Pirate Girl 8yr - Sharks Under the Plank

For our daughters 8th birthday she wanted a pirate party.  So we decorated the house using fish net(with plastic fish and sea animals hanging in the net), shells, priate flags (we made the flags using black foam sheets and white foam pieces cut in the shape of a skull and crossbones.).  For a center piece on the table we used an old wooden jewlery box that had a lock on it and filled it with chocolate and bubble gum coins, play necklaces, and plastic craft jewels in lots of different colors and shapes. 

For invitations we got medium sized plastic bottles from a craft store ( the ones I used were about 3 inches tall)and filled them with a little bit of sand and some of the jewels.  Then using a brown marble looking paper (it looked like old parchment paper), we printed a map to our house on one side and the invitation on the other making it treasure map.  Then we rolled it up and stuck them inside the bottles.  Our daughter then hand delived them.  We got pirate party hats and eye patches.  And using the fabric scraps I had I made a sash for each of the girls. 

For games we played walk the plank.  For this game we set up a balance beam and got some small inflatable sharks.  The girls took turns walking the plank and at the end of the party they each took home a shark.  It was a big hit.  Other games we played were X marks the spot (pin the tail on the donkey only with a treasure map), a balloon pop game and a game where they took turns hiding a kitchen timer and the other girls had to find the timer before it went off.  And of course no pirate party would be complete without a treasure hunt.  We made up clues that sent them all over looking for the treasure. 

For the treasure we took a papermache box and filled it with a small wooden treasure chest for each girl (I got the small boxes at a local craft shop for a dollar a piece, then inside each treasure chest they got some jewels to decorate the box (which we did as a craft later in the party), a small plastic pirate, plastic and chocolate coins,a play necklace and a play telescope.  We also had time to do another small craft each of the girls got 5 x 7 sized piece of black foam and a white skull and crossbones to make their own pirate flag. 

For a cake we made a pirate ship using a wilton football pan.  Then decorated the top with a couple of plastic pirates and plastic coins.  To drink we served root beer in the bottles.  Our daughter wore a pirate costume.  And of course my husband and I got into the theme and wore pirate looking outfits as well (just using things we already had in our closet). 

The party was a big hit.  And by planning early shopping around and using things we already had it was pretty inexpensive too.