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Even before today’s release of Pirates of the Caribbean, all things pirates was hot, hot, hot this summer with kids of all ages. Considering that the movie is PG-13, you may want to keep the younger kids home and plan some pirate activities and book readings instead.

Hunt for Treasure

One family pirate activity you can do is “hunt for treasure” with Geocaching.com. (A GPS unit is needed for this activity. If you don’t have one, ask around to friends and family. You’re bound to find a unit you can borrow.)

Geocaching is an entertaining adventure game for GPS users. The basic idea is to have individuals and organizations set up caches all over the world and share the locations of these caches on the internet. GPS users can then use the location coordinates to find the caches. Once found, a cache may provide the visitor with a wide variety of rewards. All the visitor is asked to do is if they get something they should try to leave something for the cache. For more information, go to the Geocaching FAQs page.

To learn how GPS works go to GPS: The New Navigation by PBS.

Make a Treasure Map and Go on a Hunt

• Buried Treasure Hunt from Club Cranium
• Treasure Hunt from Family Activity Ideas
• Plan a Treasure Hunt from Families with a Purpose
• Throwing a Pirate Party Adventure from Kid’s Parties by Lori (great ideas to plan a treasure hunt including using the birthday cake as a map!)
• Kids Love Hunting for Treasure from Creative Kids at Home

A Treasure Trove of Reading
As I searched our library’s online catalog, I was amazed to see several female pirate stories. Here are a few that were very intriguing

• The Pirate Meets the Queen - (Grades K-4) This book by Matt Faulkner has two strong female characters, pirate Granny O’Malley (based on the legend of the Irish pirate Granuaile O’Malley) and “Red Liz” Queen Elizabeth I of England. Gorgeous illustrations and a really terrific story that will appeal to apprentice pirates of all ages and genders.
• Pirate Girl - (Grades K-2) By Cornelia Funke, this book is about a young girl, Molly, who is kidnapped by a pirate crew. She soon proves to be smarter and braver than any of the pirates aboard. This isn’t a surprise, considering her mother, Barbarous Bertha, is the toughest pirate of them all.
• The Pirate Princess And Other Fairy Tales- (Grades 4-6) This volume contains seven fairy tales adapted from the stories written by seventeenth-century Hasidic rabbi Nahman ben Simha. The collection  begins with the story of a princess who turns pirate to escape unwanted suitors and rejoin the man she loves. Several of the other stories share elements of adventure, true love, promises, quests, and fortune.
• Swashbuckling books from Usborne - Usborne features story books like two version of the classic Treasure Island (one for kids 10 years and up and the other for children ages 5 to 12).

More books from Usborne

Also from Usborne are activity kits like Pirate Things to Make and Do Kid Kit - Children can make a shining sword, a treasure chest, a moneybag, coins, an eye patch, a treasure map, a pirate hat and lots more. Kid Kit includes: Pirate Things to Make & Do book, pirate stamp (Jolly Roger Stamp), pirate stamp pad (black ink), shiny silver material for pirate sword, glue stick, scissors, black construction paper, white crayon, black felt and elastic cord for pirate moneybag, and heavy art paper for treasure chest & other projects. (ages 6 and up)

There’s also a Pirates Kid Kit which gives you all the tools you need to play pirate including the Stories of Pirates Book, Spyglass, Pirate Hat (bandanna), Gold Earring (clip on), Gold Coins, Compass, Pirate Flag. Instructions for making a treasure map plus more ideas and suggestions also included. (ages 8 and up)

Finally there’s True Stories of Pirates for ages 9 and up.

Other Pirate Activities

• Talk Like a Pirate Day is September 17 (Thanks to Jan at the Carbon Valley Library for mentioning this. It pays to listen to your librarian!)
• Discover your pirate name
• The Pirate Glossary is a great guide to pirate talk

Pirate Food

Pirate’s Booty
recipe by justcallmejulie at Recipe+zaar
2 servings
15 minutes prep

This is a yummy confection to share with a handsome pirate…Shiver me timbers! Make sure you have the most important ingredient before you start this recipe - a dangerous and handsome pirate, preferably wearing a gold earring!!!!

Ingredients:

1. 1 quart gourmet coffee ice cream
2. 2 cups chocolate syrup,
3. chocolate sauce
4. 4 ounces of kahlua coffee liqueur (omit for the kids)
5. 1 large can of real whipped cream
6. 1/4 cup salted roasted almonds

Directions:

1. Make sure you have your pirate first.
2. Take the ice cream out of the freezer, and allow the ice cream to thaw slightly by leaving out at room temperature for about 20 minutes.
3. Dump the ice cream into a large bowl.
4. Pour Kahlua over ice cream, then pour the chocolate sauce - all of it - over the ice cream.
5. Sprinkle with almonds, then dispense about 1/2 the can of whipped cream over the almonds.
6. Save the rest of the can for the pirate.

More Pirate Inspired Recipes

• Fun in the Galley
• Real Pirate Recipes including hard tack, salmagundi, and honey cakes

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