Pirate Party -6yr- Water Wet Canon Balls

For my son's 6 birthday party he was totally into Pirate's so of course we did a Pirate Themed party! 

I took brown parchment paper and using my computer printed the invitations which said Ahoy thar Matey!  Stop yer pillaging and lend me yer ear I have a invite for you to hear!  There's a treasure it's been stolen and it must be found so tighten ye sashes we are (last name) Island Bound!  I'm Captain (child's name) and will lead thar way on (Date) I turn (age) that day! Chart ye course for (address) we be settin' sail at (time).  Hav yer mum send word if you coming to my Island - hope to see ye there!  Aarrgh!!  And I burned the edges a little to give it that old look.  Colors of the party were Black, White and Red.  I purchased a Pirates Of Carribean CD off of Ebay to play during the party.

I used mini pirate flags and tiki torches throughout my yard to give it the island feel.  And on the tables I used black and red tablecloths and as the centerpieces I purchased mini black treasure boxes and put mardia gras beads gold coins and some mor epirate flags (all purchased on ebay).  I had another small round table which I put a black tablecloth and a red runner and I placed a treasure map gold coins and sitting in a cahir was a skeleton (from halloween) on which I placed a mustace pirate hat and in his hand he held a black pouch with gold coins and around his neck hung a sign Dead Men Tell No Tales - he also had an eye patch and a hoop earring.  I had purchased a pirate photo op and hung it on a large cardboard box and cut out were the children can place their face and each kid got to take their picture in it and this became part of their take home gift.  I used black small drinking cups cut a slit in the bottom and placed cardboard hooks which I had spray painted silver. 

Games: 
Walk The Plank - we used two black milk cartons on either side of the kiddie pool and layed a piece of wood over it - in the pool we had floating alligators and a boat. Once each child crossed the plank they received their pirate hook. 

Cannon Ball Fight:  I had purchased again from ebay small water bomb balls red/black with pirate logo - the kids had buckets to get their balls wet and divided into teams were each team had to try to get the bombs into the opponents treasure chest (Box made to look like one). 

We then ate which was Scavenger Dogs (hot Dogs) chips pretzels Buried Treasure Mix (Mini pretzels M&M's Cinnamon Crispis Teddy Grahams and goldfish) Pirate Fruit Snacks and Tiger's Blood Drink which was sprite with fruit juice. 

Last but not least was the treasure hunt:  I had taken Red envelopes earlier in the day and placed them around the yard with numbers on them and once read it would lead them to the next clue.  I began by getting all the kids to gather in a circle in front of the skelton and there was a red envelope in the treasure chest labeled #1 - I opened it and read:  Ahot Ther Matey's lend me yer ear I have a message for ye all to hear the treasure's been stolen it has to be found - so tighten ye sashes last name bound!.  It's time for a treasure hunt we're sure you'll have fun - so read and listen to clue

#1.  "If ye were real Pirates you'd sail the seas but for ye transportation ye need one of these" - (BOAT) In the kiddie pool was a boat floating which I had taped in a plastic bag the next clue. 

#2 - whn Pirates need a rest this is were they be - they rock back and forth and nap for a bit - (HAMMOCK)

#3 - Oh the sea's are mighty strong and we get tossed around ye find your next clue in the playground! - I had an envelope taped under the treehouse (this one took them a little while to find but it gave me time to bring out the treasure chest and hide that)

#4 That mighty sun it is so hot ye next clue can be found by this cooling spot (POOL) - I had taped the envelope to the outside of the pool around the back

#5 - Look up high to the tree fort you be - your next clue can be found at the thing that let's ye see (PERSICOPE) - we have one on our tree fort so this worked perfectly.

#6 Oh Matey's ye all done so good just like we knew ye would - the might treasure will soon be yours to share by all.  Now that ye searched high and low go back to the place were you begun.  The treasure was with you all along under your noses and under the song.  (Under the table were I fist gathered the kids I placed the treasure chest and on this table besides all the pirate stuff was a CD player playing the Pirate Music). 

They loved the treasure hunt and now that the party was starting to wind down it was time for Happy Birthday and cake - I had made a sheet cake which I frosted white and then sprayed blue in spots and dragged my knife thru it to resemble waves.  I then made a small round cupcake and frosted the bottom placed it on the cake and frosted the top and used graham cracker crumbs to resemble sand.  I got some fake palm trees and pirates from the dollar store and used those to decorate the island and I made a pirate boat using more cake which I placed in the center of the cake - it turned out great.  

The party was a huge success people are still talking about it and everyone had a blast.  "