Welcome to PIRATE week! Join us for a week packed with DIY pirate costumes, adventurous stories, upcycled pirate ships, and of course, treasure hunts!
Pirate reading!
Find pirate books like these at your local library or in your own collection
Pirate costumes!
Paper hats, solo cup hooks, felt eye patches, & parrots made out of TP rollsHats: black construction paper decorated with white crayon, stapled or sewn together Parrots: TP roll, googly eyes, craft feathers, pipe cleaners & paper scraps Eye patches: felt (Ronan made his into a skull shape) & yarn Pirate hook: solo cup with a hole cut into the bottom, form tin foil into a hook shape and insertParrots make the perfect pirate pets! DIY parrot accessories with whatever you’ve got around the house!
Pirate bowling!
A fun game that’s easy to make with old soup cansDon’t forget to dress like a pirate! AaarrrrgghhhWrap recycled tin cans in construction paper, add pirate designs with marker, glue to cans
Pirate snacks!
Banana pirates: draw faces with black sharpie, tie napkins around the middlePirate ships: apple slices, cheese, pepperoni, & toothpicks Pirate map cake! This was totally driven by my oldest (age 8) and based on his drawing of a treasure map.Pirate lunch! Hot dog & string cheese octopi, plus goldfish crackersPirate’s Booty!
Pirate-themed nature scavenger hunt!
Scavenger hunt: a free printable we found onlineOne of the items on the scavenger hunt list: leaves that look like pirate eye patches!
Upcycled pirate ship!
Materials: egg carton, bamboo skewers, printer paper, black marker, copper spray paintTest your ship’s durability by seeing how many pennies it takes to sink it!Need: a large plastic bin filled with water & several penniesMultiple ship creations can have a sink or float contest Afterward, the pennies and water can become a sensory bin! Another pirate sensory bin idea: add painted rocks and shells, & kinetic sand!
Magic pirate rocks!
Need: baking soda, water, & food coloring Form baking soda balls with a bit of water and food coloring, adding water as neededPlace on foil-lined cookie sheet and let set overnight Fill syringes with vinegar and pour over pirate rocks for a magical chemical reaction! (Tip: add pennies or other small objects to the center of the rocks to reveal “treasure!”)
Pirate ship in a jar!
Need: large mason jar, water, blue food coloring, wine corks, toothpicks, paper, marker Decorate white paper with pirate skulls & decor, assemble small ship with glue, and float
Pirate treasure hunt: the finale!
Pirate treasure hunt: free printable found online. We added a map drawn by the kids, pictured here in a plastic skull goblet I had from Halloween (dollar store). The first clue! Found under “treasure rocks,” spray painted copper and gold for added fun.The kids drew a treasure map. X marks the spot!Another clue!Getting closer to the treasure!We had this cool treasure chest already, a gift from grandparents Gold coins! Aaarrrrgghhh matey!Any random coins we had in the house, along with chocolate gold coins, made for fun hidden treasure
Media & resources
We had so much fun learning about pirates this week! For more ideas on how to incorporate pirate-themed activities into your DIY summer camp or home learning fun, visit my Pinterest boards and Instagram page. Also, check out these links for more pirate learning and fun!
Story Pirates podcast. Not exactly pirate-themed, but super fun nonetheless. Stories, songs, and famous special guests make this one of the most highly rated kids podcasts in the world.
Santiago of the Seas on Nick Jr. An adventurous cartoon that teaches about friendship and problem solving, featuring pirates of all genders.
Jake & the Neverland Pirates on Disney Jr. Watch shows or play games and hang with one of the most famous kid pirates out there- Jake! Or, have a movie night featuring his predecessors, Hook or Peter Pan (available from time to time on Disney Plus, Amazon and Netflix).
See also: Boat-themed DIY activities for kids! Now that you know so much about pirate ships, compare their structures with all kinds of different floating vessels!
