Pirate Party -5yr- Cardboard Pirate Ship

For my sons 5th birthday he wanted something special. On our family beach trip to Myrtle Beach SC we visited the Pirate Adventure as well as Pirate Voyage dinner show and a pirate fan was created.

PIRATE SHIP:  I quickly began building a boat out of old furniture boxes that were given to me by a local furniture store. Just ask they will be happy to donate to your cause. I used roughly three big boxes for the boat. After painting it, I decided that paper would be better. So I used brown paper and taped it down. I used birthday wrapping tubes to create the pole with a paper mast which held the happy 5th birthday announcement. Using an old flower pot, I cut a hole and ran it on the top as a lookout. As for the wheel, I used an old table that had a broken leg, you know the kind that has three legs that screw in with a round glass top. At Lowes I bought 4 paks of knobs with screws already attached and after a quick paint job of the table and knobs the wheel was forming. I decided that it also needed holes cut out to make it more realistic instead of the paint job. That wwas fixed with a friends saw. To make a base for the wheel I used some left over wood from my parents remodeling porch job. Big Lots had lots of Pirate wall stickers for 5 bucks, so I stocked up on skulls and the characters from Pirate of the Carribean movie. These were placed around the upstairs and around the boat. I bought paper laterns at Party City with skulls and spiders which were hung over the serving table. Oriental trade had lostd of party favors and more decorations accessories.

INVITATIONS: Invitations were given out in empty water bottles, the small kids sized ones with about 3/4 cup of colored sand from hobby lobby. I used old brown art paper to type out the invited which was rolled up and tied with string and placed in the bottle, these were very exciting for the kids.

DECORATIONS: We had a beware of pirates sign outside along with beware streamer wrapped around the porch columns and along the stair case leading upstairs. As you entered the house guest were welcomed by a big red x mark with directions to grab a party chest gift bag and head upstairs. We had a present table downstairs with the birthday boys pirate photos framed and surrounded by coins, old treasure chest, and goblets.

ACTIVITIES: I taped small black rectangles leading up the stairs like the markings of a trail on a map leading to all the stations for the party. First we had a backdrop where kids could stand behind and have their photo taken to look like a pirate, this came from Oriental Trade. Next the kids were all gathered into the boat for more photos, I am known as mamarazzi to my friends, LOL. I then gathered all the kids at the next x marks the sport for instructions on finding gold in the treasure chest on the island. I had an old plam tree light with brown table cloth wrapped around the base with a blow up chest fillded with brown paper and many priate coins hidden inside. After the kids found 5 we continued out exploration of the island to mermaid cove. I used an old cloth stand and drapped a table cloth over and had a friend sit behind and clip on prizes. We used a kids fishing rod to fish for mermaid treasure. Each time the kids would have to ask the mermaid to share her treasure and the kids enjoyed bendable pirates and rings. After this the final x marks the spot was bandana decorations and coloring flags, treasure. I covered my kids train table with a black table cloth and set out baskets of markers, crayons and bandanas from oriental trade. In the center were skulls that made spooky noises. 

PARTY SNACKS: I used a die cut to label the Pirates Grub table where all the goodies were displayed, we had dem bones (chicken wings) pizza planks, cannon balls (whoppers), a bowl of buried treasure (chex mix),cupcakes with priate rings, and a mini keg from hobby lobby with capri sun. A priate ship adored the table along with gold coins. I used red table clothes with a lace skull overlay which looked amazing. After the food I gathered all the kids back in front of the boat for a cannon ball balloon bust. I had filled 100 black balloons the night before with wrapped bubble gum. I inlisted the help of some parents and we threw the balloons up and the kids were popping them like crazy. Of course to top it off the kids took turns hitting the evil pirate who took all the candy with a sword. He so didnt want to give up the booty. One parent later posted on Facebook that it was the best organized party, and Pirate Adventures had nothing on this party.