When thinking of what theme to use for a kids party in Tampa, one theme always comes to mind … pirates! Pirate parties are always a great choice. Both girls and boys can have fun with this theme, and even the adults can dress up and join in on the fun.
Here are a few party game ideas:
Sink the Pirate Ship:
Fill a small plastic pool or large water-tight container with water. Then divide the kids up into two groups. Each group has to design a large ship out of cardboard or foamcore. When they are finished building their ships, line the two teams up about 15 to 20 feet away from the tub and place the boats in the water. (SUGGESTION: You can make the game more difficult for older children by using a water pump or mixer to make the water move. Or for little ones, you can make it easier by pre-making boats they can just decorate before placing them in the water.)
Now, give each team water balloons. One by one, kids take turns trying to hit the other team’s ship with a water balloon. Once a boat has been sunk, that team loses, and the other team gets a prize, which could be eye patches, candy gold coins, or other pirate-themed party favors.
Pirate Piñata:
This is a classic party game that can be made even more fun with a pirate theme. Choose a Buccaneers piñata, a parrot piñata, or even just a pirate-shaped piñata. Instead of stuffing it with regular candy, stuff it with “pirate booty.” You can use ring pops and rock candy for gem stones, candy and chocolate coins for gold coins, and even mini plastic swords and eye patches (depending on the age of the kids). Not only will the kids have more pirate booty to play with at the party, but they will also have some candy to take home with them.
Pirate-Themed Scavenger Hunt:
This is one of the most fun games for a pirate party. Divide the kids up into teams with a chaperone. Each team must to follow the pirate-themed clues to the next location and have their picture taken. At each X, the team will also receive one more piece of a clue to finding the final prize. Once a first team has all ten photos and ten mini clues, they can then try to solve a puzzle to find the buried treasure. For little ones, you may want to reduce the number of clues to five or fewer.
You can literally bury a box with the prize in it in your yard, but I recommend burying it under a pile of clothes or toys or something that won’t involve kids getting dirty and tracking it through your house. Inside the box can be a special prize for each of the team members. Prize can be anything from a Buccaneers Jersey to a costume pirate hat or beads.
Pirate parties are fun for kids of all ages!
Let the kids decorate their own eye patches, hats or swords. Organize a play and have the children act it out. Just let your imagination go wild. Everyone loves pirate parties, and they are especially fun in a city known for it’s pirate festivals!
Submitted by Guest Blogger Adam Riemer
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Adam works with Fun Kids Pajamas and blogs about party and events planning on numerous sites. If you’re planning a pirate sleepover party for the kids, don’t forget to check out the Boys Pajamas and Girls Pajamas sections.
Image: AKARAKINGDOMS / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Kelly’s Tales Birthday Parties, Play Dates and Group Events
Party Options: Tampa Firefighter’s Museum offers one birthday party option. Parties are 2 hours long and include up to 10 children, but you can add additional children up to a maximum of 20. All paper products are provided for the children only, and each child receives a goody bag, souvenir fire hat, and a junior firefighter badge to take with them. And you can have Sparky the Fire Dog attend the celebration (for an additional fee), too! 
