pirate theme birthday party

If your little pirates are an energetic crew, then ensure your Pirate Party is ship-shape with these Pirate Birthday ideas. You’ll find sea-worthy pirate party games and birthday activities that will ensure your swashbucklers have hours of fun and keep you from wanting to walk the plank! 

Planning & Invitations

What Do I Need For the Party?

In addition to basic Pirate party supplies, like plates, cups, napkins and decorations, you may want to consider purchasing, borrowing or renting the following items for your Pirate party:

• Old Storage Chests


• Costume items

• A pirate-themed movie, such as Pirates of the Caribbean (PG-13), Muppet Treasure Island (G), or Hook (PG)


• A pirate ship cake pan


• Sand


• A pirate ship piñata

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. 

• 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 James and his crew!
We’ll steal some gold and bury our treasure,
Then relax with some grub and brew!

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.

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 Jell-o 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 shaped straws.


• Cook seashell-shaped pasta and spinach linguini and serve chilled with a little butter. Call it “Seaweed & Shells Pasta."


• Serve root beer in frosted mugs or goblets.


• Make a simple pirate cake by baking a 9" x 13" 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!

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Party Favor Ideas

Pirate Party Favor Ideas

Thank your guests with a treasure box full of party favors! To find a large variety of pirate party favors, visit our Pirate party page and click the "Party Favors" tab or the "More Fun Stuff" tab. Some of the favors we have include:

• Eye patches and pirate earrings


• Gold coins


• Pirate pop guns


• Pirate gummy candy


• Pirate rings


• Inflatable swords


• Pirate sticker books and temporary tattoos


• Pirate hats


• Fun-shaped candy and lollipops

Also check out our complete favor sets and personalized products such as zipper pulls, placemats, and stickers.


  

Games and Activities

Treasure Cake Hunt Send your partygoers on a quest to find the hidden cake with this exciting treasure hunt.	Sea Battles Let your little pirates test their aim and see which team can keep its ship afloat the longest.
Walk the Plank Have your guests work together to see who can walk the plank to the finish line first.	Message in a Bottle Create a unique and imaginative story with your guests in this fun message game.
Fishing for Gold Double the fun for your guests with this fish-themed craft and game combo.	Pirate Hat Craft Have your guests create pirate hats to wear during the party and take home as favors.
Pirate Charades Keep your guests guessing in this game of charades with a swashbuckling twist.	Blind Man's Bluff Get your guests singing and laughing as they dance around the "blind man."
Bail out the Boat Have your guests work together in this splashy outdoor race.	Balloon Swordfights Engage your guests in an exciting - yet safe - battle with our balloon swordfight game.
Pirate Coloring Page Your guests will love decorating our printable Pirate coloring page