My Party File - blog

Posts Tagged ‘pirate’

The kids will enjoy making an “ocean in a bottle” at your Under the Sea, Mermaid or Pirate party.

To make an “ocean in a bottle”, you will need:

• 350 ml (12 ounce) plastic bottles with screw on caps (1 per child)  - clean and label free
• 175 mls (6 ounces) of cooking oil per child
• 175 mls (6 ounces) of vinegar per child
• Blue Food colouring
• Tiny Shells, plastic seawood, glitter, plastic confetti, tiny plastic toys, sea themed beads
• A funnel
• Rubber cement or strong glue

Instructions
Use the funnel to pour the cooking oil into each child’s bottle, followed by the vinegar. The oil will go to the top and the vinegar to the bottom. Allow the kids to watch this, before pouring several drops of blue food colouring into the bottles. Again, let the kids watch the fluids interacting.

Close the caps tightly and let the kids shake the bottles to make waves. Let them then put some shells, glitter, confetti and toys into the bottle so that they can float in the “ocean”. Seal the caps shut with rubber cement or glue to prevent it leaking.

Although the ingredients are non-toxic, warn the kids that they shouldn’t drink the liquid in the bottle.

TIP:  I used small cosmetic bottles that you buy for travelling.

Linking to:

The Girl Creative

Its So Very Cheri

Delicious Ambiguity

Blue Cricket Design

Fireflies and Jellybeans

Perfect for a pirate or mermaid party, this treasure chest cake is simple and fun. 

I started by making the top of the treasure chest out of milk chocolate.  I used half of a round loaf tin as the mould.  I took a sheet of alfoil and folded creases in it to line the tin - this gave the wooden effect.  Then I simply melted approximately 100g of milk chocolate to use in the mould.

For the base you simply need to start with a rectangular cake - I cheated and bought an icecream cake made from chocolate icecream.  If you are using a standard cake, simply ice with chocolate butter icing to match your lid.

Put the top of the chest on your cake by balancing on some wooden skewers.  Then use Curly Wurly chocolate bars around the sides of the bottom to create a chest effect.  Add licoroce strap to your chest for even more character.  Then the fun part - fill the chest with all kinds of lollies (including chocolate coins) as your treasure.  I simply used jelly beans, Smarties and Kool Mints.  Toast some coconut in a fry pan and add as a sand effect around your chest.

Quite easy and most impressive!

Its amazing what a cellophane bag and curling ribbon can transform.  I bought chocolate coins and gummi fish to put into these ‘pirate treasure’ bags.  I tied them up with curling ribbon and added the starfish tags to keep with the theme.

Good, healthy food can be served at a kids party.  There are always ways to make it exciting for the kids - even just putting it in the right dish can make a difference.

I served vegetables, crackers and dip at Bella’s mermaid party in this gorgeous starfish platter I picked up from a variety store.  Yum!

Anything can become a part of your theme with a little creativity and a hot glue gun.  I purchased these starfish decorations sure I could add them in some way to my daughter’s mermaid party - and I did.  Using a hot glue gun I stuck them on to cheap hair ties.  Perfect for any little mermaid!

I made these plaster shells for the guests to paint at Bella’s mermaid party.  It was a great activity to start the kids off with as they waited for other guests to arrive.  We glued magnets on the back after so that they could take them home and put them on the fridge.

Plaster mix and moulds can be found at most craft stores - this was, in fact, a chocolate mould!  You could also make these as party favours for the guests to take home and paint.

We’ve had a few requests for our starfish labels, so here is a template for you.  We recommend printing on pink card for the best effect. You can use them for:

• goodie bag labels
• party favour labels
  • mermaid sweets
  • mermaid bath fizz
  • mermaid bath colour
• invitation labels
  • message in a bottle

Have a look at this wonderfully creative idea I spotted on Cap Creations’ blog.   I had to look twice when I came across it - it’s not a real fish in a bag - it is soap!  What a wonderful idea for a prize or party favour for an Under the Sea theme.  Check out the tutorial on how to make these at Cap Creations.

These chocolate moustaches are a lot of fun for a pirate party, secret agent party or “My Little Man” party - and are even a good giggle at a sleepover.  It is possible to purchase a chocolate moustache mould in some countries, but if you are like me and can’t get hold of one, don’t despair - they are easy to make without the mould.

How to make chocolate moustaches on sticks

You will need:

• chocolate buds or pieces
• zip-lock bag
• baking paper
• skewers (cut in half) or lollipop sticks

Print out the chocolate moustache template and place a sheet of baking paper over it (or laminate it so you can re-use it).

Put the chocolate in a zip lock bag and melt it in the microwave in 30 second intervals.  Cut a small corner off the bag and pipe over the moustache outline with the chocolate, then fill it in with more chocolate.   Place the skewer or lollipop stick in the middle of the moustache and pipe a little more chocolate over the stick.   To make the appearance of whiskers, use a fork to “brush” the chocolate.  Store them in an airtight container.

They also make great party favours - simply place in a cellophane bag and tie with a nice ribbon.

I really wasn’t sure if the kids would go for these homemade pirate hooks, but they played with them for ages!!  All you require is a red plastic cup, pop stick, silver cardboard and some tape.    Print the pirate hook template and follow the instructions.  You can make these ahead of time or have the kids make them during the party (just make the slits in the cups first).  You can even have them decorate the red hook holder.  To wear the hook, the child just needs to place their hand in the cup and hold onto the pop stick.