Party Ahoy!

Let your little scallywags have the time of their lives with a Pirate Party

With the romance of the sea and the adventure of hidden treasure Pirates are never far from the day dreaming thoughts of youth. Why not make these dreams a reality by making your little land lover into a pirate for the day, on his (or her) birthday?

Thanks to the scads of blockbuster movie hits featuring brave buccaneers Pirates are all the rage with kids of all ages. Your youngest sea fairer will be most apt to enjoy pirate themed games and goodie bags. Older, savvier pirates will enjoy the simplicity of a huge booty of junk food and a private screening of their favorite pirate crew’s latest flick.

Yo-ho-ho and a bottle of Kool-Aid?

Rum, while it is a true pirate’s drink of choice, might not be the best choice of beverage for a child’s party. This doesn’t mean that the food need be boring. Try a treasure chest filed with jewels, also known as jolly ranchers, or another variety of hard multi-colored candy. Chocolate coins wrapped in golden foil are a given at a pirate party, and can be used in the games, or party favors. Anything made with coconut is a welcome part of pirate cuisine, as any marooned swashbuckler will tell you.

Cake off the port bow!

The cake presents limitless opportunities for creativity. Try hiding a small toy in the cake as you bake it. Frost and serve this unassuming confection and see who unearths the hidden treasure.

If the mysteries of a hidden treasure cake seem too plain Jane, try tinting any flavor of white frosting blue. Ice the cake with the blue frosting and create a seascape around the edges. Crown this ocean with a plastic pirate ship. Your child will love it.

Dance, me hearties, dance!

All pirates love buried treasure. What could be more fun than a treasure hunt? The youngest treasure hunters can seek together. The clues should also be simple and direct. Avoid riddles; the effort to create elaborate riddled clues is wasted on children younger than about 7.

For a crew older than 7 or 8, riddled clues are a great way to heighten the fun and turn blah to brilliant. To up the anti even more divide the crew into more than one group. Nothing inspires the spirit of fun and mischief in a pirate than the elements of competition and treasure.

The very oldest pirates, 15 years or so, may require a bit more preparation with their treasure hunt. Don’t just do simple riddled clues. Really challenge them and add the component of a Pirate’s Dare. Have each clue not only move them one step towards the treasure but also ask them to perform some sort of task. Provide them with digital cameras and make them photograph themselves fulfilling the requirements of the clues. When they collect their treasure and return victorious to their hideout, they can watch their videos as they chow down.

Easy does it! So cast anchors, and swab the deck, you’ve a party to host!