sour gummy fish in large plastic seashells.
- Serve root beer in frosted mugs or goblets.
- Make a simple pirate cake by baking a 9”x13” cake and frosting it in grey frosting. With decorator icing, draw a treasure map, complete with a compass, a dotted line trail, and an X that marks the spot. Or, use our Pirate Ship Cake Pan instead!
Pirate Party Favors
Put a smile on your guests’ faces by sending them home with party favors that fit your theme. You can give each child one large favor, such as a “ship in a bottle” craft or a pirate-themed DVD, or combine smaller favors such as temporary tattoos, coloring books, crayons, and bandanas in nice favor bags or boxes.
To save time, you may want to consider our complete Pirate Favor Sets, which include matching favor bags. Or, consider our popular personalized pirate favors. Choose from bag tags, zipper pulls, magnets, and more, all personalized with your guests’ names or a special message from you!
Pirate Party Games & Activities
A great ice-breaking activity to get the party started is coloring. Set out various coloring pages or cover a table with a large sheet of butcher paper, set out a variety of markers, construction paper, stickers, and glue, and let your guests get creative. For additional ideas, see the Games & Activities section below.
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