Pirate Party Ideas
BY A PROFESSIONAL PARTY PLANNER
There are lots of Pirate party ideas for a kid’s birthday around nowadays, especially after the success of the Pirates of the Caribbean movies.
Kid’s definitely love Captain Jack Sparrow. But you don’t have to limit your party to characters from the film. So below, I’ve listed lots of generic pirate party ideas, which you can easily tailor to the movies if you want.
You can also combine a pirate theme with a princess theme to make a ‘Princesses and Pirate’ birthday party. If you like this idea, check out my separate page of Princess Party Ideas.
But remember, a pirate birthday party isn’t just for boys. There are plenty of girls who will love these pirate party ideas too. (In fact there are some great girl pirate supplies available). So don’t feel as though you have to include princesses just because it’s a mixed party.
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i’m matt james
professional event producer
welcome
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01 Pirate party invitations
Below are some suggestions for invitations to go with these pirate party ideas:
ADVICE FROM A PRO
Matt’s tip
“I think it’s important to create a big first impression, which is why I always try to include some sort of 3D object tied to the printed invitation with ribbon.
This is a little trick that’s often used by professional party planners to make invitations stand out.
It doesn’t have to be anything expensive, just some cheap novelties, and you can use it re-enforce your party theme. For example, kids sunglasses or a flip flop for a beach party, a toy dinosaur for a dinosaur party, or an eye patch for a pirate party.
People just love to receive unusual invitations; it really captures their imagination and gets them excited about the party.
Click here to check out some examples of 3D object invitations from my party invitations page (opens in a new tab)”.
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MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE
One option for a 3D invitation to go with these pirate party ideas is to use these ‘Message in a Bottle’ invitations (below).
For $2 it includes a small plastic bottle (which unscrews at one end to open), a scroll invitation (that you hand write the details on), a pirate eye patch, ring, sticker, name tag and even a small bag of sand!
I don’t usually like the ‘fill-in’ style of invitation where you have to hand write the details on, but for a message in a bottle invitation is entirely appropriate and in keeping with the concept so you can get away with it.
You can, apparently, just add a stamp to the bottle and mail as it is, but I’d recommend sending them out in small padded envelopes to make sure they survive!
Or, if you’re prepared to spend a bit more money you can get fancy versions which use a glass bottle instead of plastic, includes a printed scroll invitation which you personalize online, sand and miniature seashells, plus the option to engrave the bottle or send out in mailing boxes (see below).
If you go for this option, you can always hand them out on the school run to save on postage.
Alternatively, you could just make your own with these cheap glass bottles.
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OCEAN BREEZE AROMA
Scenting your invitations with a fragrance relevant to your theme is a really nice touch.
You can pick up an ‘Ocean Breeze’ fragrance oil or a ‘Salt Air’ perfume, both of which would go well with these pirate party ideas. Add a few drops to the bottle invitations above (or spray onto traditional invitations below) so the scene is released when guests open their invitations. See here for more information and where to buy.
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EYE PATCH / SWORD / MASK INVITATIONS
There are also lots of cheap Pirate accessories, such as eye patches, swords and foam masks, that you can pick for around $1 each to use as 3D invitations with these pirate party ideas.
Just write the party details by hand onto a decorative shipping tag and tie onto your chosen object.
If you want to make these even more special, lay them on some tissue paper in a small gift box and tie up with ribbon. You can always hand these out on the school run to save posting.
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PERSONALIZED INVITATIONS
There’s a good selection of pre-designed invitations available that compliment these pirate party ideas. These can be personalized online and some even allow you to upload a photo of the birthday boy or girl. See a full range here.
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FILL-IN INVITATIONS
If you’re on a budget you can always use some of these ready made fill-in invitations where you hand-write the details on. There are lots of different designs to compliment these pirate party ideas.
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INVITATION WORDING
If you’re making your own invitations don’t forget to write the wording using plenty of pirate speak:
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02 Pirate party drinks
It’s a great idea to apply your party theme to every aspect of the event. So, below are some themed drinks in keeping with the pirate party ideas.
ADVICE FROM A PRO
Matt’s tip
“Always create a signature drink for your party—it’s one of the easiest things you can do to make your party unique.
If your party has a theme, think about what flavors you can use in your signature drink that will convey it.
Don’t forget about styling and presentation too. You could serve drinks in individual bottles, jars, or novelty containers, add your own labels, use themed ice cubes, decorative straws, or drinks picks, or add a simple garnish.
A sprig of berries or a single flower head on the rim of a glass can make a simple cocktail look really stylish”.
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THE SHARK BITE
Ahead of your pirate birthday party, make some ice cubes out of cranberry juice and freeze a gummi shark into each one.
Then serve a clear drink at the party such as Sprite, but add a few of the ice cubes to each glass when serving.
Add ‘Beware of the Shark’ stickers to each glass then sit back and wait. As the ice cubes melt the Sprite will start to turn blood red and the gummi sharks will float to the top.
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CARIBBEAN SEA WATER
Serve this Sparkling Blue Punch in a big punch bowl and label it ‘Caribbean Sea Water’ then float a pirate ship bath toy on the surface.
You can even pick up some great shark fin ice cube trays so you can turn each cup of punch into a shark infested ocean.
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TROPICAL TREASURE
Give the kids a taste of the Caribbean with a Pineapple, Coconut, and Banana Smoothie (below left, by Baking Bites). This delicious recipe is a great fit for pirate party ideas and it could probably be turned into a cocktail for the adults by adding a splash of rum!
Make a batch and serve it in this skull shaped pitcher (the creamy off-white color of the smoothie will add the bone color to the skull).
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PARROT PUNCH
Serve any red colored juice drinks in a large punch bowl then balance a toy parrot on the rim of the bowl (or pick up a cheap talking parrot toy to really bring the punch to life).
Use pirate themed mini cookie cutters to cut out slices of lemon to float on top. Alternatively, use them on pineapple, then cut a small slit up the side so they sit on the rim of the glass as a garnish.
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SKULL & CROSS BONE ICE CUBES
Use these Skull & Crossbone ice cubes to theme any other drinks in keeping with these pirate party ideas.
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PIRATE CUPS
There are also various party cups and goblets available that fit in nicely with these pirate party ideas. So if you don’t want to go to the effort of theming the drinks – just serve juice or soda in these.
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03 pirate party food
Get creative with pirate birthday party food too. Below are some of my favorite recipes to go with these pirate party ideas:
ADVICE FROM A PRO
disclaimer
“As a professional party planner, I’m lucky enough to be able to collaborate with some amazing chefs to create menus for my events.
As I’m no chef myself, and cannot create dishes from scratch, I’ve searched the web for recipes that I think would work well for this party theme.
All credit goes to the talented people who have created these recipes, so please click through to their site for full details, ingredients, methods, and in some cases step-by-step tutorials”.
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pirate sandwiches & snacks
Use pirate themed cookie cutters to shape tuna mayo sandwiches into different shapes and label them as Shark Meat Sandwiches. Likewise, use the cookie cutters on pizzas, cheese and fruit slices.
Alternatively, use these cute skeleton cookie cutters to make ‘Ginger-Dead-Men’.
Alternatively, use these cute skeleton cookie cutters to make ‘Ginger-Dead-Men’.
Another easy way to make toasted sandwiches tie in with these pirate party ideas is to use this Jolly Roger toast stamp or try this cute pirate themed lunch (by Jill at Kitchen Fun With My 3 Sons) which crams in lots of fruit.
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seafood snacks
Turn hot dogs into Octopus (below left) with these easy steps or you can make cheese versions using string cheese such as Frigo Cheese Heads (Cheesestrings for UK visitors) and a boiled egg for the head.
Or, for something sweet try this great recipe for Mermaid Tail Cookies (below right) from Disney Family.
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pirate ship snacks
Turn cocktail sausages into sail boats by attaching small paper sails (or use Jolly Roger cupcake picks to tie in with the pirate party ideas) to a cocktail stick (below left).
Alternatively, try this recipe for potato boats or for a sweet version, these Jelly Boats from Tesco.
Another cute boat themed dish is to carve these sailboats from Disney Family Fun out of red peppers and use them to serve tuna or egg salad in. Don’t forget to add a small pirate flag food pick to the top to tie it in with these pirate party ideas.
This is a cute recipe for an APPLE PIE-rate Ship (below, by Susan at Diamonds for Dessert).
You can also cut Jamaican Ginger Loaf Cake into slices thick enough to stand up on edge then trim the ends off each slice in a diagonal line from base to top corner to resemble the shape of a boat. Fasten a paper sail with a cocktail stick and you have simple pirate ship cakes that also have the flavor of the Caribbean. If you present these on individual plates you could stick them in place with some blue frosting to represent waves lapping up the side.
I also love these cute little Berry Blue Sailboat Cups below from Kraft Recipes (just replace the white triangular paper sails called for in the recipe with Jolly Roger flags to make into pirate ships). They’re even better when combined with this idea that one of Rachel Ray’s viewers sent in: Just use a shark-shaped cookie cutter on strips of melon or watermelon and set these in the Jell-O—or just use gummi sharks.
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Dead Men’s Fingers and eyeballs
Fish Sticks (Fish Fingers for UK visitors) make great ‘Dead Men’s Fingers’ to go with these pirate party ideas. Just add a thin piece of onion to one end to look like a fingernail. Alternatively, see this sweet recipe (below left) from Clare Crespo on Epicurious, taken from her amazing book The Secret Life of Food — a must for kid’s party food ideas. Serve them with this recipe for Pirate Eyeballs (below right) from Disney Family.
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Fruit kabobs / popsicles
For a healthy option, use these pirate sword food picks to skewer individual bite sized portions of fruit such as strawberries or cubes of watermelon, or make fruit kabobs. Alternatively, use these pirate sword shaped ice cube molds to make popsicle out of fruit juice.
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Pirate Cupcakes
Here’s a simple recipe from Betty Crocker for Pirate’s Hidden Treasure Cupcakes (below left) or check out these really cute banana cupcakes (below right) made by Toni Busch for her four year old’s pirate birthday party. She used caramel buttercream frosting sprinkled with crushed Graham Crackers to look like sand, Hershey’s Nuggets for the treasure chests, chocolate coins, palm tree cocktail picks and pirates figures as toppers.
See here for chocolate coins, palm tree cupcake toppers and pirate figures to decorate cupcakes like the ones above.
Alternatively, for quick and easy cupcake decorating there are loads of different toppers available such as these pirate flag picks (below left), pirate cupcake rings (below center) or these pirate finger puppets (below right) that would make great toppers. See here for these supplies.
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More pirate cupcake ideas
You can also combine the toppers with these pirate cupcake wrappers, mini pirate candles or edible icing decorations.
If you’re not that handy in the kitchen you can always buy some ready-made pirate treats such as these cake pops, lollipops or pirate hat cookies.
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pirate candy
These personalized candy bars and chocolate / candy lollipops are an easy way to fill out your dessert table in keeping with these pirate party ideas.
These Pirates of the Carribean Pez or this ‘ground up skeleton bones’ candy powder in individual bottles are also a nice touch to add something a little bit different to your dessert table. Or use these pirate gumball machines.
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04 pirate birthday cake
If you’re looking to make the birthday cake yourself, there are a couple of nice cake pans that fit well with these pirate party ideas.
Alternatively, for a quick and easy option there are several pirate themed edible cake images which you can just roll out onto your cake, including this Pirates of the Caribbean one (below right) which can be personalized with your child’s name. See here for these supplies.
Or use these plastic cake toppers to decorate your cake.
You can also create your own pirate scene on your cake using these mini pirate figures and pirate themed candles.
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05 pirate dessert table
Below are some tips for how to style and decorate your party food in keeping with these pirate party ideas:
ADVICE FROM A PRO
Matt’s tip
“I always think it’s a good idea to concentrate the majority of your decorations around a buffet / dessert table as this will create a focal point in the room.
Party decorations often have to compete with existing room decor, so they can get a bit lost if spread too thinly. I think you’re far better off creating one really well themed feature wall that everyone’s eye will be drawn to.
You can then use a few general decorations around the rest of the room to tie everything together.”
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BUFFET / DESSERT TABLE
To create a dessert / buffet table with a Pirate Cove theme, like the one below, follow these steps:
Start by creating a backdrop by hanging swags of sandy colored fabric mixed with burlap (for texture), fish netting and some sheer brown (for contrast) chiffon / voile with holes torn in for an aged effect. See the photo below for inspiration.
The great thing about creating a backdrop out of swags of fabric for these pirate party ideas is that you can just buy bits of fabric by the yard – depending on your budget and how big an area you need to decorate. So you might get a few yards of muslin, one yard of burlap, one yard of chiffon etc and just hang them overlapping each other.
As it’s a pirate theme you want it to look a little haphazard and rough around the edges. So don’t worry if you’re not a home decorating expert that’s used to working with fabric – just hang loosely with plenty of sagging and pin in place.
This site has lots of great fabrics by the yard, so here’s what I would suggest using. Create the main background layer using a sandy colored aged muslin. Look for the widest possible fabric to get more for your money.
The site above has a great ‘Cream Aged Muslin’ (below left) which is over 8ft wide. Then hang a few swags of ‘Natural Burlap’ (below center) over the top, followed by a swag or two or a darker sheer brown fabric such as Chiffon (below right) or Voile. Roughly tear some holes into the sheer fabric to give it an aged look
Alternatively, instead of the brown chiffon you can buy this aged sheer fabric (below left) which is 12ft long and only $7. Unfortunately, it’s only available in black, whereas I prefer the brown color against the muslin and burlap – but it really doesn’t matter so use this is your prefer.
Finish the backdrop by hanging some fishing net over all the swags of fabric to really make it tie in with these pirate party ideas. Both are available here.
This weathered pirate flag would also look great pinned in the center of the backdrop.
You can also dress around the table with these pirate cutouts or this ‘Beware of Pirates’ sign. Alternatively, attach the cut outs to string or ribbon and use them as danglers to hang down from the ceiling.
For the tablecover, use a dark brown color which will add some nice contrast to the sandy colors in the backdrop. Alternatively this treasure map tablecover is a nice fit with these pirate party ideas.
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pirate party props
This pirate head garland is also fun and would look great hung across the front of the table, especially if you’re using the plain brown tablecover.
For a centerpiece, use these cardboard treasure chests and have it spilling over with gold coins and other jewels. Alternatively, you could use this a treasure chest pinata which you can then use during the party games later.
There are lots of great props and novelties that tie in nicely with these pirate party ideas which you can then scatter around the dessert table to complete the pirate cove style decorations. Use things like seashells, gold coins, a pirate telescope, a pirate sword, skulls & bones, a parrot (use a talking one – kids will love it) and don’t forget a treasure map. See here for these supplies.
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pirate party stand-ups
This life size stand-up of Captain Jack Sparrow from Pirates of the Caribbean would make a really big impression stood alongside your dessert table and really help bring the decorations to life.
If your budget doesn’t stretch that far, these 6ft tall jointed pirate decorations are a really good cheaper alternative. Just hang them down from the ceiling alongside your dessert table, perhaps with some of these 6ft jointed palm tree cutouts. See here for these supplies.
There are lots of different palm tree decorations available, depending on your budget, from the jointed palm tree decorations above, to smaller tabletop ones (below left and far left) and tissue ones (below center) to full-on free-standing ones (below right and far right).
Whichever your budget allows for, a couple of palm trees either side of your dessert table will frame the scene perfectly. Just don’t use inflatable palm trees – they always look cheap and tacky. See here for these supplies.
Another alternative, particularly for younger children is this 6ft tall inflatable pirate..
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Pirate party banners
Finally, hang one of these pirate banners above your dessert table to complete the scene. There are lots of different designs available that compliment these pirate party ideas, each of which can be personalized to include your child’s name and/or photo.
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06 pirate party food presentation
Don’t forget to think about how you’re going to decorate and style the food / dessert table in keeping with the pirate party theme.
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vegetable palm trees
The video below will show you how to carve vegetable palm trees out of carrots and green peppers – perfect to decorate trays of food on a buffet table.
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watermelon shark
If you’re feeling adventurous you could carve a shark head out of watermelon like the one below (full instructions at National Watermelon Promotion Board), which would make an amazing centerpiece for a buffet table.
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pirate cups, pails, and favor boxes
These pirate treat pails and treasure chest favor boxes are a great way to present candies and other foods on a dessert table to tie everything in with these pirate party ideas.
If you’re budget doesn’t stretch far enough to give each guest a pirate goblet for drinks, just use one or two of them on the dessert table to serve candies in.
Alternatively, use these mini pirate buckets or plastic cups. Or for a budget option these barrel themed paper cups will tie in nicely with the dessert table decorations.
Another option is to use these cute gold bar favor boxes or these pirate loot bags.
These inflatable drinks coolers are also really handy, especially if your party is outdoors. Plus you can use them as a centerpiece on a buffet table.
If you’re serving cupcakes, this cake stand is a nice fit with these pirate party ideas, or use it to serve small sandwiches on.
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07 table styling
Below are some tips and suggestions for how to dress the dining table in keeping with these pirate party ideas:
ADVICE FROM A PRO
Matt’s tip
“If it’s a kid’s party, don’t feel as if you have to shy away from using movie / cartoon character-branded tableware.
I see a lot of kid’s parties that are so immaculately styled they look more like adult parties. It’s obvious the parents have designed it for themselves, rather than their child.
If there’s one thing I’ve learned as a professional party planner it’s to design the party for your audience, not yourself.
The reality is kids want their favorite characters to have a strong presence at their party; they don’t see this as too commercial, for them it’s just fun.
Obviously, it’s important to get the balance right, so don’t go overboard. Character plates and cups work well if combined with a solid color table cover and napkins”.
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pirate themed tableware packs
There’s lots of great pirate themed tableware packs available which include paper plates, cups, napkins and tablecloths. These are by far the easiest way to theme the table. Below I’ve chosen the ones that I think look best. See here for suppliers.
If your party is for younger children, you might prefer the range of tableware below left and below center. Or there’s a cute pink range especially for girl pirates. See here for both.
There are also some cute pirate themed table covers such as these ones below.
If you prefer your pirate party ideas to look a little less commercial, you could adapt some of the dessert table decoration ideas for the main table by using brown and sand colored tableware, draping a fishing net over the table and scattering seashells and other pirate props around.
Alternatively, red, white and black is a good palate to use—with a touch of gold as an accent colour if you like. For example, you might use a solid red or red and white striped table cloth, which you can break up with this pirate themed table runner. Then use these simple pirate flag plates to add the Jolly Roger motif. See here for these supplies.
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pirate party chair covers & centerpieces
If you want to give your party a really professional look, use disposable chair covers to give all the chairs a uniform look. Often, if you’re using mis-matched chairs or their color doesn’t fit with the theme of your party it can really detract from the overall aesthetic.
The reason the table styling always looks better at professional events or weddings is because the chair covers match the tablecloth.
If your budget allows, use these stretch fabric chair covers which are approx $7 each in black or white. Then tie a red sash to the back of each chair and hang a pirate or skull and crossbone mask above it.
This pirate ship centerpiece is really cute, or for a budget option use the one below center. Alternatively, this pirate play ship set could also be used as a centerpiece and is priced somewhere between the other two options. See here for suppliers.
Alternatively, use the treasure chest option mentioned in the Dessert Table section of these pirate party ideas (above).
These treasure map activity placemats are a great way to add another touch of theming to the table, or you could opt for these personalized placemats. See here for both.
Finish off your table decorations with this set of plastic skeleton cutlery and these pirate themed place cards.
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08 pirate party decorations
There are so many good decorations available to go with these pirate party ideas. Below are my favorites.
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entrance decorations
Always start your decorations outside so there is something to welcome your guests. This can just be something simple such as a ‘Beware of Pirates’ yard sign / door cover or this ‘Pirates Only’ flag on your front door.
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pirate party life-size cut outs
Another option is to print a life-size cut out (below left) of your child dressed in a pirate costume to position at the end of your drive or at your front door. These are pretty cheap at around $20.
You can also add a motion-activated voice recorder (USA only) for around $10 extra which enables your child to pre-record a short welcome message which starts to play as people walk past the cut out. Alternatively, you could use the inflatable pirate and combine this with the voice recorder.
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tape, flags, and bunting
This ‘Beware of Pirates’ party tape, pirate flag bunting and pirate pennant banner is handy for decorating larger areas in keeping with these pirate party ideas. See here for suppliers.
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smaller pirate cutouts
These smaller pirate cut outs are also great to use as general decorations. I’d recommend using them to make your own danglers by sticking them in groups of three evenly spaced out on strips of string or ribbon then hanging from the ceiling.
There are also these ready made skull and crossbone danglers, various large pirate flags, and fishing nets which are good for decorating larger areas.
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pirate decals
Another good way to decorate entire walls is to use these personalized pirate themed decals. Just peel and stick then drape a couple of fishing nets either side and you’ve instantly dressed an entire wall. The great thing about these decals is that they are reusable so after the party you can use them to decorate your child’s bedroom.
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pirate balloons
There are lots of great balloons that fit nicely with these pirate party ideas, from basic latex balloons to skull and crossbone and pirate ship shaped foil balloons. See here for suppliers.
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skulls / skeletons
Don’t forget to use some skulls or full-sized skeletons too—these work best when they’re dressed in pirates costumes—such as an eye patch, hat / bandana. See the photos below from Pirates of the Caribbean for inspiration.
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09 pirate party costumes
Getting dressed up is a great way to add ‘human theming’ to your tea party.
There are lots of great costumes available to fit your pirate party ideas. (You can give the girls the option to come as mermaids or princesses if they don’t want to be female pirates).
And don’t forget make up and accessories too, such as scars, stubble, beards / moustaches, eye patches, swords and hook hands. See here for the best pirate costumes.
Keep in mind that if you’ve asked everyone to come in costume on the invitation there might be one or two that don’t, so keep some spare eye patches and bandanas around so that they don’t feel left out.
You might even want to set up a mini accessories desk so they can collect an inflatable toy sword, hook hand, beard, or eye patch on the way in so that everyone is in the same boat. See here for pirate accessories.
There are also some pretty cute pet costumes that fit well with these pirate party ideas, so you can always have a four legged pirate running around the party.
related content
pirate party games
Hit the ‘Read More’ button below to check out my separate page of pirate part games.
