Pirates

INTERACTIVE PLANNING-PIRATES

(Open interactive planning-Pirates) Print and use the document to present activities related to the theme for your group. 

SPECIAL TOOL

For each theme, we create a special tool in response to a request that we’ve received. (Open group identification-Pirates) Print and display the items in a specific area within your space or in your circle time area. Use them to identify children’s belongings and personal spaces.

CIRCLE TIME

Puppets-Pirates
Use the puppets for their "creative" aspect. Children will enjoy making them talk and interact. You will find several puppet templates in the Educatall Club.

Cannonball chat
During circle time, inflate a black party balloon. Tell children that the balloon represents a cannonball. To grant a child permission to speak, make a cannon sound while tossing (or handing) him the balloon. When the child finishes speaking, he can throw it back to you in the same way.

The pirate parrot
Here, you will need a stuffed parrot. Hold it on your shoulder during circle time. Use it to repeat everything children say during the discussion, or even to rephrase their words. Allow children to take turns making the parrot speak.

AREA SETUP

Throw the anchor
Cut a large anchor shape out of thick cardboard and wrap it with aluminum foil. Cut several strips of black construction paper. Form a ring with the first strip. Insert the ends of a second strip into the ring before attaching the ends together. Continue in this manner until you have created a long chain-like structure. Attach the chain to your anchor and lean it against a wall. Let it rest on the floor for a fun decoration related to your pirate theme.

Pirates of attendance
(Open pirates of attendance) Print the model. Children trace the bandana onto a colored scrapbook paper of their choice and cut it out. They trace the eye patch onto a sheet of black foam and cut it out. Finally, they cut a ring (earring) out of a sheet of gold foam. Give each child a white paper plate. Invite them to draw their face on the plate. Afterwards, they can glue the cut-out pieces onto the plate to transform themselves into pirates. Using adhesive putty, children can display their pirate face on your daycare door upon their arrival each morning.

Thematic poster-Pirates

(Open thematic poster-Pirates) Print, laminate, and display the poster where parents are sure to see it.

Educa-theme-Pirates

(Open educa-theme-Pirates) Print and laminate the different elements representing the theme. The items can be used to present the theme to children (and their parents) or simply to decorate your daycare for the theme.

Educa-decorate-Pirates
(Open educa-decorate-Pirates) Print, laminate, and cut out the items. Use them to decorate your daycare walls and set the mood for the theme.

Stickers-Pirates

(Open stickers-Pirates) Print the illustrations on adhesive paper and use them to create a collection of original stickers.

Hang multicolored crepe paper garlands from the ceiling. You can also use colorful construction paper to create colorful chains. Set a black tablecloth on your table and press pirate-themed stickers all over it. Add multicolored miniature Christmas lights. Decorate your space with pirate and treasure-themed pictures and colorful balloons.

PIRATES

(Open pirate party)
 

Costume: Pirate's eye patch
(Open pirate's eye patch) Print, cut out, and make holes. Children decorate their eye patches as they wish. Attach a small elastic thread so children can easily slide their mask on and off.

Pirate's hat
(Open pirate's hat) Cut the model out of cardboard. Children decorate their hat with small beads, crumpled pieces of tissue paper, buttons, etc.

Cake: Treasure cake
Bake two rectangular chocolate cakes. Cover both cakes with chocolate icing. Place the two cakes so they look like an open treasure chest that is full of jewels and gold coins (chocolate coins and candy necklaces).

Decorations
Create a pirate ship structure from an empty appliance box (refrigerator, washing machine, etc.). The structure should be glued to the wall as a decoration. Use fabric to represent sails, empty paper towel rolls for the masts, etc. We have created a few crew members that you can add to your ship. (Open pirate ship crew)

ACTIVITIES

Treasure chest
Decorate a box. Add numerous surprises. Every day of the week, have children pick a surprise from the treasure chest.

Parrot game
This is played like the telephone game. Sit in a circle with your group. Begin by whispering a word related to the theme to the child to your right. This child must repeat the word to the child sitting to his right and so on until the word has traveled all the way around the circle. BE CAREFUL not to say the word too loudly, it is a secret! The last one to hear the word says it out loud for everyone to hear. The word will certainly be distorted!

Treasure Island
Divide the group into two teams. Draw a circle on the floor for each team (or use two hula hoops). Be sure to leave sufficient distance between the two circles. Each island has a treasure (various object). The pirates (children) attempt to steal the other team's treasure. If a pirate succeeds and brings the other team's treasure back to his team’s island without being touched, his team wins. Start over!

Searching for gold
When the children in your group are not present in the daycare, hide gold pieces (tiny rocks painted with gold poster paint) in the sandbox or around your space. Don't forget to count the number of gold pieces you hide to make certain they have all been found. Encourage children to search for them.

Invitation and greeting card
(Open sword) Print and inscribe the details of the party behind the pirate's sword that you have printed on heavy cardboard for each child. Cut out the sword models. Children may paint and decorate their sword as they see fit.

PICTURE GAME

The pictures may be used as a memory game or to spark a conversation with your group. Use them to decorate the daycare or a specific thematic corner. (Open picture game-Pirates) Print, laminate, and store in a Ziploc bag or thematic bin.

Memory game-Pirates

(Open picture game-Pirates) Print the cards twice and use them to play a traditional memory game.

WRITING AND ACTIVITY SHEETS

Writing activities

(Open writing activities-P like pirate) Print for each child or laminate for use with a dry-erase marker.

Activity sheets

(Open activity sheets-Pirates) Print and follow instructions.

VARIOUS WORKSHOPS

Construction and building blocks
• Wooden blocks to build pirate hideouts.
• Plastic animals, reptiles, fish.
• Blocks that mimic logs to build a cabin or pirate ship.

Arts and crafts
• Pirate eye patches, swords, and hats to allow children to create their own little "pirate kit."
• Toilet paper rolls and green and brown cardboard to create palm trees, coconut trees, or other exotic landscapes.
• Sand and white glue to represent beach scenes.
• Markers and a large roll of paper to create a collective pirate story.
• Feathers to create a parrot.

Role play
• Pirate costume and accessory bin: pirate costumes, shovels, jewelry, maps, eye patches, bandanas, stuffed parrots, mops and buckets, ropes, compasses, gold coins, telescopes, etc.

Manipulation
• Pirate memory game with Educatall picture game.
• Pirate memory game, lotto game, or other board games related to the theme.
• Beads for creating different types of jewelry to fill a treasure chest.
• Thematic puzzles.
• Ropes of all kinds to learn how to tie knots.

Drawing
• Pirate-themed coloring sheets.
• Creative coloring activities.
• Crayons that are used less often, like waxed or wooden crayons.

Pre-reading
• Books about pirates and boats.
• A pirate movie, for example Peter Pan.
• A picture book featuring photos of different southern seas.
• Travel guides.

Pre-writing
• Activity sheets.
• Mazes.
• Connect-the-dot activities.
• Activity sheets for exploring the letter P like pirate.

Sensory bin
• Sand bin... where you can hide little treasures.
• Saltwater bin...with seashells, buckets, and sifters.

LANGUAGE ACTIVITIES

Word flashcards
The flashcards may be used to spark a conversation with your group, in your reading and writing area, or even to identify your thematic bins.(Open word flashcards-Pirates) or (Open giant word flashcards-Pirates) pirate, ship, treasure, treasure island, parrot, cannon, cannonball, ocean, wooden leg, crew, sword, hook

Pirate lineup

(Open pirate lineup) Print, laminate, and cut out the pirates as well as the cards describing their position in the pirate lineup. One child picks a card and describes the order in which the pirates are lined up by mentioning the color of their clothes, their size, and other details. His peers arrange the pirates in front of them on the table or floor, per the clues they are given. At the end, they compare their pirate lineup with what is shown on the card.

If I was a pirate…

(Open worksheet-If I was a pirate) Print for each child. Have them draw themselves as a pirate and invent their pirate name. Invite them to draw their pirate ship and find a name for it too. Furthermore, have them draw a map representing the route they must follow to reach their coveted treasure. When they are done, children present themselves to the group. Using a “pirate voice”, they announce their mission to their crew members.

Game-This is my spot-Pirates

(Open game-This is my spot-Pirates) Print and laminate two copies. Arrange enough tiny images on the floor so that there is a spot for each child. Set the second set of images in an opaque bag or box and have children pick one to determine where they must sit.

Story and memory game-Pirates
(Open story and memory game-Pirates) Print, laminate, and cut out the images. Arrange them face down on the floor. Children take turns picking 3 cards and using them for inspiration to invent a story. Variation: Print the cards twice and use them for a memory game.

Educa-chatterbox-Pirates

(Open educa-chatterbox-Pirates) Print, laminate, and cut out the cards. Decorate a shoebox and set the cards as well as a variety of small items related to the theme inside it. During circle time or, for example, when children are waiting for lunch to be served, have them pick one card or item out of your chatterbox at a time and encourage them to name the item and tell you what they know about it. 

PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND MOTOR SKILLS

Pirate ring toss game
You will need a large piece of white cardboard. Children will enjoy helping you prepare the game. Unroll 5 long pieces of aluminum foil and twist them to form rolls that you can then shape into hooks. Insert one end of each hook into the bottom of a plastic cup. Glue these hooks on your cardboard, one in the center and one in each corner. These will be your targets. Let children press stickers related to the theme here and there on the cardboard that you have set on the floor. For each child, you will need a paper plate of a different color. Help them cut the center out of their plate, keeping only the outer portion that will become their ring. Invite them to sit a few feet away from the game. One by one, they can try to toss their ring around a pirate hook. You can assign a different score to each hook if you wish.

My pirate hook
(Open my pirate hook) Print for each child. Give each child a piece of aluminum paper that they can cut into small squares or pieces and glue inside the hook shape to represent metal.

Treasure construction
Wrap several cardboard boxes with Kraft paper or, if you prefer, paint them with brown poster paint. Next, wrap 2 gold ribbon strips around the short sides of the boxes to make them look like treasure chests. Glue a gold ribbon on the front of each box to represent a latch. The children will have fun stacking these treasure chests to create various constructions.

Little pirate ships
(Open pirate ship sail and flag) Print the template. Children trace the items on a foam sheet and cut out the sail and flag. Cut a pool noodle into pieces that are about 5 cm thick. Give each child a foam washer and a flexible drinking straw. They will attach the flag to the bent end of their straw before cutting 2 small notches in the center of the sail (one facing up and one facing down). They can slide it onto the long end of their straw. Next, they will insert the other end of the straw into the foam washer. Let them press stickers related to the theme on their sail. They will enjoy floating their pirate boats in a water bin or a puddle outside.

Explosive treasure chests
Here, you will need to prepare a mixture of 3 parts baking soda and 1 part water, to which you will add blue Jell-O powder. Mix well and pour the mixture into ice cube trays. Let children add coins, glitter, and gems to the different sections to represent treasures. Place everything in the freezer. The next day, you can have fun with your explosive treasure chests. Just place the ice cube chests in a bin and let children pour vinegar over them using squeeze bottles or droppers. Supervision required. They will enjoy rediscovering the treasures!

Modeling dough activity placemats-Pirates
(Open modeling dough activity placemats-Pirates) Print and laminate. Let children pick a placemat and provide modeling dough. Encourage them to use the dough to fill or reproduce the shapes that are on their placemat.

Following the "X"s
Cut several large "X"s out of red cardboard. Attach them to various objects in your yard and invite children to find them, collect them, and follow the "X"s to find a treasure. The treasure could be a book you will read to them, a special snack, or even paper or foam pirate hats.

On the way to the treasure
Cut a large white paper to represent a map of your yard. Draw different elements that are in the yard (play structures, playhouses, swings, sandbox, etc.). Then, connect these elements with various lines: zigzags, curves, dotted lines, swirls. In one corner of your map, create a legend to show, for example, that children must walk between objects connected by zigzags, run between objects connected by curves, jump between objects connected by dotted lines, and spin around or between objects connected by swirls. Use your map to navigate the yard.

Fine motor skills-Cannons
(Open fine motor skills-Cannons) Print a sheet for each child. Children cut out the rectangles and follow the trajectory of each cannonball using the illustrated tools.

Small treasures to manipulate
(Open treasure chest frame) Print a treasure chest frame for each child on thick paper. Invite them to color it and cut it out. If needed, help them cut out the inside of their chest to create a "window." Give each child a resealable plastic bag that they can attach to their treasure chest. Provide hair gel, glitter, gems, black buttons, etc., that they can slide into their bag before sealing it. Invite children to place their bag flat on the table so they can manipulate the small accessories by sliding them inside the window of their treasure chest.

Knots
Bring several ropes and teach children how to tie knots (and loops) like pirates on ships.

Port side or starboard
Sit in a circle with the children in your group. Show them that "port side" is on the left and "starboard" is on the right. Then, ask them to touch the friend who is on their port side and touch the friend that is on their starboard. Once the concept is understood, set up cones on the right (STARBOARD) and cones on the left (PORT SIDE). Place one child in the center. Shout "port to starboard" (or vice versa). Children must switch sides without being caught by the child in the middle. If a child is caught, he must stay in the center for the next round. Variation: With older children, you could shout both "port to starboard" and "starboard to port" at the same time.

Peek-a-pirate
Simply have children wear a pirate eye patch or bandana to play hide-and-seek.

Pirate’s eye patch
(Open pirate’s eye patch) Print and assemble an eyepatch for each child. When children sit down for lunch, have them wear their pirate eye patch and a bandana.

Treasure bottles
Create sensory bottles using clear plastic bottles. Fill them with jewelry, glitter, necklaces, beads, etc.

Treasure Island
Divide your group into two teams. Draw a large circle on the floor (or use 2 hula hoops) for each team, leaving a good distance between them. Each treasure island contains a treasure (various object). The pirates (children) must steal the treasure from the other team's island. If a pirate successfully brings the treasure back to his team’s island without being touched, his team wins. Start over.

Looking for gold
When the children are not around (during nap time), hide gold coins (marbles or small stones painted using gold poster paint) in the sandbox. Don’t forget to count the number of coins you hide to ensure they have all been found.

Parrot game
This is played like the telephone game. Sit in a circle with your group. Begin by whispering a word related to the theme to the child to your right. This child must repeat the word to the child sitting to his right and so on until the word has traveled all the way around the circle. BE CAREFUL not to say the word too loudly, it is a secret! The last one to hear the word says it out loud for everyone to hear. The word will certainly be distorted!

Find the Treasure
(Open treasure map) Print, laminate, and assemble the map. Set the map on the floor and ask children to throw bean bags (or gold coins) onto or as close as possible to the "X" that represents the location of the treasure.

The ship is sinking
Divide your group into 2 teams. Each team must have 2 bins of the same size. The first bin is filled with water and the second one is empty. The goal of the race is to fill the second bin using only two sponges. The children fill their sponge with water and squeeze it into bin number 2. The team that empties the first bin the fastest wins.

The great hunt
(Open treasure hunt objects) Print and laminate. Hide various objects in your yard. Display the illustrated objects on a wall or fence and invite children to find them and set them in a treasure chest.

Ship race
Fill a pool with water. Give each child a straw and a plastic boat. Organize races where children must propel their boat by blowing in the water (or in the air) through the straw.

Giant coin hunt
Cut circles out of cardboard and cover them with aluminum foil. Hide these giant coins in the yard and ask children to find them.

Buried treasure on the beach
Fill a bin with sand and hide coins (1, 5, 10, 25 cents) in it. Time children individually (one minute each). Using a spoon, children must find as many coins as possible.

Gold coins hidden in bins
(Open miniature gold coins) Print and laminate. Hide the coins in manipulation bins filled with feathers, sand, or puffed rice cereal. Invite children to search for them.

Where are the treasures hiding?
(Open miniature treasures) Print and laminate. Place small pictures representing different types of treasure on items within your space. When you give the signal, children must search for the treasure. There is no winner here, the important thing is to have fun! At the end, you can give each child a treasure.

The missing treasure
(Open treasure game) Print and display the treasure chest on the wall, at children's level. Hide gold coins, jewelry, and precious stones around the space. When a child finds a treasure, he must shout, "Treasure Found!" before pressing the treasure on the treasure chest. The goal of the game is to find all the missing pieces.

Treasure hunt at home
Make a list of items to search for during a treasure hunt. Ensure each child recognizes the items you've chosen for the hunt. Draw a map of your yard (or your space) and use an "X" to indicate where the treasure is hidden. You could, for example, fill a small chest with gold chocolate coins. You could also organize a jewelry-making workshop (necklaces, bracelets, and other items) and hide the jewelry created by the children in your group. Divide your group into teams of two. The team that comes back with the most items wins the game.

COGNITIVE ACTIVITIES

Game-Four pirates

(Open game-Four pirates) Print, glue the cards on opaque paper and cut them out. Arrange them face down on the floor or table (so that you can’t see the pirates). Children take turns rolling a die. Every time a child rolls a “1”, he turns a card over and looks at it without showing the illustration to his peers. If he doesn’t already have this card in front of him, he sets it on the floor or table for everyone to see. The first child who has all 4 pirates wins. 

Counting cards-Pirates

(Open counting cards-Pirates) Print and laminate. Prepare a series of wooden clothespins on which you have painted or written numbers 1 to 9. Children count the items on each card and attach the clothespin that has the corresponding number on it.

Parrots-Shape and color recognition

(Open parrots-Shape and color recognition) Print, laminate, and cut out the parrots as well as the strips containing various shapes of a single color. Cut out the square on each parrot’s belly to create small windows. Children insert a strip in a parrot, associating the color with the parrot’s hat and the color of the shapes. They pull the strip upwards or downwards to make the shape illustrated on the pirate hat appear in the opening. Encourage children to name the shapes.

Alphabetical gold coins

You will need a medium-sized resealable plastic bag for each child. Using a permanent marker, write uppercase letters on each bag. Write the same letters on plastic gold coins and insert them in the bags. Children set their bag flat on a table and slide the gold coins around to associate them with the letters written on their bag. Thus, the gold coin on which “E” is written will end up under a handwritten “E” on the bag. With older children, you can have them match uppercase and lowercase letters.  

Pirate flags

(Open pirate flags) Print, laminate, and cut out the flags. Glue each flag on a pipe cleaner. Set them all in a bin containing necklace beads that children can slide onto the pipe cleaners. Children pick a flag and slide the correct number of beads on the pipe cleaner.

Treasure maps

(Open game-Treasure maps) Print and laminate the cards and the shapes. Cut out the latter. Invite children to set the shapes in the right spots on the cards. Next, encourage children to explain the route that leads to the treasure to their peers by naming the shapes and their color.  

Pirate drawings

(Open pirate drawings) Print, laminate, and cut out the cards. Roll out a large piece of aluminum paper and scrunch it up. Twist it to make it look like a hook. Insert one end of your hook in the bottom of a plastic drinking glass. Show children how they can wear their pirate hook by slidinig their hand inside the glass. Pour sand in a shallow bin, completely covering the bottom. Children take turns picking a card and tracing the drawing that is shown on it in the sand using their hook.  

Counting precious stones

(Open counting precious stones) Print a scene for each child. Print a few copies of the page containing precious stones. Laminate and cut them out. Set a bin filled with plastic precious stones in the center of the table and give each child a small shovel for sand play. Using their shovel, children must set the correct number of precious stones of the corresponding color on their scene. When they are all done, children move over to face the scene of the child who was to their right. Invite them to count the precious stones and name their color. 

Associating pirate flags

(Open colorful flags) Print, laminate, and cut out the flags and the cards. The more flags you print, the longer the game will last. Set a container filled with different colors of Popsicle sticks in the center of the table. Arrange the flags around the bin. For their first challenge, children must pick a flag and press it on a Popsicle stick of the corresponding color using adhesive putty. Next, have them pick a card and reproduce the flag by pressing a flag of the correct color on a flagpole (Popsicle stick) of the color that is shown. Encourage them to name the colors. 

MORAL AND SOCIAL ACTIVITIES

Message in a bottle

Set up a recycling bin filled with water and add a 2-liter empty soda bottle for each child (make sure to wash them thoroughly inside). Encourage children to draw a picture and insert it in their bottle. You can also ask children to suggest sweet words they’d like to secretly write on their message (drawing). Here are some sweet word suggestions: kind, happy, smiling, friendly, adorable, handsome, beautiful, wise, charming, playful, cute, sweet, superb, great, respectful, etc. At the end of the week, have each child pick a bottle and reveal the secret messages.

I am a pirate

Headband: Use pieces of colorful fabric and tie them pirate-style around children’s heads. You can also use traditional bandanas.

Belt: Cut wide strips of black fabric and tie them around children’s waists.

Eye patch: Cut a pirate eye patch out of black cardboard. Attach strings or an elastic band.

Mustache: Use a black crayon (like eyeliner) or makeup pencil and draw a pirate mustache on each child’s face. Older children can also draw their own mustache using a mirror.

My name is…: All pirates have special names. Ask children to come up with their own pirate name and write them on sticky labels.  

ARTS & CRAFTS

Pirate models
(Open pirate models) Print the models as needed. Use them for your various activities and crafts throughout the theme.

My pirate ship flag
For each child, you will need a large Popsicle stick and 5 regular-sized natural Popsicle sticks. (Open pirate ship flag logo) Print for each child. Children color and cut out the logo of their choice. They paint 3 sticks with red poster paint and 2 with black poster paint. Let dry. Next, they glue one end of the painted sticks horizontally on the large stick, alternating colors to represent a flag. They glue the logo in the center of their flag.

My bearded pirate
Give each child a paper plate and ask them to paint it with light pink or beige poster paint. Let dry. They trace the outline of their plate on a piece of fabric of their choice and cut out the circle before cutting it in half. They glue the half-circle on the top of their plate to represent a bandana. They glue one large wiggly eye under the bandana and draw an eye patch where the other eye would be. Finally, they dip a cork in black paint and stamp it at the bottom of their plate to draw a full beard.

Pirate ship sponge
Give each child a large sponge (like a car wash sponge). Help them cut about two thirds off the top of their sponge to give it the shape of a ship. (Open pirate ship pieces) Print and cut out the pieces. Invite children to cut and glue the portholes on either side of their ship and insert skewers into their sponge. Finally, they glue triangles cut out of fabric or foam sheets to the ends of the skewers.

My pirate sword
For each child, cut a simple sword shape out of thick cardboard. Invite them to wrap their sword with aluminum foil. Then, they can wrap colorful yarn around one end to create a handle. Provide various pirate-themed stickers that children can use to personalize their sword.

Treasure bag
Decorate paper lunch bags with glitter and jewels.

Pirate flag
(Open pirate flag) Print one copy for each child. Cut it out. Use a white trash bag (you can make 2 flags from one bag), staple a black piece of cardboard to the top, attach it to a stick, and you will have a flag that is ready to be hung.

Pirate’s eye patch
(Open pirate’s eye patch) Print, cut out, and punch two holes. Children decorate the eye patch as they like and then insert a small elastic band from on either side so that it fits around their head.

Pirate telescope
Children decorate an empty paper towel roll, and voilà!

Pirate hat
(Open pirate hat) Print the model on heavy paper and cut it out. Children decorate it with small gems, crumpled balls of tissue paper, buttons, etc.

Pirate ship
Decorate a tissue box to make it look like a ship. Add a Popsicle stick and felt to represent the sail. Find a name for your ship and draw a symbol on the sail.

Treasure chest
Cut the top off a tissue box to create a lid. Decorate the box with tissue paper and glitter. Children can set balls of gold-colored tissue paper in their treasure chest. Have them gather and paint small rocks using gold paint to represent coins.

Sword
(Open sword) Print and cut the sword model out of thick cardboard. Children can paint and decorate it as they wish.

COLORING PAGES

Coloring pages theme-Pirates
(Open coloring pages theme-Pirates) Print several coloring pages and set them out on a table in your drawing area. Children will enjoy coloring them during periods of free play.  

Creative coloring
(Open creative coloring-Pirates) Print for each child. Encourage children to fill the treasure chest.

Have fun!

The educatall team