Need ideas for DS1's Bday Pirate Party, please!

[ThreeofUs]

Okay, with DH gone and just coming off dang near 3 weeks of all of us being sick, I'm bone-tired.

Please help me with ideas for DS1's birthday party. I have 20 days to plan and execute this party. He wants a pirates theme, and I'd like to give good party favors for the least amount of money.

This is going to be at a Playground World, so lots of activity running around, climbing, jumping, etc. It has a pretty small "party room" to decorate.

I thought of setting up a "treasure search", with maps, but I just don't have any ideas.

If you have any good ideas, could you jot them down? I seriously need the inspiration - and a kickstart.

Thanks for any help!

[SnuggleBuggles]

We have thrown 2 pirate themed parties (I figured I had the decorations, might as well reuse them since the parties were for 2 dif't groups :)).

Invites: I did a message in a bottle, hand delivered. One of the root beer brands has cool brown bottles and I used those. I printed my own invites and wrote the info in pirate-speak (with guidance from ideas on birthdaypartyideas.com). I then went a bit crazy and tea-stained the paper, crinkled it up and singed the edges before putting them in the bottles.

Activities: Party 1- made a map and had the kids follow it to where the favors were hidden. Party 2- made a scavenger hut with clues that led the kids to the pinata. I also scored an inflatable pirate ship ring toss game that the kids played. At party 2 we also had a dress up station where we had some of those party store quality eye patches, rings, and other accessories as well as temporary tattoos. Both parties had pin the X on the treasure map.

Decorations: treasure chest pinata, tropical themed items, the inflatable pirate ship and other odds and ends.

Cake: treasure chest cake from Family Fun. Easy and fun! I added crushed up graham crackers around the base to make it look like sand and added some gummy lobsters and candy shells.

Favors: Party 1- I bought little wooden boxes at Michael's for $1 that were in the shape of treasure chests. Inside I put either gold coins or Hershey Nuggets. In the favor bag I had 1-2 more pieces of candy and then paints, a paint brush and some glue on gems so they could decorate the chests. I bought a set of paints and we just broke up the sets so each guest got 2-3 colors.
Party 2- we included interesting, slightly higher quality items in the pinata (tattoos, bouncy balls, notepads, costume jewlrey, candy necklaces and ring pops and just let the kids fill up their goody bags with the lot they collected from the pinata.

Food- nothing terribly exciting, iirc. I think we did "shark's blood" (red fruit punch). I also tried to suspend Swedish Fish in blue jell-o but it wasn't a real hit. The fish started to lose their color and bleed strangely into the jell-o.

HTH some,
Beth

[caleymama]

We were contemplating doing a pirate theme for DD2's 5th b-day, but didn't end up having a kid party. Anyway, I was joking around with my Mom that we could do pin the eye patch on the pirate or something and lo and behold she says, "I remember seeing pin the parrot on the pirate at kidsurplus!" I was :ROTFLMAO:. DD2 would have loved it!

Pin the Parrot on the Pirate game (http://www.kidsurplus.com/itemDetail-item-65%20EEB%20PGPIR%7E-%7Efromsearch-true.asp)

[deannanb]

I would not stress yourself out...
my guess is that the place you are having he party has everything down to a science
so you won't need any "extra" activities -
send out pirate invites and get a pirate cake....

party favors - "gold" bead necklaces, a pirate eye patch, and some rings - the boys love all of that! (girls too)

[sarahsthreads]

We haven't done a pirate party, but we did a mermaid/under the sea party for DD1's 5th birthday party. We got paper treasure chest boxes from party city (http://www.partycity.com/product/party+favors/boys+party+favors/treat+containers/deep+sea+fun+favor+boxes+8ct.do?search=basic&keyword=sea&sortby=priceAscend&page=6) and put chocolate coins and temporary sea creature (turtle and shark) tattoos in them. We did sand art as the activity, so when the kids were done with their creation we put it in their goody box so it would be safe until it was time to go home. If we hadn't done the sand art, I would have gotten those magic grow sea creatures - the plastic pellets you stick in warm water and they turn into shaped sponges. Michael's had sets of 12 for $1, although they were on a pretty big card that wouldn't have fit in those boxes.

As far as decorations go, the dining room was "underwater", so we hung shades of blue and green streamers in the doorways and got fish cut-outs to tape to the walls. It turned out pretty cute and DD1 *loved* it, except that a couple of the adults kept tying up the streamers in the doorways because they were too lazy to push them out of the way when they wanted to walk through. That kind of annoyed me. :p

Sarah :)

[mousemom]

I don't know exactly how much is reasonable for favors, but Target has a set of 2 Playmobil pirates for $2.99. (in-store only; it's out of stock at my closest store, but in stock at some a bit further away.)

http://www.target.com/Playmobil-Pirate-Knight-Assorted/dp/B001F39FW0/ref=br_1_1?ie=UTF8&frombrowse=1&searchView=grid5&searchNodeID=236201011&node=236201011&searchRank=price&searchPage=1&searchSize=30&id=Playmobil%20Pirate%20Knight%20Assorted

KidSurplus has a Playmobil Skull Pirate for $3.29.
http://www.kidsurplus.com/itemDetail-item-69%20PMO%204690~-~fromsearch-true.asp

Oriental Trading has tons of pirate themed stuff:

set of 12 foam pirate hats with stickers to decorate them, $5.99.
http://www.orientaltrading.com/ui/browse/processRequest.do?demandPrefix=12&sku=57/20016&prodCatId=1305&mode=Browsing&erec=14&sp=true&Ntk=all&Ntx=mode%2bmatchallpartial&categoryFromSearch=true&N=1305&requestURI=processProductsCatalog&rd=pirate&sd=12+Fabulous+Foam+Pirate+Hats#reviews

Pirate Finger Puppets, set of 24 for $6.49
http://www.orientaltrading.com/ui/browse/processRequest.do?demandPrefix=12&sku=39/1970&prodCatId=1305&mode=Browsing&erec=6&Ipp=16&No=112&sp=true&Ntk=all&Ntx=mode%2bmatchallpartial&Ns=PRICE_prop|0&N=+1305&tabId=1&requestURI=processProductsCatalog&sd=Pirate+Finger+Puppets

Pin the Eyepatch on the Pirate, $3.99
http://www.orientaltrading.com/ui/browse/processRequest.do?demandPrefix=12&sku=12/2516&prodCatId=1305&mode=Browsing&erec=3&Ipp=16&No=48&sp=true&Ntk=all&Ntx=mode%2bmatchallpartial&Ns=PRICE_prop|0&N=+1305&tabId=1&requestURI=processProductsCatalog&sd=Pin+The+Eyepatch+On+The+Pirate+Game

Make-A-Pirate Sticker Sheets, 12 sheets for $2.47
http://www.orientaltrading.com/ui/browse/processRequest.do?demandPrefix=12&sku=9/837&prodCatId=1305&mode=Browsing&erec=6&Ipp=16&No=0&sp=true&Ntk=all&Ntx=mode%2bmatchallpartial&Ns=PRICE_prop|0&N=+1305&tabId=1&requestURI=processProductsCatalog&sd=Make-A-Pirate+Sticker+Sheets

[Thatchermom]

Another pirate party mom, and I did mine at 8.5 months pregnant. You can do it! We did pin the eyepatch on the pirate (in the above link) and did color-your-own bandanas as a craft/goody item. They also received plastic swords, eyepatches and an earring. We did do a treasure hunt with a map, but we were outdoors. They found the chest with the goody bags in it. Also had some candy and tatoos, I think. We did cannon firing (waterballoon launchers) and walked the plank (balance board). I made a treasure chest cake. And I made his invitations from a halloween picture from the previous year. I created it in photoshop in a size that fit three per 8x12 and cut them to fit in an envelope. It was a lot of fun - our second favorite after our cowboy party.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2495/4148889867_aa3f0b2f0c.jpg
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2614/4148885953_ba8ceb3966_m.jpg
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2574/4148885845_e7c7b9b7a4_m.jpg

[carolinamama]

We did a pirate party in Sept as a combo birthday party for both boys. Invites were printed on pirate paper at a local card store and then put in bottles with sand and hand-delivered. For party favors, I gave each kid a bag with a felt pirate hat, eye patch and inflatable sword that I got through Oriental Trading Co for pretty cheap after a discount. I gave it at the beginning of the party so that the kids could wear the stuff during the party. We turned the swingset into a pirate ship with a sail DH and I made so the kids could play pirate.

As for activities, we had a treasure hunt for pirate coins and necklaces in the sandbox. We have a huge sandbox and I hid alot of treasure. No joke, alot of the kids did this for atleast 30 minutes. The only other organized activity we had was a treasure chest pinata for the kids to whack. The kids got to add their pirate treasure and candy to their goody bags.

We served pizza and then cake and ice cream. Then the party was over. All-in-all it was a very successful party. But we are doing DS1's party outside the house next year. It was so much work and not cheap. Good luck and have fun whatever you decide.

[ThreeofUs]

Thank you all so much. I'm going to try your ideas - and I love the idea of a treasure hunt to a chest full of goodie bags.

Now to find a code for Oriental Trading Co....

[KpbS]

We just were invited to a pirate b-day party a couple of weeks ago. The big hits: goodie bags with eye-patches, a treasure map, and gold chocolate coins. The kids also really enjoyed decorating their own cupcakes as an activity. They used swedish fish, skittles (jewels), red hots, and little pirate flag toothpicks. This was a party hosted at home and the mom hid a small pirate ship toy a few times in the house and the kids raced around trying to be the first to spot it and win a small prize. She found most of her items (eye-patch and coins) at Party City.

[ThreeofUs]

Susan, that invitation is really cute!

[ThreeofUs]

Okay, I got:
-giant treasure maps
-inflatable treasure chest
-nautical tote bags (couldn't stand one more piece of pirate booty)
-moustaches
-hats
-eyepatches
-necklaces
-gold/chocolate coins

Since we're going to be at an "activity center", I'll have the kids do a treasure hunt using the maps to find the treasure chest, which will be full of goody bags with the pirate stuff in them. I don't think we'll need any other activity except eating!

20% off from Oriental Trading Company made up for the shipping plus a little bit.

Thank you all!

[DrSally]

DS will be having a pirate party after the holidays, so I'll be watching this thread. I happened to pu some pirate invites and a tablecloth on clearance at Target a few months ago. I know they carry a big Pirate mylar balloon at the local party store. That's the extent of my ideas so far. :ROTFLMAO:

I know your kids have some allergies, are there any "gold coin" chocolates they could have? Love the idea of a treasure hunt.

[DrSally]

Wow, great ideas everyone. I love the idea of a treasure hunt for the goodie bags, digging for treasure in the sandbox (won't work for us b/c it's winter), and the decorate your own treasure chest!

[Mommy_Again]

I did a pirate party for DS's 5th bday last year. I prefer doing one nice favor instead of a "bag of crap" (although I ordered ready-made "bags of crap" this year since the party was 3 weeks after DD's birth!). I found Melissa & Doug decorate your own treasure chest kits for $5 or $6 each. They came in a wooden box with glitter pens, jewels, paint, etc. I tied them up with cellophane and ribbon and a personalized name tag and they looked so cute. I believe the website I ordered them from was gummylump.com.

Pottery Barn also had adorbale pirate decor and party games. I bought some on sale - not sure if they still carry any but you could check. Also check ebay in case anyone is reselling. they had a treasure hunt kit that was perfect. The end of the treasure hunt was a pirate chest pinata. I had a friend of DH dress up like a pirate and lead the treasure hunt.

I made the pirate ship cake that you will find if you google it. It was pretty easy and looked great.

I also found a bounce house shaped like a pirate ship but I think you said your party was in an indoor place.

All of the above, and my party got rained on HARD at the end of the treasure hunt. All my tables, everything - were all outside. the best laid plans...