Best Pirate Birthday Party Ideas

The best way to host a pirate birthday party is by focusing on the three P’s – pirates, parrot and ‘plunder’.

Whether you’re thinking of a just-for-fun weekend activity for the kids or planning the perfect birthday party, we have thought of everything you need to host the Perfect Pirate Party for a Platoon of Powerful Pirates (say that 10x fast).

As a matter of fact, did you know that Talk Like a Pirate Day is just around the corner this Sunday, September 19? 

Funny, I never knew there was an official day for this. However, I’m sure the popular phrase of the day will be all about the “booty” :)

Pirate Party Invitations

A pirate party is a great way to have fun with your little ones. Invite all of their friends by sending pirate party invitations.

There are many different ways that you can design the invitation, but one popular idea is to have it look like a treasure map.

This will get kids excited about the upcoming event and want to come! 

If you have more time on your hands and are feeling crafty these invitations will really set the tone.

With either invitation you choose, you’ll need to include a few things to set the tone. First, you will need to include a piece of your DIY Treasure Map.

Second, you will want to include some pirate jargon for your swashbucklers to brush up on before the party.

Pirate Lingo

When you’re creating your invitations pay special attention to terminology.  Be sure to use proper pirate lingo like:

• Ahoy Me hearties
• Arrrr
• Shiver me timbers
• X Marks The Spot
• Plunder
• Set Sail

• Aye:  Yes; an affirmation.
• Booty: Treasure
• Blimey!: An exclamation of surprise.
• Fire in the hole:  A warning issued before a cannon is fired.
• Parley:  A conference or discussion between opposing sides during a dispute.
• Swab:  (1) To clean, specifically the deck of a ship. (2) A disrespectful term for a seaman. ie: “Man that gun, ye cowardly swabs!”
• Walk the plank:  Being forced off a ship by pirates as punishment or torture.

Find more pirate lingo in our Ultimate How to Talk Like a Pirate guide.

Pirate Party Costume Ideas

If you are throwing a pirate birthday party then it goes without saying that everyone will need to come dressed up as pirates!

You can buy pirate costumes or make your own (there are lots of tutorials below).

The most important thing about dressing up is making sure people don’t get too hot and bothered in their pirate outfit – its no fun if all anyone is uncomfortable!

Pirate party costume ideas: guests can be pirates, fairies, Peter Pan, mermaids or princesses.

How to Make a Pirate Costume

Materials

• old black pants
• gold or white blouse
• red scarf
• gold costume jewelry
• bandana
• eye patch
• pirate’s hook
• black face paint

Instructions

1. Find a pair of old black pants and fringe the edges with scissors.
2. Tuck in a big gold or white blouse.
3. Tie a red scarf around the pirate’s waist and a bandanna around his/her head.
4. Clip on some gold costume jewelry, then add an eye patch and a pirate’s hook (all inexpensive party store finds).
5. Dab on black face paint for a beard and missing-tooth makeup.
6. If you’ve got a stuffed bird in your toy box, use craft wire to attach it to your pirate’s shirtsleeve.
7. Now your little pirate is ready to collect his party!

Pirate Party Decorations

The most important aspect of a pirate themed party is the decor.

It’s easy to go overboard with too much red, black and gold but keeping it simple can really make your pirate birthday parties look amazing!

For example, you could use white tablecloths decorated with a skull and crossbones design for one area of your buffet/dessert tables or you could try having streamers blow in the wind from an archway above where presents are opened.

You don’t need to be spending thousands on decorations either.

There are lots of ways to create cheap yet effective pirate decorations such as making paper treasure chests that double up as favor boxes filled with sweets buying some eye patches and plastic pirate swords.

Feel free to mix and match solids with stripes for a festive look. These can easily be found at dollar stores and party supply stores everywhere.

A few more ideas:

• Spread plastic (or chocolate) gold coins, sand dollars, and star fish along tables.
• Decorate with other piratey accessories like ships, fishnets, rope , crates and destructed linens draped across walls.

Free Talk Like a Pirate Day Activities Kit

I created this fun printable Talk Like a Pirate Day Activities Kit for the kids to enjoy.

It would be perfect to hand out either during a Pirate Party or as a party favor to take home and enjoy.

It includes 5 pages:

• Cover page
• How to Talk Like a Pirate Lingo Dictionary
• Pirate Jokes
• If I Were a Pirate writing prompt
• Self Pirate Portrait starter

Pirate Party Food and Drink Ideas

Once everyone has arrived, it’s time for food and drink which is another great opportunity to have theme related items on your buffet table.

Simple ideas are nacho chips in skull shaped bowls, black olives stuffed with blue cheese (so they resemble eyeballs) or these cute pirate bento sandwich ideas from FunkyLunch.com.

 

Bento Box sandwiches are absolutely adorable and they can be made the night before!

Plus, they’re an absolute hit with kids, even the pickiest eaters enjoy them. 

This sparkling punch contains few ingredients and looks just like sea water. You could just add blue food coloring to lemonade or lemon-lime soda.

To make it even more festive you can by plastic sharks to float inside the punch bowl. 

If you are crafty, you could make these cute pirate cupcakes.

They don’t require much skill (especially when you use Icing Pouches) and the little candy details add a great touch!

How about a homemade Pirate ship cake? This simple cake was made by layering 3 sheet pan cakes and then just using a knife to trim it into a Pirate ship shape.

Best part is you’ll have lots of leftover cake and icing scraps that you could just mash together to make cake pops!

These Pirate cookies are the easiest of them all to make.

Just buy your favorite cookies or macaroons and stick a pirate cupcake topper on top. Done!

Pirate Party Game Ideas

For games, there’s nothing better than traditional party games like pin the tail on the donkey, pass-the-parcel, or musical chairs.

But here are a few unique pirate party games maybe you haven’t thought of.

Balloon Volleyball

Buy pirate themed or pirate party balloons and inflate them before the guests arrive.

You’ll also need some sort of net to play with – an old sheet will do a decent job but this fish net party decoration would be the best better hanging down the middle!

“Captain’s Calling!” Game

Another fun pirate party game idea that requires no space or even supplies is Captain’s Calling.

It’s a mix between Simon Says and Charades. Quite fun and sure to get the kids laughing.

What You Need

• Nothing
• 3 or more players

Instructions

1. Setup: Creating a list of seafaring commands might help the first captain, but it isn’t necessary. Some examples: Pull up the lifeboats, Take down the sails, Walk the plank, Mop the decks, Scan the horizon, Cast a fishing rod, Dance a jig.
2. First choose a captain. Each round begins with the players standing at attention, giving crisp salutes. When the captain calls out “At ease,” the players can drop their hands to their sides.
3. The captain begins to call out sailing-themed commands, and the players pretend to do them — but only if the captain has first called out “Attention!” and they have saluted.
4. If a player follows a command when he was supposed to be at ease, it’s man overboard for him!
5. The last crew member left standing wins and becomes the new captain.

Have fun Mateys!