Keep your mini pirates running around and burning off that energy! Here is a list of our favourite pirate party games.
1. Treasure Hunt
Who doesn’t love a treasure hunt! You can either hide treats around the garden or get a “chest” buried the day before. Draw out a treasure map and then have an adult dig it up and hand out the goodies.
2. Forbidden Pirate Word
Give each child 10 chocolate coins and then choose a word or phrase like “Arrrr”, “shiver me timbers,” or “walk the plank”. The kids then have to listen if anyone uses it. If they do, they give up a gold coin to whoever heard it. In the end, whoever has the most gold coins wins.
Tip: Limit this game to the first hour so the kids don’t have to be watching what they say for the whole party and can get in the pirate spirit.
3. Find the Crocodile
Inspired by Captain Hook from Peter Pan. Use a paper or toy crocodile with a timer in it. “Captain Hook” steps out of the room while everyone else hides the crocodile. Captain Hook has to then find the crocodile before the timer goes off.
4. Walk The Plank
This is a great game if you have a variety of ages. Place a plank a little bit off the ground using blocks or old tyres. Underneath you can even place a blue sheet for the sea and some cardboard cutouts of shark fins. For the younger children, have them walk across the plank without falling off. For the older children, you can have “sword fights” with foam swords, the last one on the plank wins or have them walk backward, wear an eye patch, or be completely blindfolded.
5. Coconut Bowling
Set up bowling pins using toilet roll inserts decorated as parrots, pirates, or even pirate peg legs! Use a coconut instead of a bowling ball. The fun with this is the coconut is a lot trickier than a ball! Great fun for all ages.
Tip: Lay down some planks either side of the lane to make this a bit easier.
6. Shark Attack
Make or buy enough “shark hats” for everyone. A shark fin on a band will do. Nominate your first shark and have them chase and try to “bite” someone else. Once they have been caught they become a partner shark. Keep the game going until everyone is a shark.
7. Pirate/ Doctor
Partner everyone up in twos and designate one pirate and one doctor. The doctor has to bandage the pirate up with toilet paper. If the toilet paper rips, they have to start again. Whoever finishes first without any tears wins.
8. Captain Says
Designate your Captain, maybe the party girl or boy. Like Simon Says, they call out commands but you only follow them if they start with “Captain Says”. Examples are “stand on one leg”, “do a pirate face” and “hop away from sharks”. Have the commands become quicker and quicker to increase the difficulty.
And there you have it! 8 pirate party games fit for your little buccaneers. We’d love to hear which ones were a big hit at your pirate party!
