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Celebrate Pirate Day On Friday 14 May

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Celebrate Pirate Day On Friday 14 May Read Brightly

Pirate Day is on Friday 14 May. It is an annual national day of dressing up like a pirate to raise awareness and much-needed funds for childhood brain cancer.

Encourage children and Educators to dress up like Pirates for the day. Wear stripes and an eye patch and engage in a variety of pirate related fun to raise awareness for childhood brain cancer.

Experiences include:

  • a treasure hunt in the sandpit u
  • using recycled materials such as cardboard boxes, toilet rolls, crepe paper and paint to create pirate ship
  • create a pirate treasure map
  • make a pirate hat
  • create your own pirate swords
  • use cups, pipe cleaners wrapped in foil to create a pirate hook
  • play ring toss
  • paper cup parrots
  • paper bowl pirates
  • pirate sensory bin with sand shells coins beads shovels treasure boxes
  • create and wear an eye patch
  • make gold slime
  • make treasure boxes with fake coins
  • use tube rolls to create pirate spy glasses
  • create a plank from the balance beam that the "pirates" could walk

For more Resources and ideas: Pirate Day Resources

Songs and Fingerplays

If You're A Pirate and You Know It

  • If you're a pirate and you know it, swab the deck (swish, swish)
    If you're a pirate and you know it, swab the deck (swish, swish)
    If you're a pirate and you know it, then you'll hear the sea winds blowing.
    If you're a pirate and you know it, swab the deck (swish, swish)
    verses two and three
    If you're a pirate and you know it, walk the plank (stomp, stomp)
    If you're a pirate and you know it, say ahoy Ahoy! (with arm movement)

One-Eyed Jake

  • I’m One-Eyed Jake, the pirate chief
    (cover one eye with hand as if covering eye with a patch)
    A terrible, fearsome ocean thief
    I have a peg upon my leg
    (Stand on one leg)
    I have a hook and a dirty look
    (One arm in the air, curving hand into a hook shape—make exaggerated mean face)
    I’m One-Eyed Jake, the pirate chief
    A terrible, fearsome ocean thief.

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)...

Ten Little Pirates

  • Ten little pirates stood in a row hold up all ten fingers
    They bowed to their captain so lower and raise fingers
    They marched to the left march hands to left (or opposite since kids will mirror you)
    They marched to the right see above
    They shouted yoo hoo! cup hands over mouth
    And gave their captain a fright act scared, cover mouth with hands

Ref: Born Librarian

Register your Pirate Day festivities and grab a gold coin donation from families to support brain cancer research. Money raised this year will be directed to Dr Raelene Endersby, Co-Head, Brain Tumour Research at Telethon Kids Institute. The team have recently received a grant from The Kids’ Cancer Project for a scientific collaboration. This will include a number of groups around Australia and the United States.

To Register: Pirate Day Registration

For more information: Pirate Day

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