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.