How to Make an Old Pirate Game for Kids

Begin by making a treasure chest to use in the game. You can do this by gluing some construction paper to a tissue box and then drawing a skull and crossbones on the top. Fill the treasure chest with fake jewelry and plastic gold coins.

Locate some great spots to hide clues and an ultimate spot to hide the treasure you just made. You can hide one behind a tree, in a bathtub, under the kitchen table. It can be double the fun if you use both the indoors and the outdoors.

Make up some clues on index cards. Try to make the clues rhyme, as this is more exciting for children. For example, one clue could read "Tip toe, tip toe, quiet as a mouse, if you look up, I'm in the tree house." The clues don't have to be hard because they are for children.

Duplicate your clues for as many teams as you are going to have play the pirate game. You might want three to five kids on each team. Make sure all of the clues are in envelopes with the clue number written on the front. This will help you and the children keep track.

Hand each team their first clue, and don't let them open it until you say go. Before you say go, explain to the children that the first team to find the pirate treasure is the winner. The winners can divide up the treasure as they see fit. Tell the losers that they will have to walk the plank.

Lay a piece of wood outside and have each of the losers take a walk on the wood and jump off to signify that they have just "walked the plank." This is sure to get some giggles and will help ease the pain of any team that did not win.