Easy, inexpensive and fun DIY Pirate Party... with FREE downloads for you to use

Today I am sharing a super-fun DIY pirate party that you are going to love! I'm including ideas for: pirate party invites, pirate party decor, pirate party activities, pirate party, pirate cakes, and pirate party favors. I also have FREE downloads for you to use.

Here's a video I made to show you all the elements of the party.

And here are the free downloads mentioned in the video. 

To download the tags, signs, and map I designed (for free): click on one of the photos below, right-click, save it, and print it like a regular photo. The tags are 4x6s photos, and the signs and map are 8x10s.

I hope you incorporate some of these ideas into your own party. Have fun!

♥
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

PS (You can find the step-by-step instructions for the Pirate cake in the video here.)

The Ultimate DIY Jake and the Neverland Pirates Party

I love a good DIY party, and today I am sharing all the awesome details of my son's 5th "Jake and the Neverland Pirates" birthday party.  It was a simple party, but the easy and inexpensive special touches made it the ultimate DIY pirate party.

You can also check out the video I made here:

A good invitation always sets the mood for a party, so I took a picture of my little pirate, and I added all the party info using a photo editing software.  I used Picmonkey.com because it is free and very user friendly.

Then, on the day of the party, as the guests arrived, they were greeted at the door by my three little pirates, and they were asked to choose a pirate name.  My oldest son wrote out the name tags and stuck them on our guests.

Once each guest chose a name, they were given pixie dust, a felt Jake headband, and a pirate hook.  (Click on the links for the tutorials for these three simple party favors.)

Once inside our home, our guests were transported into a pirate hideaway via a variety of easy DIY pirate party signage and decor. You can find all the adorable details and instructions here.

The guests were served a variety of food and snacks that fit with our pirate theme.  You can find all the details of our pirate fare here.

And, of course, our Jake and the Neverland Pirate cake was a hit with our pint-sized pirate guests.  You can find out how I made this cake (from a mix) using the step-by-step tutorial you can find here.

Of course, we also had a bunch of pirate games & activities to keep my son's friends entertained and happy. We had a plank, a hook toss, a treasure hunt, and more.  You can get all the game and activity details here.

Then, at the end of the party, each of our guests left with their headband, pirate hook, pixie dust, and a little "pirate booty" loot bag.  You can download your own free, printable "pirate booty" tags here.

I loved all the little DIY details of this Jake and the Neverland Pirates party.  

I hope you ARRRRR inspired to host your own DIY pirate party. It really is a fun theme, and there countless opportunities to add special DIY details.

♥

Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

Jake and the Neverland Pirates Party Games & Activities

The key to a successful party is a fun theme and a variety of awesome party games and activities.  Today, I am sharing the fabulous games and activities that entertained all the little pirate party guests at my son's 5th "Jake and the Neverland Pirates" party. 

DIY Hook Toss - I made a really fun ring toss using dollar store supplies.  I made some pirate hooks (using the tutorial you can find here), and then I used hot glue to attach them to a piece of foam core that I decorated with stickers.  Then, I created rings by cutting the centres out of paper plates.  The result was an easy and inexpensive "hook toss".

Bean Bag Toss - I cut four holes in a box, covered it in duct tape and added a picture that my son colored.  It's a simple way to create an adorable bean bag toss.  You can find a full tutorial here.

Walk the Plank - I nailed a few pieces of wood together to create a "plank" and placed it in water (i.e. on top of a blue tarp).  Then, I added a blow up crocodile from the dollar store.  "Walking the plank" was a big hit with the kids at the party.

Tattoo Parlor - I bought some dollar store tattoos, and used them to create "Smee's" tattoo parlor.

Make a necklace/ Pirate Treasure - I set up a station for the kids to make their own edible necklaces/ pirate treasures.  They strung Froot Loops onto cording and added a chocolate coin charm (which I created by gluing a bit of pipe cleaner to the coin).

Treasure Hunt - Every pirate party needs a pirate treasure hunt, and we did ours by following clues to the "Team Treasure Chest".  

Here are the clues that we used:
a) To find a treasure that you'll like, go and look for a purple bike.
b) Great job finding the first clue.  Look by the hose to see what to do.
c) Next, we won't go far you see.  You'll find a clue attached to a tree.
d) Keep on going.  You are almost there.  Take a look under the porch chair.
e) Here's a place you'll want to check.  There's a clue under the deck.
f) This is it.  There is no doubt.  You'll find a treasure in Jake's hideout.

The kids had a great time running around the yard, playing games, and hunting for treasure.  I think these easy pirate party games and activities are perfect for a Jake and the Neverland Pirates party, don't you?

♥
Gina Bell (aka East Coast Mommy)

You might also want to check out the video I made here:

Jake and the Neverland Pirates Party Decor

Nothing sets the mood for a party better than unique and clever party signage.  Today I am sharing the fun, easy and inexpensive DIY pirate party signage that I make for my 5 year old's Jake and the Neverland Pirates party.

1) X Marks the Spot - To make this high impact sign for my front door, I painted two scraps of wood bright red.  Then, I attached them together with hot glue in the shape of an X.  I also added a ribbon (for hanging) with hot glue.  It doesn't get much easier than this one!

2) Welcome to Neverland Isle - I think this "pool noodle" palm tree was my little birthday boy's favorite sign.  To make it, I just covered a pool noodle with brown paper and added bristol board leaves and coconuts.  I also added a little wooden dollar store sign that said "Welcome to Neverland Isle".  (I just wrote it with a Sharpie!)

3) Pirate Treasure Map- I wanted to make a little sign that let the guests know what we would be doing at the party, so I made this simple pirate treasure map.  I ripped open a brown paper lunch bag, crumpled it up, and used makers and stickers to add the party activities.  Cute, right?

4) Signs for Stations - To keep the party running smoothly, I used my computer, some stickers, and some dollar store frames to create signs for the different "stations"/activities at the party.  Per below, we had Smee's Tattoo Parlor and Tinkerbell's Jewelry Making Station.

5) Jake's Hideout - During our party, we had a treasure hunt, and the last clue led the party guests to "Jake's Hideout".  I make a sign for our playhouse using a dollar store wooden plaque hot glued to a piece of scrap wood.  I decorated the sign with Sharpies, stickers and a skull I drew on a piece of white cardstock.  I really loved how this one turned out!  (You can download the skull I designed here.)

6) 8X10s from our Disney trip - To add a personal touch to the party, I printed 8X10s of Peter Pan and Jake (with my boys) from our recent trip to Disney.  They looked really cute sitting in our hallway in dollar store frames.

7) Tinker Bell - To add a touch of whimsey to the decor, I decided to include our favorite fairy. I bought a dollarstore candle holder for a "cage", and I taped a picture of Tinkerbell inside.  Then, I set it beside an 8X10 of the "real" Tinkerbell (that I took on our last trip to Disney).

8) Banner - Every party needs a "banner", and this one is super cute.  I used card stock, dollar store letters, a piece of twine, and a hole punch to create this adorable "Ahoy Mateys!" banner.

9) Peter Pan Silhouettes - I love the story of Peter Pan, so this sign was special to me.  I used coloring book pictures as templates to cut these "shadows" from black cardstock.  Aren't they sweet?

I thought all the pirate party signage turned out great, and it was all simple and inexpensive.  Which was your favorite part of my Jakc and the Neverland Pirates Party decor?

♥
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

Jake and the Neverland Pirates Party Food

Don't you just love a party with cute food?  Recently, I had a Jake and the Neverland Pirates party for my youngest son, and although I kept it simple, I think the pirate themed food was adorable!

Here are some of the highlights:

1) "Fish" sandwiches - I made peanut butter sandwiches, cut them out with a cookie cutter, and added a chocolate chip eye.  Cute, right?

2) Fish and Chips - I threw some salt and vinegar chips and goldfish in a bowl and called it "fish and chips".  My 5 year old thought it was hilarious.

3) Pixie Sticks - Although I am not a big fan of feeding my kids pure sugar.  I couldn't resist serving "pixie dust" at a Jake and the Neverland Pirates party.

4) Gummy sharks - This is another overly sugary snack, but sharks and pirates just go together, so I had to have a few on the table.

5) Bucket of Cheesies - I bought this bucket on clearance, cleaned it, and filled it with my little guy's favorite treat.  Clever, right?

6)  Edible Necklaces - The party guests made their own edible necklaces with some cord, froot loops and a gold coin.  It's a party craft and a snack.  Fun!

7)  Pirate Cake - Every party needs a cake, and this one was adorable.  You can find the full tutorial here.

All the pirate party food was a hit with the little party guests. Which one is your favorite?

♥
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

You can find more Pirate Party ideas here.

Pixie Dust Pouches {with free printable tags}

We recently had a Jake and the Neverland Pirates party, and because I think it is fun to send the guests off with some fun party favors, I made some inexpensive pixie dust pouches.

I purchased some little glass jars at the dollar store (6 for $1.00) and half filled them with red and gold glitter.  Then, I put them in small yellow bags, and added a cord necklace.  I finished them off with a cute little tag I designed.

To print your own tags, right click on the picture below, save it to your computer, and print it like a normal 4 X 6 photo.

Obviously these aren't for unsupervised use or for young children.  Anything that goes around a child's neck can be dangerous if worn while playing.

I think these pixie dust pouches were a fun addition to our little party.  Do you have a little Jake and the Neverland Pirates fan that would enjoy these magical accessories?

♥
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

Find more DIY Pirate Party ideas here.

Jake and the Neverland Pirates Cake

My "baby" just turned five, and he requested a Jake and the Neverland Pirates party.  I love making special cakes for my boys on their birthdays, but because I have never taken a cake decorating course, I am always looking for easy ways to make adorable cakes. Here's what I came up with this year:

Fun, right?  Can you believe this is a cake mix and pre-made frosting?  I started with 2 Duncan Hines mixes (chocolate for the boat and white for the island... but I cut the oil in half and subtracted 2 tbsp of water to make the cake a little more dense and easy to work with.

I found a lot of pirate cake inspiration on Pinterest and in books from the library, but here is how you can make one like mine:

First, you'll need to construct the cakes:

1) Make one 9 X 13 chocolate cake and two 8" round white cakes.  The rectangle cake is for the ship, and the round cakes are for the island.

2) Allow to cool completely, and then trim the chocolate cake to make a perfect rectangle.

3) Use a serrated knife to cut the top off the cake.

4)  Cut the rectangle in half (lengthwise), and then cut 2-3 inches off the top.

5) Assemble the ship by placing the two long rectangles on top of each other and the smaller rectangles at either end.  (Use icing in between the layers to secure.)

6) Cut a triangle shape out of the front of the boat.

7)  Lay one of the round cakes on top of the other (with icing in between), and then cover both the "boat cake" and the "island cake" (gently) with "crumb coats" of icing.  Refrigerate until the icing is solid and easy to decorate.

Then, you can decorate the cakes:

To make Jake's boat (Bucky):

1) Frost the cake with chocolate icing, and use a knife to carve "planks" into the cake.

2) Trim the boat with yellow icing, and add a red lifesaver steering wheel and yellow lifesaver windows.

3) Finished the boat by adding a paper sail on a dowel and some little plastic toys.

To make Captain Hook's Island:

1) Frost half the cake with blue icing and create little waves with the knife.

2) Cover the other half of the cake with graham cracker crumbs.

3) Finish the island by added some little plastic toys.

Finally, to finish off the masterpiece, cover the cake board with blue icing, and create tons of waves with your knife.

That's it!  There are quite few steps, but nothing too complicated, and the result is totally worth the effort.  My little guy could not have been more pleased with his cake!

If you make a version of this Jake and the Neverland Pirates cake, please let me know.  I'd love to hear how it turned out.

♥
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

You can find more Pirate Party ideas here.

Follow East Coast Mommy's board DIY Cakes on Pinterest.