From maps and ships to treasure and flags, we rounded up the best fun and educational pirate activities for kids to play and learn.
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Pirates are a popular subject for kids and they’ve probably seen them in books, movies, and other pop culture. If you’re looking for a fun way to add some educational pirate activities to your summer fun, start by talking about what historical pirates were like compared to the ones you see in movies.
Of course, it’s up to you to decide which of the less-savory parts of pirate history are age-appropriate for your kids. Even if you want to shy away from details that aren’t rated G, you can mention that pirates were bad guys.
While you’re choosing what to include in your pirate learning, we rounded up ten fun and educational pirate activities for a simple lesson plan.
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Pirate facts
Start by introducing your kids to the history of pirates. Ask them what they know about pirates and which parts they think are true or made up. We have a list of books that are a great resource, but you can also find pirate facts from:
Make a map and compass
Pirates may be famous for using maps to find treasure, but they used them to navigate everyday travel. You and your kids could make a map of your house, your neighborhood, or your whole city. After you decide where your map will be, make a list of the important landmarks. As you draw out the map, decide how accurate to scale you want it to be.
Use a compass and mark the directions on your map. You could even try making a compass following instructions from Gift of Curiosity for an extra activity.
Build a ship
Build a pirate ship from cardboard boxes, just like Red Ted Art. Or try a simple folded origami boat. You could make a small one for your child’s toys to ride in or one large enough for the children to fit inside. Talk about the parts of a pirate ship and how they helped the crew work together to sail.
Building a ship could be tied into talking about how pirates and sailors traveled and what life was like on a pirate ship. Once you’ve built a ship, your kids’ ship will need some flags.
Decorate flags
Making pirate flags is a fun craft that can be done with whatever supplies you have. Draw them on paper and color with pencils or crayons; cut out fabric or felt pieces. Look up specific pirate flags for your kids to make for their ship or let them design their own. Brainpower Boy has some great ideas for pirate flag lessons.
Sink or float
If you’re looking for a way to add a bit of science to your pirate-themed day, set up an experiment where kids can test out what items will sink or float. Science Sparks has tips for carrying out a scientific investigation.
Dress up
You can easily make pirate clothes for kids’ dress-up costumes using pieces you already have. Use an adult tee-shirt as a tunic and add a belt to wear with leggings or pajama pants. Make a tricorn hat from paper with this tutorial from The Crafty Classroom.
If you want to sew a costume, Apple Green Cottage has a pirate vest pattern. And Dazzle While Frazzles shares how to turn rain boots into pirate boots.
Make puppets
To try dressing up like a pirate on a smaller scale, try making pirate puppets inspired by Crafts by Amanda. Set up all the supplies and encourage your kids to make them look like famous pirates you’ve learned about – or how they would’ve dressed if they were pirates. Afterward, they can act out a puppet show to recreate pirate stories you’ve read or come up with their own.
Pirate treasure
Historic pirates didn’t really hide buried treasure, but plenty of explorers have searched for hidden riches. Talking about this would be a good way to put pirates in historical context. The golden age of piracy was between the 1650s and the 1730s, but there have been treasure hunters throughout history.
With the map you made above, plan a treasure hunt. Make an egg carton treasure chest to hide. Or make it more like a scavenger hunt and search for a list of things you’ll find in your neighborhood. Or pick a destination where you know a “treasure” can be found, such as the library or the ice cream shop.
Pirate meals
Don’t forget to plan a snack break during your pirate activities day. According to National Geographic, pirates mostly ate meat, bread, and occasionally cheese. For an easy modern variation, serve a snack tray of your kids’ favorite deli meats and cheeses alongside bread or crackers.
Talk like a pirate
Pirates might be famous for swearing and other words you don’t want your kids repeating, but they also had a whole vocabulary around sailing, cooking, and other everyday activities. Visit Imagine Forest for a list of common pirate lingo, plus some writing prompt ideas.
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