When the kids arrive give them a bandana (pink for girls & blue for boys) or eye patch to wear at the party. Also, give princess wands for the girls and swords for the boys. To save money you can make them from cardboard and wrap them in foil.
Decorations
Use nautical themed decorations such as fishing nets and anchors. You can also use a Styrofoam cooler (spray paint it brown) to make your own treasure chest and use it to hold your beverages or fill it with treats for the guest to dig through. Parrots would be a good addition for the decorations.
You can also have them decorate their own plastic Goblet with Gem stickers (target has them or anywhere you can buy scrapbooking stuff). Make sure you already put their names on them in glitter glue then this can be used for their goodie bag stuff that they get from a treasure hunt game. You could also make a few prior to the party for decorations on the table and fill them with chocolate coins or gold fish! http://familyfun.go.com/parties/a-medieval-birthday-celebration-704763/
Download music from Pirates of the Caribbean or find other pirate music!
Create a treasure map (use cream colored paper, burn the edges for a rustic look and roll it up like a scroll tie it with red ribbon), make it look like your back yard then have the kids try to find the treasure chest you have hidden somewhere. You could put princess crowns and rings in the treasure box along with chocolate coins. Add lizards and spiders too.
With their princess wands and swords have them pop bubbles or blow up a lot of balloons and they hit them with the swords and wands. I did this game at my daughter's princess party with the wands and balloons and they LOVED it.
See if a friend or another mom will offer face painting – beards and mustaches for the boys and sparkle make-up/blush on the girls.
Treasure toss – have them throw coins into a treasure chest
Walk the plank – large cardboard or poster board colored brown. You can always buy the trifold display cardboard from target and spray paint it brown too. Blind fold them with a bandana and have them walk backwards trying not to fall off the plank.
Ship Race - Fill up a kiddie pool with water and boats then have a race - the kids blow them across the pool using straws.
Captain says - instead of Simon says. “Captain say swap places with the person next to you”
Treasure Island – musical chairs. Use foam sheets cut out in Island shapes and play the music and have them swim around until the find an empty Island.
Cannon Meatballs with sword picks (be sure to label them again browning the edges make it look more authentic)
Tropical fruit – Pineapples/Coconuts (Dole can mail you Maui gold but it’s expensive) They would be good for food and decorations.
Pirate Booty – I think you can get small snack sized bags if not just leave it in the big bag
Seaweed surprise – Guacamole with the blue chips to look moldy
Seagull legs – chicken legs
Scary fish made out of a watermelon. Cut small v's at one end of the watermelon to resemble a mouth with teeth and scoop out the insides into little melon balls. Then fill the fish mouth back up with the melon balls, grapes, etc.
Pirates on a ship and use celery filled with peanut butter and apple slices as the sail insert gently into each portion and don't forget the raisin pirates.
X marks the spot Cut up refrigerated breadstick dough and form a dozen little X's. Bake and coat with butter and Parmesan cheese
Treats Swedish fish, gold fish, chocolate coins
Drinks Root beer or Ginger ale punch for kids or for simple convenience, purchase juice boxes of apple juice or fruit punch and paste a skull and crossbones cutout on each one and Rum punch for adults.
There is soooooo much more that can be done depending on the ages of the kids, these were just some of my favorite!! Ahoy Matey!!
