Pirate Party

Here’s some advice and tips for holding a Pirate Party that your guests will surely love.

Invitations

Send invitations that are designed like a worn treasure map, giving directions to the party, marked with a large X.

You can give the invites a weather look by soaking the paper in tea and tearing the edges.

Costume Suggestions

Pirate costumes are easily prepared by using bandanas, eye patches and fake beards.

Use eyeliner and eye-shadow makeup to make fake stubble. Eyeliner is also good for making fake scars.

Dressing up as a shipmate can make a simple costume. Wear torn cut-off shorts and a bandana. Add to the look by carrying a dirty mop.

If you’re dressing as a pirate, try making a parrot out of paper mache to sit upon your shoulder. Or you could even dress as a parrot and wear a tiny pirate!

Decorations

Hang a large pirate flag across the door, or you can hang one from a pole set outside the house.

When the guests arrive, have them enter the house along a gangway.

You can lay down planks that lead to the doorway or you can simply use cardboard and paint it to look like planks. Use small poles and rope to line the entrance as they’re making their way aboard.

Scatter blue cellophane along the walkway to make water. Make shark fins out of cardboard and have them rising from the water.

Food Suggestions

Paint a cardboard box to look like a treasure chest and fill it with goodies like chocolate coins, lollies and candy. Add to the look by scattering the top with fake jewels such as necklaces and toy rings.

Make small cocktail flags with a skull and cross bones to stick on the top of cupcakes. You could also decorate cupcakes by painting the Jolly Roger on them with icing.

Make chocolate rum balls and arrange them in a small pyramid. Set them up beside a fake canon to look like canon balls at the ready!

Games & Activities

A good old Treasure Hunt is perfect for a pirate party. Make a map of the backyard and hide treats for each guest at various points on the map, leading up to a large piñata where X marks the spot!

Make a piñata shaped like a treasure chest using a cardboard box and paper mache. Fill it with chocolate coins and treasure such as fake jewellery and toys.

Walking the Plank
Lay a plank upon the ground or try using cardboard that’s painted to look like a wooden plank.

You could set a blue tarpaulin or sheet beneath it to use as water.

Have the guests wear a blindfold and turn around several times before they have to walk the plank.

See who can get the furthest without falling off.

Canon Ball
Make cutouts of pirate ships and line them up along a table.

Give the guests small water bombs and see who can bomb the ships.

For inspiration try using the following films and themes:

Pirates of the Caribbean
One Piece
Yellow Beard
Jack Sparrow
Black Beard
Captain Blood
The Pirates of Penzance