"A Hoy Me Hearties!" Bring your backyard alive by hosting a Pirate Party. Pirate Parties are an adventure-filled day with teasing treasure hunts, exhilarating expeditions and gallant gatherings. This party is sure to go down in history!

• First things first! Set the scene with a pirate themed e-invite. Here’s a skull and cross bone design and a tough looking pirate with his mates.

• Clever Costuming

  Invite your guests to wear their best swashbuckling pirate clothes. Each guest could receive a bag of pirate coins in a magical pirate pouch or a pirate eye patch and plastic hook to add to their costume. As well as this, encourage each guest to give themselves a pirate name which they must use throughout the day.

• Delectable Delights

  Your energetic pirates will work up an appetite so make sure you have plenty of goodies to go around. Bake up some fish fingers and hotdogs to nibble on throughout the day. Mini quiches with pirate flag toothpicks will go down as a treat and pinwheel sandwiches can also be served as a lunch idea. For cake ideas, you could make a sword, a pirate face or a treasure chest. These black stripe cupcake cups are also ideal for a pirate party theme. Light up the party with some super cool pirate candles as a finishing touch.

• Gratifying Games

  What would a Pirate Party be without a treasure hunt? Create a map that the captain, (the Birthday Boy) reads out to guests. The guests then have to follow the clues which will lead them to different places around the yard where new clues will be hidden. At the end, there could be a beautifully decorated treasure chest of goodies for the famished crew to munch on.
• A game of pirate piñata is sure to be a smash hit at the party. Fill your piñata with lots of goodies and ensure you’ve got some extra on hand for those not quick enough to scoop up the treasure on their own. For some great piñata party tips, read this article.

• Fancy a Favour?

  Use brown paper bags tied together with string as a party favour bag. Fill them with chocolate gold coins, gummy fish, temporary tattoos and candy necklaces.

• Party Pointers

  By placing small toddler pools filled with water around the yard and moving around some backyard furniture and pot plants, a makeshift island can be created. Remember to include a plank over one of the pools with toy sharks and fish floating underneath as this will serve as a fun game throughout the day. If hosting the party indoors, decorate a room as an underwater haven with crepe paper streamers, blue cellophane and sea creatures hanging from the roof. A bubble machine and a CD with sea sounds could help create the perfect nautical theme.