Pirates of the Caribbean Birthday Party Ideas

Pirates of the Caribbean party is a great choice for celebrating any boy's birthday.

Here I'd like to share with you some ideas to make your party preparation a breeze. I hope you have a great time!

Resources:

Invitations

I recommend that you create "message in a bottle" type invitations. Use parchment paper to write your message in old English font. Then roll the invitation up, and place it inside a soda bottle filled with sand and seashells. Repeat the process until you've created enough invitations for all the guests, and then deliver them in person.

You can make your Pirates of the Caribbean birthday invitations using regular white invitation cards. Print and glue images of the movie characters on the front of the cards. Write your party information inside.

Alternatively, you can take a picture of the birthday boy wearing pirate costume, and print that image on the front of the cards instead. This is particularly fun for young boys.

Ask the guests to wear pirate costumes to the party.

Decorations

For Pirates of the Caribbean party decorations, use balloons and paper streamers in dark colors. Play a soundtrack from the movie.

Use a few large appliance boxes to create "the Black Pearl" pirate ship. Cut and connect boxes together to form a foundation of the ship.

Paint it in black color. Create a mast out of a hat rack or a lamp post.

Hang a fish net in the backyard. Cut out and attach paper fish to the net. Mount several pirate flags around the scene.

Place some Tiki torches on both sides of the walkway leading to the front door. Create and hang "Enter If Ye Dare" banner near the entrance.

Put up several posters or large images from the movie inside the house. Fill crates or regular cardboard boxes with fake jewels to make them look like treasure chests. Use Halloween decorations to fill the space in the party area.

If you have a skeleton figure, then dress it up in old clothes, and attach an eye patch to it to make the skeleton represent a dead pirate.

Cover the table with red or black tablecloth. Print and laminate skull images, and use them for placemats at each setting. Tie black helium balloons to the backs of the chairs.

Guest Arrival and Introductory Activities

*Pirate Transformations: When young "pirates" enter the party area, usher them to a special "pirate transformation station." Draw some scars on their faces with face paint. Give them bandannas, eye patches, pirate clip-on earrings, toy swords, etc.

*Create Your Own Treasure Map: To occupy those who arrive early, offer each child a piece of parchment paper. (You can crinkle the paper and burn the edges to give it an old look.) Have the kids draw their own treasure maps of some island (e.g. Isla de Muerta), marking the treasure with X. Then draw dotted lines leading to the treasure.

Assist the younger kids in the group.

*Pirate Pictures: Take a picture of each guest with a birthday child. (You can send the pictures along with 'thank you' notes after the party.)

When everyone has arrived, take a group photo of the entire "pirate gang."

Favors

For Pirates of the Caribbean party favors, I recommend that you give out such items as telescopes, plastic golden coins, eye patches, glow-in-the dark skull rings, theme sticker sheets, and posters from the movie.

Pirates of the Caribbean Party Games

*Dig for Treasure: Before the party, fill a kiddie pool with sand. Hide some plastic coins. At party time, give the kids toy shovels, and get them to find as many coins as they can. For younger group of kids, be sure to help those who have a hard time finding treasure.

*Who am I?: Print pictures of characters from the movie: Jack Sparrow, Will Turner, Elizabeth Swann, Hector Barbossa, Joshamee Gibbs, etc.

At game time, tape 1 character picture on each child's back without him or her looking. Get the kids to guess what kind of character is on their back by asking questions that can be answered "yes" or "no." For example, "Am I a pirate?" or "Do I wear dress?", etc.

Tip: if the kids haven't seen the movie in a long time, it's a good idea to quickly show and name the characters before you get started with the game.

*Cannonball Battle: Before the Pirates of the Caribbean birthday party, fill balloons with water. Attach a laminated poster of Davy Jones to the fence. Get the kids to throw water balloons at the poster.

*Pirate Fishing: Cut fish shapes out of construction paper. Attach paper clips to the cutouts. Assign points to each fish.

Give each child a stick with a string and a magnet attached. Get the kids to catch as many fish as they can in 30 seconds. Count the points to see who won.

*Pirates Say "Argh" Contest: This activity is especially fun for a younger group of kids. Get the kids to say "Argh" in the scariest way possible. Award prizes for the loudest, craziest, silliest, etc. "Argh."

*Dead Man's Bluff: Play Pirates of the Caribbean party theme version of Blind Man's Bluff.

*Pirates' Tug-o-War: Split the party group in 2 teams, and have them compete in Tug of War challenge.

*Walk the Plank: Set an eight- to ten-foot length of 2-by-4 board on the ground. Have the "pirates" walk across the board without stepping off into the "sea." And if they do step off the board, they go out of the game.

After the first round of regular walking, increase the difficulty level. Have the children walk the plank sideways, backwards, hopping, and -- for the most difficult challenge -- blindfolded!

*Sword Fighting: It would be and extraordinary experience for the young boys to learn how to fence. So at the end of the party, invite a fencing instructor to give them a quick lesson on how to use their swords properly.

Food and Drink

Pirates of the Caribbean Birthday Cakes:

*Pirates of the Caribbean Cake: Bake a rectangular cake. Let it cool. Place pirate figurines on top of the cake. (You can get theme cake toppers from a party store.)

*Pirate Ship Cake

Pirates of the Caribbean Party Food Ideas:

*Tuna sandwiches
*Chicken Wings (that pirates can eat with their hands)
*Pirate Pizza
*Chips and Dip
*Peanut Butter Planks (celery slices filled with peanut butter and topped with raisins)
*Pirate's Booty snacks
*"Black Pearl" Pretzels
*Gummy Fish
*Ice Cream

Pirates of the Caribbean Party Drink Ideas:

*Bloody Drink: Fill ice cube trays with red-colored drink (e.g. raspberry lemonade). Pour lemon lime soda into clear glasses, and add red ice cubes. Watch the look of amazement on kids' faces as the ice cubes dissolve giving the drink a "bloody" effect.

*Root Beer
*Ginger Ale