Both boys and girls love the adventure and swashbuckling of pirates. Here are some ideas to create a fun and memorable celebration.

Welcome the guests by giving them their own self-adhesive nametag, with their own pirate name (you can make up names or search online – and yes, there were indeed female pirates!).

A variety of activities is always important – and several simultaneous choices can be useful with a young crowd.

Decorating their own treasure chest requires simple materials; pressed-cardboard little chests are available at crafts stores, as well as stick-on jewels, stickers, and markers.

A treasure hunt is great fun if you have time to plan it.  The clues can be simple to sophisticated, depending on the guests’ ages. The treasure maps can be instantly ‘aged’ by singeing the edges, and using off-white paper, tied and rolled up in a scroll.

For fun and inexpensive booty to reward the hunters, costume necklaces, fake coins, and pirate-themed temporary tattoos,  eye patches and pirate bandanas make popular gifts for each guest.

Accenting the theme in the food department includes snacks like Pirate’s Booty and gold-covered chocolate coins, as well as seafood dishes like shrimp salad, grilled prawns, and crab cakes. To make sure your young seafarers don’t develop scurvy, oranges, mandarins, and other citrus are tasty in sections.

Ahoy, matey – wishing you a merry sail!

Contact:marti@unexpectedcompany.net