a pirate looks at 5

i love when the boys pick a theme to their birthday party.  it makes all the planning so much easier. 
so if you have a request for a pirate party in your future, i hope that you will be inspired by our recent pirate buccaneer bash!

the invitation:

i always try to do birthday parties on a budget.  so that translates to making my own invitations. 
start with a photo of your pirate and add some pirate verbage when telling the details.
print out and mail.  i also decorated the envelope by using rubber stamps.  i stamped a scull and cross bones on one end, and a X on the other.  with a sharpie pen i drew dash lines from the scull to the X, representing a treasure map.

the decorations:

 our party was mostly outside.  with some simple decorations, our play fort turned into a pirate ship.
i made the sign using poster board.  added cutouts of a scull and crossbones.  for the writing i just used chalk.  it was quick and easy!  the pirate banner was purchased at michael's.

 inside by the cake table i hung this pirate banner.  i made it by simply photo copying pictures from a pirate book i checked out at the library. 

activities:

 at 5, mostly all they want to do is run around.  i did have a few extra things for them to do.  most popular being 'walk the plank'.  who knew that a 2x4 drug out of the attic could be so much fun?!

 i had a station set up to do shaving cream painting.  the process is so cool.  if you have never done this craft, google shaving cream painting and be ready to be amazed.  so fun!  once dry, i popped these into dollar store black frames and they doubled as party favors.

the pirate pinata was 'a hit' {pun intended}.  filled with all things pirate: gold coins, pirate people, bouncy balls, and some candy, everyone took a turn.  one boy even wanted to take home the head.  

pirate bags to take loot home in.

grog and grub:

 i kept this simple by having a self serve snack table.  bags or cups work well here, everyone can just fill them up with what they want.  the favorite snack?  pirate booty of course!

 i am no professional baker.  but i aim to please when it comes to birthday cakes.  i was concerned when this years cake request was a pirate ship.  and said well by the 5 year old pirate himself ... "every pirate needs a ship".  probably one of the ugliest cakes i've ever made (due to some early morning mishaps...ahem) but the 5 year old pirate said "that's the coolest cake i've ever seen!"  nuff said.

 if you google pirate ship cake you can find all the directions on how to make this. 
cans of root beer are also good pirate grog.  we however forgot to put ours out, but i'm confident they had enough sugar by the time the guests left us.

that pretty much wraps it up!   with paper pirate hats, eye patches and beads at the cake table a good time was had by all.

hard to believe that my 'baby' is 5....happy birthday cooper!