RYAN'S PIRATE PARTY (5th Birthday) Let me first say, I got a great deal of my ideas from this website Thanks!  INVITATION: Our invitation was a map, with the edges burned and rolled up and placed inside of a plastic Coke bottle. On the outside of the bottle, I stuck a photo of Ryan in his Pirate garb and used it as an address label with each child's name.  (I was able to hand deliver all of mine into mailboxes) I found the map online but cannot recall the website.  CRAFT:  Our swashbuckling adventure began with a craft.  I used treasure chests from Oriental Trading which I spray painted black and glued on some of their gold ribbon.  I had cut out felt pieces in assorted colors for the kids to choose for the bottom of their chest. I put each child's name on the top.  (ex. Ryan's Treasure Chest) The kids glued on gems/jewels and gold coins.  I also got some of the self adhesive girls earrings to use as gems.  During the craft, the children could get tattoos. GAMES: BECOMING A PIRATE: As we played games, I gave out different pirate garb to help each child become a pirate. The first game that we played was Pin the X on the Island.  I used a hand drawn map and made Xs for the children to attempt to tape their X as close to the one on the map.  Each child was given a pirate hat upon completing this task.  I obtained the pirate hats on ebay. The next game was Feed the Shark. I had painted a sharks mouth onto cardboard and cut out an opening for the mouth. I had 3 bean bag fish that I had each child take turns throwing through the mouth. After each child fed the shark, they received an eye patch and earring.   The eye patches were purchased from a local party store and the earrings were a part of a set that I found at a dollar store. The third game that I attempted was Musical Islands which was played like musical chairs but instead, I used brown felt pieces cut out in the shape of islands and placed them in a circle on top of a blue blanket (representing water).  The loser of each round was to walk the plank This led to the next event, which was to Walk the Plank across Crocodile Lake. I laid a blue plastic tablecloth on the floor (cut in the shape of a lake) and used a 2x4 (8 ft long) which was held up by a plastic milk crate on either side.  I placed little crocodiles all over the lake which I made with clothespins painted green and google eyes. Once across, each child received a red sash, which I made and a little black skull bag, which I found at Halloween time. The following event was to enter Skull Cave. The cave was a tent covered with a black plastic tablecloth.  It was filled with small balloons and had skeleton lights strung across the entrance. Each child went in individually and retrieved a little skeleton, skull ring and a mini pirate telescope.   These items were placed in their little skull bags. Once all of the children were in costume, we took a group photo. CAKE:  TREASURE ISLAND CUP CAKES: In the center of the table, I placed a Playmobile pirate ship and stuck papers to the sides which read Happy 5th Birthday Ryan. Surrounding the ship were mini islands (cupcakes). The cupcakes had chocolate frosting and each was decorated with plastic pirates and a miniature treasure chest, filled with mini M&Ms & snowcaps.  TREASURE HUNT: After the cupcakes, we played Sink the Ship. I made a pirate ship out of boxes I found at BJ's wholesale store.  I used plastic fishing poles for the masts and added paper pirate flags and made an anchor for the side of the ship, attached by a string. I filled a bucket with cannon balls (plastic golf balls which I spray painted black).  The children took turns throwing cannonballs into the ship, to try to sink it. Once all of the balls were emptied out of the bucket, the first treasure hunt clue and map was found on the bottom of the bucket. I used colors for the clues and the first one was a RED CLUE: If you want to find the long lost treasure, follow the clues with fun and pleasure.  Use the map to guide your steps. The first thing to do is find the 2nd clue in the color BLUE.  If its hard to decide, you must first go outside.ö This led the children outside where I had taken blue plastic table clothes and cut out the shape of a stream and made a bridge out of cardboard which I laid out over the water.  They found the BLUE CLUE in the water: You're over the river and need to head to the woods. Among the trees is your next clue in the color GREEN. The GREEN CLUE was taped to one of my trees in the backyard: Rain Rain go away, come back another day. Head to the front, where you'll find a clue in the color PURPLE. This clue led the children to the side of the house where I had hung drops of rain (cut out of purple paper) with ribbons from a portable gazebo.  The PURPLE CLUE was hanging with the raindrops: Out of the cold and back into the warmth.  Now climb climb climb.  The next clue is the color of pumpkins at autumn time. As the children entered the house, they climbed up the stairs, where I had made mountains out of cardboard boxes. Here they found the ORANGE CLUE: Orange you glad you went up up up?  Keep looking my sunny fellow, the final clue is the color YELLOW. In the upstairs hallway, I taped a poster board with a sun that I painted on it.  This gave them the YELLOW CLUE and final clue: All of the colors are beautiful beyond measure, and when friends work together, we'll find the treasure!  Line up colors of RED, ORANGE, YELLOW, GREEN, BLUE AND PURPLE now you're getting warmà you're looking for something lovely after a pirate storm! At the top of the stairs to our third level, I taped another poster board with a painted rainbow. This led the children inside the room to the treasure. I made a makeshift island using pillows with a blanket thrown on top and placed a treasure chest on top of the island, which was filled with individually wrapped treasures as well as beaded necklaces and coins.   I used gold tulle tied with a ribbon. Each sack was filled with a beaded necklace, ring, gem stones, gold coins, paper money, candy necklaces & bracelets, Hershey nuggets and a ring pop. GOODY BAGS:  I used white bags and cut out a ship to glue on one side and the other side had their name on a red X which was used to glue the bag shut.  Each bag read: Thank you matey for helping me find the long, lost treasure and for celebrating my 5th birthday with us!  Your Captain, Ryan The bags were filled with a mini compass, a telescope, a hook hand, glow in the dark stars, chocolate coins, & Rolos. DECOR: I used black and red streamers and black, red and white balloons to decorate. I also made signs which were throughout the house: Welcome to Ryan's Pirate Birthday Adventure!, Beware of pirates, Skull Cave & Pirates Cove.  I had black plates and utensils and found some cute pirate napkins on ebay.  THANK YOU NOTES: I made these with cardstock using the group photo and the sentiment, Friends are the best treasure of all. On the inside, it read:  Thanks for joining in our pirate adventure!