Pirate Crafts to Make

Kids have incredible imaginations, so when they want to become a character or play a game, encourage them. Many kids love to pretend that they are pirates. Give them the tools to exercise their imagination by helping them make their pirate paraphernalia.

Treasure Map and Chest

• You can't be a pirate without a treasure map to find buried riches. Help kids create their own treasure map by sketching out an old-looking map on a piece of paper. Remember to include symbols and dashed lines to follow. "X" marks the spot where the treasure can be found, so don't forget that crucial piece of information. Once your map is drawn, you can take it to the stove or use a handheld lighter to burn the edges and turn the paper a golden brown color. That will give the map an old, authentic look and feel to it.

  Once you have completed the map, you can create the treasure chest. Purchase a small, inexpensive wooden box from a craft store. Let the kids decorate the chest however they want, and then fill it with fake gold coins from a party supply store. You can even fill the chests with chocolate gold coins to add a little something special.

The Telescope

• Pirates need to keep an eye out for other pirates or bad storms when they are on their ships. So, let the kids create their own personal telescopes. Use the cardboard tubes from empty paper towel or wrapping paper rolls. Take a small piece of plastic wrap and secure it around one end of each roll. That will be the telescope's "glass lens." Let the kids decorate their scopes however they'd like.

Pirate Flag

• A pirate ship would not be complete without a pirate flag flying high. But, without an actual ship, all the kids have is themselves. Instead of creating a flag that they can wave around, let them decorate t-shirts so they can wear their flags instead.

  Provide fabric decorating markers and paint. Encourage the kids to create a flag shirt that depicts something that they enjoy. For example, if he enjoys hockey, a budding pirate could use the classic skull and cross bones, with hockey sticks instead of bones. Ultimately, let the kids use their imaginations.