15 Playful Pirate Crafts for Kids
Get busy with these pirate crafts for kids, for International Talk Like a Pirate Day! Make crafts with paper plates, cardboard tubes and more!
When do you think the first pirates roamed the sea? The 18th century? The age of the Vikings? Well, it appears that our scheming friends have been around for much longer, as far back as the 14th century BC!
While pirates initially referred to the people who conducted heists and robberies at sea, the word soon expanded to include people who committed similar crimes on land, in the air and now on the internet! There are even science fiction novels that feature pirates in outer space!
Interesting Facts about Pirates:
- The word ‘pirate’ is derived from the Latin word ‘pirata’, which means ‘sea robber’
- Blackbeard is the most famous pirate, called so because he would often light his beard on fire to scare others
- Women were considered unlucky and not allowed on pirate ships – so women went on board disguised as men
- In reality, pirates weren’t interested in jewels and gold – their most prized treasure were medicines
- ‘International Talk Like a Pirate Day’ has nothing to do with pirates, but with a racquetball game
Yes, that last bit is absolutely true! During a racquetball game between two friends, one of them said ‘Aarrr’ when he was hurt, and they decided right then to create a holiday based on this!
And that’s how 19th September got to be celebrated as International Talk Like a Pirate Day and it’s now a fun holiday for kids and adults to channel their inner Jack Sparrows! If you’re ready to celebrate too, we have some fun pirate crafts for kids lined up here!
15 Playful Pirate Crafts for Kids
1. Pirate Papercraft for Kids
For most people, the word ‘pirate’ brings up images of the black flag with the skull and crossbones – also known as the Jolly Roger. This flag was used as an identifier for pirate ships, and that still holds true, which is why these little guys’ hats also feature it!
2. Cardboard Tube Pirate and Parrot Craft
Why do pirates always have parrots with them? Well, it’s apparently because parrots don’t eat much, so they can survive food shortages and also take care of themselves. What’s more, they can fly away in case of any danger and also provide entertainment on long sea journeys!
3. Printable I Spy Pirates Game
This fun printable I Spy game features all kinds of pirate icons and symbols – the perfect game for International Speak like a Pirate Day! You have pirate ships, parrots, spy glasses, treasure chests and of course – pirates!
4. Wooden Spoon Pirates
These wooden spoon pirates from I Heart Crafty Things look quite realistic – all disheveled and tired like they’ve been hunting treasure for quite a while! In reality, pirates never used treasure maps for land; instead, they used sailing maps to guide them across the oceans.
5. Pirate Ship Craft
It is said that pirates mostly targeted ships that were along narrow channels and straits, which made it easier for them to strike and difficult for the ships to escape. Well, we’re pretty sure this cute little pirate ship from Big Family Blessings will be able to make it through any tough spot!
6. Handprint Pirate Craft
Simple Everyday Mom has a cute pirate craft that’s perfect for young kids! They’ll love seeing how their handprints turn into completely different characters with the addition of an eye patch and some paint!
7. Craft Stick Pirate Craft
Using a black button as an eye patch – genius! That’s just one of the reasons we love this craft from Our Kid Things, but we have to admit these pirates look more cheerful than menacing!
8. Pirate Puppet Craft
For young kids, the most popular pirate is probably Jake and the Neverland Pirates from Disney Junior. Based on Peter Pan, this show features Jake and his friends fighting Captain Hook. The show is so popular that it even won a Daytime Emmy Award for Animation! If your kids love the show, they’ll also love this project from Big Family Blessings.
9. Pirate Finger Puppets
There are lots of pirate stories out there and if you’d like to enact one of them, or create one of your own, try making these finger puppets from Red Ted Art – they look like they’re ready to get into action!
10. Paper Plate Pirate Craft
The image of pirates we have today is quite similar to how they actually dressed in the past. Many of them did wear a bandanna or a tricorne, and they were often missing body parts, probably due to infections and not having access to medical care. Made to be a Momma tries to capture the spirit of those pirates in this paper plate craft.
11. Free Printable Pirate Headband
Well, this list of pirate crafts for kids is in honor of International Talk like a Pirate Day, so that’s what we should all be doing! While you’re at it, go ahead and make this cute pirate headband from Simple Everyday Mom, so you feel like a real pirate as you say ‘Aaarggh’!
12. Paper Bowl Pirate Craft
We’ve already got a paper plate craft in this list of pirate crafts for kids, so it’s time for a paper bowl version, from I Heart Crafty Things! Those eye patches sure give the pirates a mean look! It is believed that the eye patch was to help the pirate keep one eye adjusted to light and the other adjusted to the dark when going below deck.
13. Pirate Cork Boats
Pirates were, broadly speaking, criminals, but they still had their own code of ‘ethics’. For instance, every pirate ship had its own set of rules, deciding how the loot would be divided, how conflicts would be resolved and who had to do what job. These pirate ships from Red Ted Art aren’t large enough for a crew, but they sure are cute!
14. Cute Round Pirate Craft
Well, these pirates from Kids Craftroom certainly look all bright and happy, what with their shiny belt buckles and all! It seems pirates liked wearing bright, flashy clothes and jewelry, and the number of embellishments often indicated the status of the pirate.
15. 3 Pirates Paper Bag Craft
At certain points in time, piracy was quite a lucrative business, and there was some intense competition between pirates! They fought with each other and sometimes even joined forces for more strength. Well, we’re sure these guys from The Inspiration Edit are going to get along very well with each other!
We hope you’ve learnt a little about pirates with these pirate crafts for kids – we certainly have! Other activities you can try for International Talk like a Pirate Day are watching pirate movies or reading books featuring pirates – our favorite is Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson!
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