Pirate Party Birthday Bash

Planning a pirate-themed birthday party?! You've come to the right spot!!

When your kids change their mind every 5 minutes, we wait until about 2 weeks before their actual birthday before we start throwing out ideas for the party. Otherwise we'd be changing it up every week!

My son originally requested a firetruck birthday cake for this birthday...but then it changed to a pirate ship then to a pirate riding an excavator.... He's got the imagination, I'll give him that!

So after rifling through a few ideas...we settled on a Pirate Pool Parrrrrrty, complete with a treasure hunt!

If you're thinking about throwing a pirate party, you've come to the right spot! Read on for all you need to throw a memorable Pirate P-arrrrr-ty! I'm a kid at heart and a little "extra" when it comes to birthdays - I'd be a kids' birthday party planner if I had more time!

ATTIRE:

Of course my kiddos wanted to dress up as pirates as soon as we cleared the theme... We found this Girl Pirate Costume for my daughter (we ordered 3 sizes too big on accident so I had to do a little cutting and sewing, but it worked out great) and my son's Boy Pirate Costume (though I clearly put the scarf in the wrong place). They've already worn them enough leading up to the party, I'll say it paid for itself. "Pirate wear" has been the daily attire at our house as of late. My Lady Pirate Costume worked out great along with my husband's Male Pirate Costume. I'm sure we will get another few uses out of these for Halloween as well.

The grandparents of course had to have a little fun with the party too. My mom's "Pretend I'm a Pirate" shirt and the Pirate Costumes were a hit!

For the other little pirate guests, this Pirate Party Set comes complete with 12 pirate hats, 12 inflatable swords, and 12 patches! I ended up ordering these Pirate Swords and Eyepatches along with these Pirate Swords for our treasure hunt since we had additional kids coming.

ACTIVITIES:

TREAUSURE HUNT

My favorite activity was the Treasure Map Scavenger Hunt. I made these Treasure Maps and then placed rhyming riddles for each next clue at the spots marked on the map. I'm a kid at heart and think I had just as much fun making the treasure hunt as the kids did going on it!

My son felt so important holding his treasure map. The clue on the map read:

"Arghh me matey! It's time for a test!

Prove yer a pirate, find thee treasure chest!

Head to me front porch for treasure map fun.

Follow the arrows for clue number 1!"

We used Black Multi-Purpose Tape to create a path to the first clue which was held by this Poseable Skeleton, which was a hit with the kids!

The next clue read:

"Now head to me backyard and near thee swing set.

For clue #2, find me favorite pet!"

For the next clue, of course had to incorporate the pirate's favorite pet, a fun Stuffed Parrot.

The clue read:

"Walking the plank is no walk in the park.

Show me your skills, or be food for the shark!"

The Inflatable Pirate Ship was my son's big birthday present which worked out great for the party too. They have been playing pirates with it daily and have so much fun taking turns being the good and bad pirates and the sharks. We used a small Inflatable Kids Pool (the pool In the pic above is no longer available but here's a similar pool) with an old board that I painted "Walk the Plank" and 2 cinder blocks to add height for the board. We used a few inflatable shark rafts from the Dollar Tree and some Shark Balloons from the party decor.

The plank walk was one of my (and the kids') favorite parts of the treasure hunt. Many kids went back to play on the plank after the hunt. The next clue was found after they walked the plank.

We used this Ocean Disposable Tablecloth to cover the cinder blocks. I should have just used the tablecloth under the pool but filled the pool with water first and by then it was too late to make changes, but it worked to cover the cinder blocks. Be careful though as these can get slippery when wet. If you don't have a pool you could just the Ocean Disposable Tablecloth and plank with cinder blocks to make a pretend ocean on the ground.

Clue #3 read:

"Shiver me timbers, ye needs to look

in the place where ye can find a hook!"

We had the next clue next to Captain Hook's Ring Toss game!

Clue #4 read:

"Ye's almost done! Ye kept a fast pace!

To find the next clue, check me fireplace!"

I clearly had too much fun creating these clues! At the outdoor fireplace, the kids found the next clue.

Clue #5 read:

"Beyond the blue bay and the waterfall too,

find a shark that sprays water, and ye very next clue!"

We had the last clue hidden behind the pool tucked away so the kids couldn't find it as easily. We had this Shark Sprinkler flowing with water so the kids had to go under the shark sprinkler to find the treasure chest.

The last clue read:

"Enter thee mouth of thee shark if ye dare!

Then turn to the left, find thee treasure chest there!"

We bought the original Shark Sprinkler from Hobby Lobby, but honestly, it wouldn't stay up unless someone was holding it, so I wouldn't recommend that one. The kids didn't seem to mind though!

If we would do it all over, I'd use this Shark Sprinkler instead as it's bigger, the reviews are much better, and it stays up on its own too!

Finally the kids arrived at the much-anticipated treasure chest! I was finally able to use an old wardrobe chest from years ago that I had repainted!

The sign read:

"Congrats to ye matey! You're a pirate all around!

Now fill up ye chest with thee treasure that ye found!"

The kids could use the shovels and sand tools to dig through the chest to find the treasures and fill up their own mini treasure chest to take home with them. I filled it with sand and treasures such as these Gold Coins and Gems and a variety of other jewelry and fun treasures.

Even though I made a sign to make sure each kid got an equal number of treasures, I realized kids were going to take what they wanted and there was still plenty of left over treasures for any late comers.

CAPTAIN HOOK'S RING TOSS GAME:

I had an extra wooden piece from my son's dresser we never used so put this to good use finally and made fun pirate decorations for the board with my amazing Silhouette Machine. If you're even a little bit crafty or creative, you will love the Silhouette! I use it to make T-shirts, baby onesies, custom glasses and water bottles, party decor, and so much more! This Silhouette Machine Starter Kit is a great deal too!

I spray painted 5 pool rings with gold spray paint to make it more pirate-themed.

PINATA:

We ran out of time, but this Parrot Piñata or the Pirate Chest Piñata is pretty awesome if you have time! You could make a faux sword for hitting the piñata too - just make sure adult eyes are watching at all times to avoid any injuries!

PIRATE BINGO:

If you were looking for something to do for an inside party, you could play this Pirate Bingo Game.

CANNON BALL TOSS:

I found these grey baskets and anchors at the Dollar Tree (which I spray painted white) and made the signs in Photoshop for the Cannon Ball Toss game. I used these Black Reusable Water Balloons which were perfect for the Cannon Balls and convenient being right by the pool, so they were easy to refill. You could also have a bucket of water nearby to refill them. You could also use regular black water balloons, but I liked not having to clean up broken water balloons all over the place and it was a more green alternative too.

PIRATE NAME:

Having the "What's Your Pirate Name?" sign up was a fun distraction while guests were waiting to get food.

PIRATE TREASURE CHEST:

I had this treasure chest loaded with goodies to utilize for prizes when kids played the games. Unfortunately I forgot to put it out in full view and show the kids this, so not sure if anyone discovered it or not! I couldn't find this exact one below, but this Treasure Chest is very similar!

POOL PARTY:

Since it was a pirate pool party as well, we bought 4 of these Pirate Ship Pool Floats and let the kids take turns and have a heyday on them. They also have built-in water guns on them, so the kids had a blast, and they practiced sharing and patience as well with 0 meltdowns - win and win! The Alligator Float was also a big hit!

PIN THE PATCH ON THE PIRATE:

We ordered this "Pin the Patch on the Pirate" game, but ran out of time to do this as the kids were having way too much fun with the pool and all the other activities! This would be perfect for an indoor pirate party though!

DECOR:

This Natural Fish Net was the perfect inexpensive decoration for the pirate party! We bought a few of these on Amazon as they were better quality and then found a few cheaper looking nets at the Dollar Tree for other places as well. We used the nicer ones on the table and the window along with the Pirate Happy Birthday Banner.

These Wavy Blue Foil Fringe Curtains are perfect for part of the treasure hunt and also perfect for a photo backdrop with this Ocean-themed Balloon Arch! We always get a balloon arch and then only end up getting to it about 10% of the time, but I love them if you have time. If balloon arches are your thing, this Pirate and Ocean Balloon Arch is great for younger kids, and this Pirate Balloon Arch is perfect for older kids.

This Triangle Pirate Banner was a hit as well. These fun Pirate Balloons were placed throughout the house and on the mailbox to welcome our fellow pirates! We also used this Pirate Happy Birthday Banner as well to add some more pirate flair around the house.

I found the rustic wooden cake platters, nautical square decor pieces, black and white melamine plates and bowls, and wooden crates from HomeGoods but also found this set of 3 Nesting Brown Wooden Crates that are a great price as well, and that way they all match too! Adding the crates add height and levels to the table, which creates interest and draws the eye around the table.

I used Black-and-White Striped Cupcake Liners and Red-and-White Striped Cupcake Liners to hold the cupcakes and fish and chips.

This adorable pirate-themed Pirate Tableware Set includes plates, napkins, tablecloths, cups, straws, and forks and is pretty perfect for a young kid! Ours didn't arrive in time since I'm a procrastinator, so we just used red, black and white plates and cups from the Dollar Tree. I spray painted this anchor (from the Dollar Tree) white to go with the theme.

To add a little flair on the table, I used these black-and-white Striped Fabric Napkins to tie in the theme and add some color to the crates and metal baskets. The red-and-white striped napkins would have worked great too if having a black-and-white striped tablecloth.

We found these cute Pirate Signs that we just hot glued to a skinny post and placed in the ground near the entrance to our home. We borrowed the pirate ship decor from a friend (thanks Torey!) and attached this Pirate Flag to the fence post as a fun greeting for the guests. I realized it's near impossible to get a picture of the flag blowing In the breeze on a windless day...

With all the party day hustle and bustle, we forgot to finish and set out this pirate ship we had made a week before the party... but better late than never! I'll do a DIY post later, but for a quick tutorial, we cut, sanded, and stained PVC pipes to resemble wood, cut and tied painter's cloth drapes to make the sail, picked up some free cardboard from Lowe's, and used a Faux Wooden Tablecloth to cover the cardboard to make the boat. I traced 2 pot lids to make the circles, and added a borrowed Poseable Skeleton complete with bandana and eyepatch, Natural Fish Net, Pirate Signs, treasure chest, and Pirate Flag for fun! This would also work well for a Trunk or Treat event (which is where I got the original idea).

PARTY FAVORS:

These Pirate-Themed Make-Your-Own Stickers are always a hit for kids. You could have kids work on them when they arrive or include them as a party favor. Kids always love a good Pirate Stamp as well and this set comes with 24 stamps.

I ended up using paper bags and carefully singeing the tops with a candle. We had a wet rag and faucet/sink nearby in case the flame got out of hand. After singeing the top, I used the wet rag to extinguish the flame.

I then used permanent markers to make the map part, made the labels in Photoshop, and printed the labels at Walgreens. I used this Pirate Flag to add a little flair and fun.

Inside the bags, I had Pirate's Booty popcorn (buy at Costco for the best deal though), Ring Pops, Pirate Stickers, Glow-in-the-Dark Ocean Tattoos, candy, Chocolate Gold Coins, and a pirate eye patch. I had ordered a few things from Oriental Trading company (including some cute pirate puzzles and a other favors), but they didn't arrive until a day after the party. The kids also got to take home their treasure chest filled with treasure, and of course their Pirate Sword, Eye Patch, and Pirate Hat as part of their favors.

BEVERAGES:

For the kids we had "Pirate Punch" (1 Hawaiian punch, 1 Sprite, and 1 Lime or Pineapple Sherbet) and "Swamp Water" along with juice boxes and Capri suns. I had a floating boat to put on the top of the punch but forgot!

For the adults we had fruit-infused water and coolers of flavored water/Bubbly's, Truly's, and a variety of craft beers. I also offered to spike their pirate punch with a little rum or pirate poison of their choice, but only had 1 taker. haha.

I added these Pirate Hats (which we forgot to wear) to the tops of the containers for a festive flair and made these cute anchor signs from decor I found from the Dollar Tree. I created the drink labels with my favorite Silhouette Machine. We just used regular coolers, but this Inflatable Treasure Chest Cooler is pretty stinkin' fun!

FOOD:

Before I set everything up, I say a quick prayer for creativity, ideas, and to set things up quickly. I know it probably sounds silly to most people, but it helps me, so I'm thankful! One of my tricks is to decide on the food earlier that week and set out the bowls/plates/food containers for each item at least a day before so you can have an idea for spacing and how it will all look. I put post-it notes on each container so I know what goes where. This saves a lot of time and stress the day of the party.

Since we had the party from 2-4PM, we kept it simple with the menu, with most items being pirate-themed snacks.

For something with a little substance, we made these Pirate Ship Dogs. We served them with the typical hot dog toppings, potato salad, pasta salad, and chips.

This Pirate Ship Cake Topper was pretty cute and made it in our top 3 list. We ended up using one of these decorative Wooden Boats for the cake topper (we just cut off the bottom part but you could use it too).

We used these fun Pirate Flag Toothpicks for the cupcakes to keep the theme going. I used Black-and-White Striped Cupcake Liners to hold the cupcakes which was an easy, festive touch.

I made "Sword Charcuterie" with a variety of salamis, meats, cheeses, fruit, olives, veggies, and crackers in Black and White Striped Popcorn Boxes.

We used these Bamboo Cocktail Skewers and mini Toothpick Swords - they are a hit with kids, but use discretion, and be careful with them of course.

To make these look fancy, add a variety of color, textures, flavors, and heights. The cheese straws, breadsticks, and everything crackers added height and the fruit and veggies add a lot of color. I used these Nautical-Themed Gold Anchors and Pirate Ship Steering Wheel Cupcake Toppers for additional color and flair.

For the "Cannonballs," we used Whoppers, but you could also use chocolate covered donut holes.

We use some variation of this popcorn for each birthday as it's a fun, colorful way to add color and the theme throughout. We had "unicorn popcorn" at my daughter's Unicorn Spa Day Birthday Bash and then "princess popcorn" at at her Princess Birthday Party.

For my son's "pirate popcorn", we switched the colors to pirate colors (red, white, black, and gold). Make popcorn (or use pre-made popcorn).

Cover a jelly roll pan with wax or parchment paper, pour popcorn on it, and spray popcorn lightly with Gold Edible Food Spray outside to help aid in easy clean up. Then use either red, black, and white candy melts or white almond bark colored with Gel Food Coloring (leave some white and then color 2 small bowls with red and black food coloring - steps to use food gel and almond bark below in the Matey Marshmallow section).

Then drizzle the melted colored candies or colored almond bark onto the popcorn and shake white, gold, red, and black sprinkles onto the popcorn. After the popcorn has dried, fill the cups.

Feel to drizzle one more layer of colored almond bark and sprinkles on the top or just use the clumped up, colorful pieces to add extra color on the top of the cups.

"Peg leg Pretzels" were another easy win. We used the "Dots" pretzels from Costco as they are quite tasty!

What kid doesn't like this type of "Fish & Chips" (goldfish and potato chips)!? I used Red-and-White Striped Cupcake Liners to hold the fish and chips.

The "Pirate Matey Marshmallows" were a huge hit with the kids. I made around 30 and only had 4 left! I used white almond bark and colored them with the red and orange food colors from this Gel Food Coloring Set.

The trick is to melt the almond bark at 50% power in the microwave and stir every 30-45 seconds until you get the consistency you desire. Then add a few drops of the red and orange food colors. Adding some orange is the trick to make it a brighter red color. Then add a few drops of either coconut oil or vegetable oil to make it more liquid and a thinner consistency. I used Cake Pop Sticks to dip the marshmallows in the red almond bark, then let them dry sticking out of a short cup and then on parchment paper for a longer dry. I used the same method for the black icing to make the faces with these Extra Fine Cake Decorating Tips with frosting bags (ziplock bags can work too).

"Skeleton Bones" were an easy win with yogurt covered pretzels. If you don't want to fill up the entire container, my trick is to put a few bowls upside down in the metal tin, then add a cute Fabric Napkin so that you only have to fill up 1/3 of the container since you likely won't go through that many pretzels anyway.

Our "Golden Treasures" included Hershey’s nuggets, Rolos, and chocolate coins, complete in a cute nautical-themed decor piece found at HomeGoods.

You could also make "Treasure Maps" by just using permanent marker on the plastic packaging around the string cheese and drawing a little treasure map with a red X.

Polly had to make another appearance with her her signature Polly’s Crackers (and cheese).

Our "Catch of the Day" was of course Swedish fish. I forgot to put those out until right before the party started so I didn't get a picture of them, but I had a second "Catch of the Day" with colorful goldfish crackers too.

I also had "Shark Bait" which were sweet and sour gummy fish-shaped candy from Target.

I ran out of time but was going to make "Walk the Plank" cookies with vanilla wafer cookies (dipped in white almond bark and then writing "Walk the Plank" with the Extra Fine Cake Decorating Tip. There's only so much time with little kids though!

I had extra charcuterie swords so I made an additional plate for parents to munch on.

Since it was a pirate pool party, I of course had a bucket of pirate popsicles to go with the theme.

PIRATE SHIP OCEAN CAKE:

I originally was going to have this cake made, but my procrastination habits kicked in, and I forgot until the night before... so that meant me attempting to make one! With the support from my hubs at 11PM, we attempted it! I ended up making (2) 3-layer cakes and ended up using 5 layers total.

Now I will never claim to be a baker or cake decorator, I'm more your standard, night owl, DIY Mom who gives projects her best shot at midnight!

The cake tasted even better than it looked! We had people coming back for seconds! If the layers have a dome on them, you can use a serrated knife and gently remove the dome part so the cakes lay flat on each other.

I recommend placing small strips of parchment paper under the first layer of the cake on your desired cake plate to keep the plate from getting too messy.

After the cakes are cool and the layers are combined with icing in the middle, I recommend putting the cake in the refrigerator for a few hours to cool the cake. After this, if you have time, do a crumb coating (light frosting all over) to seal in the crumbs and then refrigerate the cake again before doing the final frosting.

I made a delicious cream cheese buttercream frosting (I modified a few recipes and it turned out great!) I used the same Gel Food Coloring I love and made 5 different colors (regular white and then 4 shades of blue to resemble the ocean). The colors are off since this was taken around midnight, but you get the idea.

I then started with the darkest color at the bottom and then did layers of the other frosting colors in order from dark to light. It doesn't look great yet, but hang in there!

I used a rotating platter since I couldn't find my cake turntable, but anything rotating and an icing spatula work great for this. If you need a basic cake decorating kit, this All-in-One Cake Decorating Kit is one of my favorites and a great deal for beginners!

Next I used this Cake Icing Smoother to create the ocean gradient. I kept the cake moving on the turntable and gently used the smoother to blend the colors together, while wiping off excess frosting as necessary.

After I got the desired look, I removed the parchment paper pieces from the plate to give it a clean look. I then added brown sugar on the bottom to look like sand along with some blue sprinkles to add texture to the cake.

 I used a few different icing tips to create the seaweed and little fish and candy white balls to resemble bubbles.

I added one of these cute Pirate Ships to the top of the cake (I cut off the bottom but it'd be fine with it too, and you can use the rest as decor or prizes for the party) along with 4 candles and a treasure chest with gold candy at the bottom of course! Overall, this being the 2nd (non-box kit) cake I've made, I would say It was a success.

The first was this Unicorn Rainbow Cake for my daughter's birthday (which came with it a host of learning lessons)!

That's a wrap for the Pirate Pool Parrrrrrrrrty! Thank you for reading! Check out more of my party creations and blog posts for more party and decor inspiration and ideas!