International Talk Like a Pirate Day is approaching quickly and while this Sept. 19 may be celebrated differently than years past, there are still plenty of ways to mark the occasion. Did you know the founders of Talk like a Pirate Day, John Baur and Mark Summer, created the holiday while playing a game of raquetball in 1995? Since then, the holiday has been celebrated by the Space Station and the Oval Office.
Since we can't be together in person to celebrate with displays and programs, below you'll find a collection of books for all ages, songs, crafts, and games to enjoy at home.
Picture Books
How I Became a Pirate by Melinda Long
Pirate's Perfect Pet by Beth Ferry
Shiver Me Letters: a pirate ABC by June Sobel
Pirate Pete's Talk Like a Pirate by Kim Kennedy
Pirate's Lullaby by Marcie Wessels
Arrr, Mustache Baby by Bridget Heos
Chapter Books
Magic Marks the Spot (The Very Nearly Honorable League of Pirates, #1) by Caroline Carlson
Peter and the Starcatchers by Dave Berry
Seven Dead Pirates by Linda Bailey
Race to the Bottom of the Sea by Lindsay Eagar
School Ship Tobermory by Alexander McCall Smith
Shivers!: The Pirate Who's Afraid of Everything by Annabeth Bondor-Stone
Children's Non-fiction
The Whydah: a pirate ship feared, wrecked, and found by Martin W. Sandler
Lives of Pirates: swashbucklers, scoundrels (neighbors beware!) by Kathleen Krull
The Pirate's Handbook by Margarette Lincoln
You Wouldn't Want to be a Pirate's Prisoner! by John Malam
Blackbeard, the Pirate King by Patrick Lewis
Pirate Gear: cannons, swords, and the Jolly Roger by Liam O'Donnell
The Book of Pirates by Jamaica Rose
Young Adult Books
Daughter of the Pirate King by Tricia Levenseller
The Unbinding of Mary Reade by Miriam McNamara
The Assassin's Curse by Cassandra Rose Clark
Vampirates: Demons of the Ocean by Justin Somper
Adult Books
Pirate Latitudes by Michael Crichton
The Chocolate Pirate Plot by JoAnna Carl
Black Flags, Blue Waters: the epic history of America's most notorious pirates by Eric Jay Dolin
Songs
If You're a Pirate and You Know It
If you’re a pirate & you know it, swab the deck (swish, swish)
If you’re a pirate & you know it, swab the deck (swish, swish)
If you’re a pirate & you know it, then you’ll hear sea winds a’blowin
If you’re a pirate & you know it, swab the deck (swish, swish)
(Walk the plank, stomp stomp // Say arrr, arrr!)
Sail, Sail, Sail Your Ship
Sail, Sail, Sail your ship
Gently over the seas
merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily
A pirate's life for me
The Day I went to Sea
When I was one (hold up one finger)
I sucked my thumb (mock sucking thumb)
The day I went to sea.
I jumped aboard a pirate ship (jump)
And the captain said to me. (point to self)
We're going this way (lean and sway while pointing right)
And that way (lean and sway while pointing left)
And forward (rock/walk forward)
And backward (rock/walk backward)
Across the deep blue sea. (spin in circle)
other verses
When I was two, I tied my shoe...
When I was three, I scraped my knee...
When I was four, I shut the door...
When I was five, I danced a jive... (or learned to dive)...
Crafts
Build a Pirate Ship: Decorate a large box to look like a Pirate Ship. Use markers, decorations, fabric to make portholes, flags, etc. Then dress up as a pirate and use your new pirate ship as a photo op.
Games
- Peg-Leg Treasure Chest Race: Like a regular three-legged race but with eye patches! You will need multiple people for this game to make teams. Tie the left leg of one person to the right leg of the other. Let the teams race each other to the finish line (treasure chest).
- Find the Crocodile: This game is hide-and-seek with a twist. Like in Peter Pan, one player will be Captain Hook, this will be the seeker. The other player will be the crocodile with the ticking clock in his belly. The hider will need an old fashioned kitchen timer. The goal is to have Captain Hook seek out the ticking clock. Time's out once the timer goes off. To up the ante, blindfold Captain Hook.
- Treasure Hunt: Your treasure can be plastic coins, little toys, etc. Whatever you want to use as treasure. Hide this treasure around your house, your yard. Let the kids know what type of treasure they will be searching for and how many they should find and set them loose.