11 Pirate Craft Ideas That Will Bring Out Your Arrr-ty Side

There are lots of fun pirate crafts for kids to make and play with, including making pirate outfits for dressing up games - complete with a hat, an eye-patch, a sword and even a parrot.

Arrange a treasure hunt using a home-made treasure map for kids, sail a pirate ship in the bath or a pond, or let your kids craft their own pirate crew for a fun puppet show. Read on for some great pirate crafts for kids that are sure to keep them entertained...

Why not tell some pirate jokes and puns to make the arrr-ty process more fun?

What You'll Need:

Brown paper (a great chance to re-use any brown paper bags) ripping the edges for an authentic look

Pens and pencils

A simple but much-loved pirate craft for kids, making treasure maps is a fun and easy activity for kids. Tear the brown paper into rough rectangles or square shapes, and then let the kids get creative, crafting their own pirate maps. If your kids need some help with what to include on their maps, suggest the following: ocean, ships, a dock, sharks, whales, pirate ships, pirate flag, caves, palm trees, volcanos and pirate treasure.

What You'll Need:

3 corks from a wine bottle

2 elastic bands

1 toothpick

Small piece of paper

To make this simple kids craft, use the two elastic bands to secure the three corks together in a row - this makes the 'raft' for your boat. Get crafty with your paper, creating a custom pirate flag for your ship - then using the toothpick, attach the flag (pierce through the paper at the top and bottom) before securing it into the middle cork. These are perfect for the bath - or you could attach a length of string to the boat and take the pirate ship for an outing to a pond or stream.

What You'll Need:

10 - 20 small rocks or pebbles

Gold paint or spray paint

Black permanent marker pen

Paint or spray an even layer of colour on each of the small rocks, letting them dry thoroughly before using the pen to number them: 1, 2, 3, 4 etc.  

For this pirate craft for kids, use these gold nuggets as part of your pirate-themed treasure hunts, hiding them around the garden or in the house. This is a great opportunity for practising some simple numerical skills and basic maths: have your kids put the gold nuggets in the correct order as they find them, and get them to work out which numbers are still missing.

Paper plates are excellent for a whole range of crafts, including these fun pirate faces.

What You'll Need:

Paper plates

Paints and paintbrushes

Scraps of fabric

Hot glue gun

Black card

1 googly eye

Black marker pen

Metal ring binder or an old hoop earring

One of the best pirate crafts for kids, a paper plate  is a great craft material for kids art activities, as there are lots of things kids can make from a simple paper plate. Start by painting the paper plate in a skin colour, and once dry, use the hot glue gun to make a pirate bandana/head scarf that covers the top third of the plate - adding a knot on one side if you have another smaller scrap of fabric. Cut out a pirate eye patch shape from the black card, and glue that in place, then glue on the googly eye (or paint/draw an eye, if you don't have googly eyes at home). Use the pen to add other details, like a nose and mouth - as well as a pirate beard, scars or pirate themed tattoos. For an added extra, pierce a hole on the side of the plate and add the metal ring binder or hoop earring - just like a pirate!

What You'll Need:

An empty egg box

Brown and gold paint

Black permanent marker

For this pirate craft box, start by getting the kids to remove any labels from an empty egg box and paint the outside of the box brown. Paint the inside of the box with gold paint, and add some gold details to the outside of the box, for example, you could paint a thin line around the edges of the 'treasure chest' as well as two straps across the top and a key hole. Add in some more details with the permanent marker, and then your treasure chest is ready to fill up with jewels, gold coins and other precious pirate crafts that your kids have made!

What You'll Need:

A large sheet of cardboard

Aluminium foil

Glue

Paint

Black permanent marker

One of the best preschool pirate crafts, create a realistic but safe sword using cardboard and tin foil. This fun craft activity is easy to make: simply cut out a sword shape (not forgetting to include a handle too) and glue aluminium foil onto the sword to make it look like a pirate sword. Decorate the handle using the paints and permanent marker, and then have fun playing pirates!

What You'll Need:

Several cardboard inner tubes from finished toilet rolls

Paints

Pens

Glue

A selection of craft materials, such as googly eyes, feathers, pom-poms, coloured and patterned paper

The cardboard inner tubes from toilet rolls are always worth keeping, as they are the perfect material for crafts for kids. Using paints, pens and a selection of craft materials, make the cardboard tubes look like a pirate, a captain, a crew member or even a parrot (we recommend cutting the tube in half to make a bird). Kids will love designing all of the different pirates, changing their outfits, hats and swords - as well as adding details like tattoos, peg legs and eye patches! One of the most fun pirate crafts, once finished, why not stage a play using the new characters?

What You'll Need:

Large sheet of black paper

Sheet of white paper

Scissors

Glue or double sided tape

Pens or pencils

Cut a hat shape out of the black paper - you will need two identical pieces, one for the front and one for the back. Design your own hat or use a template such as this one, then, using the white paper and pens, draw and cut out a skull and crossbones pattern to glue or tape onto the front of the hat. Tape or glue the two hat shapes together, making sure not to glue the bottom of the hat, as it needs to stay open so that you can wear it. Once the glue has completely dried, this pirate craft for kids will bring hours of fun!

What You'll Need:

Plastic drinking cup

A large sheet of tin foil

Kids can craft this brilliant pirate hook using simple household materials  - which couldn't be easier to make. Start by simply piercing a hole into the centre of the bottom of the plastic cup. Next, craft a hook shape from the sheet of tin foil - rolling it first into a string or shoe-lace - then threading it through the hole. Add a bend to create the 'pirate hook' and flatten the end and secure it with some tape inside the cup. These hooks are great crafts for kids to do by themselves, learning to sculpt shapes using foil.

What You'll Need:

A sheet of black foam or felt

Black string or ribbon

'Act like a pirate day' is complete with an eye patch - kids craft this simple pirate accessory out of black foam or felt, by cutting an eye patch shape, adding two holes to the top and threading through some string. Add extra decorations, like a skull and crossbones design, or leave it plain and then have fun swashbuckling and hunting for treasure.

A photo booth is a great way to document your family's 'dress like a pirate day'. Set up a camera and get all your fun pirate crafts, accessories and outfits together, then take turns to dress up and take photos. A great way to use all the fun pirate crafts that you have made in advance.

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If you liked this article, why not also check out our other themed craft ideas like Star Wars crafts and Anglo-Saxon craft ideas?