Food & Party Planning Ideas

5 Years Old Pirate Party

The fantasy trip to Treasure Island and the chance to "sail" with Long John Silver provides a perfect setting of adventure for the birthday child.

Invitations

• Send a "treasure map" to each guest in a plastic bottle. The map should include directions to your house and an easy-to-read map of the neighborhood. Of course, "X" marks the spot for fun. The outside of the bottle should read "HELP… me have fun on my birthday."
• Invite the children to come dressed as pirates, in black pants and striped t-shirts.

Party Setting and Decorations

• Make the party a Pirate's Playground, with treasure caves (double- or queen-sized sheets over tables) and Keg Tunnels (cardboard cartons grouped together and painted to look like wooden barrels.
• Put all of your house plants in one room to lend a tropical effect, or rent plants for the party. Be sure to have a few plastic or rubber tropical creatures on hand, such as crocodiles and parrots.
• Put an old-fashioned wind-up clock inside a plastic crocodile to turn the animal into the one who swallowed Captain Hook's watch.

Activities and Games

• As the party guests enter, enhance their pirate appearance with head bandanas, eyepatches, mustaches and pirate hats. Blacken their faces with water-soluble make-up to give them the look of a scruffy beard.
• A treasure hunt is the perfect activity for this party. Use rhyming clues to help the party guest find the hidden treasure. The clues lead up to the treasure chest - a box decorated to look like a treasure chest. All the treasures inside are gift-wrapped - be sure that each child gets a treasure.

Menu Suggestions

• Create a pirate's feast with black tablecloths (inexpensive black fabric) and gold plates. Sprinkle gold coins and toy jewels around the table and serve fish sticks and chicken wings (pirates love bones!) on separate small plates.
• Be sure to serve slimy candy, gummy worms and gummy fish too; pirates like gross things.
• Combine Hawaiian Punch and Cranberry juice for a Pirate's Punch.

Party Favors

• Each pirate should take home their booty from the treasure chest: chocolate coins and a kaleidoscope.

Cake Decoration Suggestions

The smiling pirate cake is easy to make and can be turned into a "treasure cake" by adding gumdrops to the batter - hidden treasures baked inside the cake.
You will need:

• 10 in. Round Pan
• Royal Blue, Black and Copper Icing Colors
• M&M candies
• Gold candy coins
• Black licorice whips for mouth and eyepatch strap
• Tip: 21 lines on bandana, rosette knot, star bottom border
• Tip: 7 outline and fill in eyepatch