Birthday Party with a Pirate Theme

Ahoy there matey! Ready to throw a great birthday bash with a DIY theme? Why not try a Pirate party this year? The great decorations and games can accommodate both an indoor as well as an outdoor environment, making it perfect for any time of year.

Prepare for your party by sending invitations two weeks ahead. Make them in the shape of a skull and crossbones or a parrot, and use words and phrases that compliment the pirate theme, such as "Come try on your sea legs and join the crew of scallywags aboard Emmett's ship". Include a map to the party venue in the fashion of a treasure map.

Pirate Flair: The decorations for a pirate party are easy and cheap. Purchase your party supplies--tablecloths, plates, silverware, and cups--in black and red. You can even use leftover Halloween decorations...just fix up your plastic hanging skeleton with an eye patch and he'll be ready for the party! As the guests arrive, have each one choose a pirate name (like Taylor the Terrible or Brandon Black Beard) and write it on their cup using a silver marker. Write the name on plain brown paper bags as well and they can use these as loot bags.

Become a Scoundrel: After the guests have chosen their pirate names, let them play the part. Give each child an eye patch and a bandana to tie on their head. To cut down on cost, cut pieces of black or red material (or any kind for that matter) to the size of a bandana. It's cheaper, and you can use material that you already have on hand. If you're up to it, give each guest a plastic sword (be sure to supervise here, since boys with swords tend to go crazy!).

Swashbuckling Fun: There are plenty of games to go along with a pirate theme. Bust a pirate pinata using a plastic sword instead of a stick. Or, before the party, make treasure maps out of brown paper bags, tearing them into the shape you want and burning the edges a little to make them look old. If your guests are young, use pictures on the map to lead them to their treasure. For older children, use clues to lead them to different locations. You can make each map lead to different treasures for each guest or pair the kids up for a team effort. If you have preschool-age guests, bury trinkets in a sandbox and let the kids dig for their treasure with plastic sand shovels.

Booty: Store your prizes in a treasure chest. You can make one yourself by customizing a large cardboard box with stick-on jewels, or buy one at a party supply store. If the chest is large, you can fill the bottom with a block of styrofoam to take up a little of the space. Fill the rest with eye patches, candy necklaces, ring pops, and chocolate gold coins.

These are just a few of the many ideas to make your little pirate's day one to remember. Use your imagination, use what you have, and you can make this DIY party one any pirate would be jealous of. Savvy?