This 4th of July Scavenger Hunt will keep kids of all ages busy! They can set off on an adventure to find all the items on the list. If you have some little un’s at your party, buddy them up with an older child and have them work on the 4th of July scavenger hunt together. You can make it a friendly team competition!

You can grab your freebie by clicking the Link at the bottom of the post.

If you like the scavenger hunt, I’m sure you will love my 4th July Treasure hunt over in my Etsy shop. There are traditional clues and secret ciphers to solve. All themed in red white and blue. It’s not your typical hunt and I’m pretty proud of it. I can’t wait to try this out with my family this year.

Ok so I know your here for the freebie so thanks for stopping by. Just click on the image below and you can download to your computer. Please spread the love and share with anyone who you think would like to use it. All I ask is that you dont try and sell it, thats just not cool.

Thank you for stopping by

Chief Mermaid

Dawn xXx

You’ve made the cakes, you’ve blown up the balloons, you’ve filled your bellies with treats, and you’ve worn your little pirates out until they can’t run around anymore, so now it’s time for them all to leave, but everybody is expecting a goody bag to take home with them! Aside from a slice of the birthday cake, what do you give all of the eager children? Never fear! We have found the perfect pirate-themed goodies to fill up the bags and leave your little one and their friends more than happy with their loot.

• Pirate crayon coins
• These are my favorite item, the crayons are made with non-toxic crayon wax and they just look brilliant. These are lots of other styles of crayons in CrayonbyKelly2016 Etsy shop. Its a feast for the eyes, even if you hosting a different themed party she is bound to have something that fits your theme.

Pirate chocolate lollipops

It’s choclate and it’s a party bag, thats just a no brainer. They look absolutely fab and I would have to order extra just so I quality control first. A moms job is never done!

My kids love themed goodies in their party bags, the days of a balloon, and a couple of candies don’t quite cut it with today’s offerings. It can seem a really expensive option to add all of the goodies but I like to team it up with printable coloring pages, I even printed and cut out my own stickers. Trust me by the end of the prep I had blisters on my fingers but it was worth it.

Pirate eye patch

How lovely are these each eye patches, made from lovely soft wool-blend felt black with white felt detailing on the front, which means you can clean them, that in my book is a big bonus. So much better than the plastic kind, no scratching and no plastic, win-win!

Fabric loot bag

I love these PIRATE print calico bags that are perfect for creating great loot bags for any pirate themed party!
Fill them with candy or chocolate gold coins!

I love that these are all crafted items and show that extra special touch to your party. Etsy is a great place to find all kinds of fabulous gifts, I’m a bit of a sucker for handcrafted items anyway so Etsy is a dangerous place for me to browse..ooops

If you purchase any of the these for you childrens party bag I would love to a picture of your end result, bascially I’m nosey when it comes to other people parties.

I hope you find the perfect option for your party bags, maybe one or more of these will fit the bill.

Thanks Chief Mermaid

Dawn xXx

Ingredients

• 10 Tablespoons (2/3 cup; 145g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature.
• 3/4 cup (150g) packed light or dark brown sugar
• 2/3 cup (200g) molasses
• 1 large egg, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 3 and 1/2 cups (437g) all-purpose flour,
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 Tablespoon ground ginger (The elves love the spice!)
• 1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• optional: decorate with royal icing and sprinkles.

Instructions

• In a large bowl using a hand-held mixer or stand mixer, beat the butter for 1 minute on medium speed until completely smooth and creamy. Add the brown sugar and molasses and beat on medium-high speed until combined and looking super creamy. Next, beat in the egg and vanilla on high speed for 2 full minutes. NOTE: The butter may separate; that’s ok.
• In a separate bowl, mix the flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, allspice, and ground cloves together until combined. On low speed, slowly add the dry mix into the wet ingredients until combined. The cookie dough will be quite thick and slightly sticky. Divide dough in half and place each onto a large piece of plastic wrap. Wrap each up tightly and pat down to create a disc shape. Chill discs for at least 3 hours and up to 3 days. Chilling is a must.
• Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line 2-3 large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.  Set aside.
• Remove 1 disc of chilled cookie dough from the refrigerator. Generously flour a work surface, as well as your hands and the rolling pin. Don’t be afraid to continually flour the work surface as needed- this dough can be sticky. Roll out until the disk is about 1/4-inch thick. Cut into shapes. Place shapes on your prepared baking sheets. Repeat with remaining disc of dough.
• Bake cookies for about 9-10 minutes. Be sure to rotate the baking sheet once during bake time.
• Allow cookies to cool for 5 minutes. Transfer to cooling rack to cool completely. Once completely cool, decorate and enjoy

Never fear! Because we have prepared 6 super spooky games that your little monsters will love. Not to mention, we definitely need a way to get all of that sugar-filled energy out of their systems and into bed at the end of the night

Witch Hat Ring Toss

This game is super easy to make and your kids will love it. Use party hats or make your own black cones and stick them to a board, surrounding each cone with a black rim to make them more hat like! Go to town and decorate your hats any way you like, a coloured buckle is simple and effective for that splash of colour. Add a few cobwebs and maybe a touch of glitter to add that finishing touch. This idea was lovingly pinched from http://sometimescreative.blogspot.com/2011/11/halloween-party.html

How Many?

No matter where you go, this is a classic game that people of all ages take part in to win something. Just make sure that you know the real answer!

Monster Attack

Who doesn’t love being allowed to throw things? This can knock-down is the perfect way to show those monsters whose boss! All you need is a few old cans to decorate and something to throw at them! Add a little more excitement and offer some candy for anybody with that perfect monster-slaying throw.

Bobbing for Apples

This game is an absolute classic. Tie your hair back, take off your masks, and go to town. Something about dunking your head in water for something you little monsters would normally have to be forced to eat is a real treat in itself. Better get small apples though, or else they will be there all night!

Eyeball Racing

Who doesn’t love a bit of competition? All you need for this are some felt tips, ping pong balls, and a spoon for each of your competitors! Simply draw your gruesome eyeballs, balance them in a spoon, and watch your competitors race to not drop the eyeball and win the race!

Pin the Wart on the Witch

No party is complete without this twist on a classic game. Blindfold your little monsters, spin them around, and watch them stumble towards the board. A game that not only the children will enjoy, but so will you. Something about this game always makes me chuckle to watch, and I’m sure you will join me there.

Party Games? Check. Now that the hard part is out of the way, all that is left to do is decorate your house into the scariest on the road, and make sure your monsters don’t run rampant and destroy the place from hunger! Fear not, we’ve got that all covered too. Check out our other to-do’s and focus on what you’re going to wear!

Here’s another fun and easy game you can incorporate into your next Halloween party. Download the free printable for a fun monster-themed twist on the classic pin the tail in the Donkey.

The free halloween pritable game when stuck together measures approximately 16′ x 20′ . Each sheet is 8.5’x11′ just cut and stick together to get the full size image.  There is a sheet of 9 eyes but print as many as many sheets as you need.  Write the players names on the back of each eye so you can refer back and find the winning player.

The finished artifcle all trimmed to size and ready to glue together…..I couldn’t find any glue, I swear it was in the drawer but I couldnt find it for love nor money! I think you get the idea though.  He looks pretty darn cute, not scary at all so perfect for little ‘uns at a Halloween party or monster themed birthday bash.

FREE HALLOWEEN DOWNLOAD

Monsterously good fun! Get yourself this FREE Halloween goodie right here.

Dinosaur Nursery Palette

Use a light grey or white to give your room a solid but calming background add bolder splashes of color that will adorn the room. By using grey, the different shades of greens will really pop. Use these accent colours in things like bedding, nursery art, curtains and rugs throughout. Overall the majority of the room should be the calming grey, so as to make sure the bright colors make an exciting room for your baby to develop and grow in.

You can buy this adorable set of prints from StuffNFluffinc in their Etsy store. StuffNFluffinc

This kind of cute accessorizing rug is perfect to go in your little one’s nursery room, it is simple and creative and adds an extra splash of color to the floor, an often abandoned area.

Soft lighting is perfect for your baby and their nursery, especially when it comes in such a cute shape. This funky lighting not only provides a calming glow but will help to accentuate the desk or area where it is placed.

Pop’s of orange and yellows here and there can really give the room that extra zing. Orange in small doses will help bring parts of the room to life which otherwise would have felt repetitive and dull.

You can find this rechargeable dinosaur lamp on Amazon, there are other characters to choose from but I love this cute cheeky little chap. Buy Here

Natural materials work so well in nursery, I love this clock that I found by a fellow Etsy seller OwlandOtter, it’s simple and would work well with any colour theme. They have a whole host of other fantastic clocks. the neutral wood will work well with any color theme you settle on.

Support a small business over on Etsy OwlandOtter Buy Now

No nursery is complete without wall art, and what better than these cartoon dinosaurs and throw in a bit of something educational to cover the walls? They’re simple, effective and will make the wall pop. Framed in natural wood it would work so well with the T-rex clock.

Another print from StuffNFluff inc, head over to their Etsy store for lots more prints. www.etsy.com/shop/stuffnfluffinc

Soft mood lighting is a necessity, these mini lights give a soft mood lighting in a very cute shape, not harsh on your baby’s eyes, and perfect to decorate.

You can find this over at Not on the Highstreet. Buy Now

Now no bedroom is complete without the cute comfort of blankets and onesies, especially a themed one. So I’ve found the absolute perfect finishing touch to your baby, heck why not theme your little one to match your room too lol. Plus think of the amazing photos you will capture with your little one wearing this ridiculously adorable dino onesie.

Your little one may hate you for this, but this is too good to pass up. It’s too darn adorable to not buy. https://amzn.to/2Hh6M0T

Reading books to your child before they go to sleep has incredible benefits on both the way your child develops and the way in which they bond with you. By creating a specific time each day where you and your child spend time together, it creates a routine and will have your child excited looking forward to it. 

Reading aloud helps develop your child’s brain by expanding their vocabulary and understanding of the world around them, not to mention, by concentrating on listening to you read, it tires them out and makes bed time all that much easier for your little one to relax and fall asleep, saving you precious hours which would be spent trying to put them into their pajamas and calm them down.

When it comes to reading, you want to make sure that your child is both engaged and interested in each of the books you read, but finding good books can be difficult with so much to choose from! Well never fear, check out our article on the [Top 10 books to Read to your child] and worry no more.

Arts and Crafts

Arts and Crafts with my parents is one of my fondest memories as a young child, and I feel like it should be the same for every child. While it can be a little bit messy, nothing feels better than when you’re making a mess with your parent. Be it from just colouring in, sticking some pompoms on a page, or having a real craft project to pin on your fridge to display, creating with your child is a great way to have fun and create that bond.

Here are some easy to make crafts with your little ones which I’m sure that they will love to create with you and show off to everybody!

Cooking

Cooking with your parents can make any child feel like a real chef! Even if it is something as simple as letting them mix up the batter or grabbing the butter from the fridge for you, these little tasks make any child feel even closer to you by helping you in making your own goodies.

Cupcakes, brownies, cookies. We all know how to make these sweet treats with your little one, but something savory to make your child feel like they’ve made their own dinner is perfect! These English muffin pizzas are super easy to make, and your child will be eagerly looking into the oven to watch the cheese bubble ready for their dinner!

Physical Touch

Playing pretend is a child’s bread and butter, whether they’re running around pretending to be a knight to fight a dragon, or pretending to be dora the explorer, this is something that your children will love for you to join in on. 

By playing with them, it not only boosts their creativity and imagination, but it makes them feel closer to you because you’re imagining with them! In their mind, you can see that the floor is lava too, and so knowing that they’re not alone and can be themselves around you creates a special time with your child, and most importantly, special memories.

Listen

While listening may not seem like anything out of the ordinary, it can be one of the most important things that you can do to your child. From listening and responding to their babbles when they are first learning to talk, to paying attention about the drama at school between Lucy and Beth, it will make your child feel like they can really depend on you no matter what.

Not only does it strengthen your bond with your child, but it will also develop their communication skills, because while they talk to you, you can talk to them about your day too! It will really start to feel like they can talk to you as a friend and understand that there are no barriers between the two of you, which is something that every parent wants with their child.

One of the hardest things at a party is keeping the children entertained, the last thing we want is a group of kids whining that they’re bored, but don’t fret! Here are five super simple to set up games, that are sure to keep the children happy for at least a few hours.

Pirate Can Toss

This is a simple but very fun party game to get the energy out of your little monsters. Clean out your old cans and peel off the labels, replace them with your own pirate-themed labels and stack them up like a carnival game. A bean bag will work perfectly to throw at them and see who can knock them down. With the promise of getting some treasure at the end, they will be jumping at the chance to compete.

You can use the freebie I created for the “Pirate Can Toss’ to decorate your old food cans or simply find some themed wrapping, brown or craft paper to wrap around your cans.

Click on the link at the bottom of the page to get grab your pirate printable freebie. Don’t forget that if you use the can wraps I would love to see how they turned out so please tag us on Instagram or leave us a comment at the bottom of the page.

Pin the Patch on the Pirate

Putting a dazzling spin on a classic game, your little ones will have a great time trying their best to pin the patch on the pirate, especially with the promise of some pirate booty at the end of it. Simply pin the base picture to a board and prop it against a chair or wall for them to reach for, nothing more than a printer, some paper and some sticky pads needed for this perfect DIY. Buy on Etsy

Tattoo Parlour

No pirate is complete without his arms being covered in tattoos from his days on the sea! Get some simple temporary tattoos and have your little sea scourers pick their latest tattoo to add to their collection of stories to tell.

You can pick up a set of pre-made pirate stickers or go the extra mile and print your own custom stickers using special paper. You can print your pirate tattoos at home with an ordinary inkjet printer. Freepik has some fab graphics that you could download and use for personal use, the set pictured below would work a treat. Click on the image to take you to Freepicks graphics.

Dig for Gold

Bury some plastic necklaces, rings, and gold coins in a tub of sand and have your pirates scour for treasure to build up their loot. This activity in itself is fun, but to have them looking for a specific item with the promise of a prize will have them eagerly digging for treasure! Create a super treasure prize by popping a treasure map rolled up and tied with a red ribbon into the sand, it can be the start of a treasure hunt/scavenger hunt to a grand prize.

These are a few items that would work fab as mini favours in your “Dig for Gold” game. The treasure chests are apparently very small but would probably fit a tiny scroll of paper with pirate jokes on them or clues to a bigger prize.

Vintage looking Doubloons

Tiny treasure chests

Skull necklace

Pirate rings

Fun Pirate keyrings

Walk the Plank

No pirate is complete without having to walk the plank! This simple activity will have your little ones running around in circles trying to avoid plummeting into the ocean. All you need is a plank of wood and two sturdy platforms to create this simple DIY. For extra effect, lay out a blue cloth underneath the plank, or some blue balloons to surround them as the ocean would.

Pirate Printable Freebie

Now grab your freebie and get crafting the perfect party x. Click to download the pirate can toss freebie.

Now, you’ve figured out how to keep them all entertained, but what about the food and decorations? Take a look at our Pirate Party Pinterest board for plenty of inspiration.

Some of the most popular party games are those that have stood the test of time, the games we played when we were younger, party games like…

• Musical bumps,
• Pin the tail on the donkey,
• Pass the parcel,
• Musical chairs and what’s the time Mr Wolf.

All of these games can be adapted to match any party theme.

When playing games with a musical element like musical chairs or pass the parcel why not play songs from the little mermaid, or other water/mermaid type songs, its a very simple way to keep the theme of your party going. Here are some I found on youtube to get you going.

Little Mermaid Soundtrack

Barbie Mermaid Party

Keeping children entertained at a party can be a challenge but with a good selection of games and activities, the party should be a huge hit.

1. Bubble POP Game

You will need:

Small pieces of paper to insert into balloons (scroll to the bottom for a themed printable)
Balloons, to match your colour theme. Allow 2-4 per child.
Small prizes and perhaps one grand prize.

Preparation:

Mark some of the pieces of paper to show that the party players will be rewarded with a prize. You should allow about one prize per eight to ten balloons and allow 2-4 balloons per child. Tightly roll the paper and push through the necks of your balloons, and blow them up.

Prizes can be anything from sweets to small mermaid themed goodies.

How to play:

When you say go, the children rush to pop the balloon bubbles and see if the paper inside them awards them a prize.  Children should sit on the balloons to pop them, no sharp objects or teeth allowed.

Printable:

Use these free printable mermaid tag as the labels to pop inside the balloons. 

DOWNLOAD PRINTABLE TAGS

2. Pin the Tail on the Mermaid

A nice simple variation of the classic game. Head over to Etsy and take a look at this super cute mermaid and unicorn game.  The mermaid is seriously adorable. Whats great is its a digital download so no waiting for the postman to deliver it and you can print off as may mermaid tails as you need.

3. Mermaid Racing Sacks

How great are these mermaid tail sacks. This game is a brilliant way to get the children running around having fun.  The games can be run as an individual race with the winner taking away a prize or make this a team relay race. 

Make your own sacks from old pillow cases, add some painted scale details and go crazy with the glitter. not in the creative mood we have you covered you can get these bright mermaid racing sacks from Amazon.