Shiver Me Timbers!
Books to Share
- Captain and Matey Set Sail by Daniel Laurence.
- Pirate Pete by Kim Kennedy.
- Pie Rats Ahoy! by Richard Scarry.
- Tough Boris by Mem Fox.
Books to Show and Booktalk
- Do Pirates Take Baths? by Kathy Tucker.
- I Spy Treasure Hunt by Jean Marzollo.
- Ooey Gooey by Mercer Mayer.
- Pirate School by Cathy E. Dubouski.
Bulletin Board
Ahoy Matey! Come Aboard for a Good Read!
Create a large pirate ship and place it on the lower half of the bulletin board. Place pirates across the hull of ship. Write book titles, authors, and call numbers of books and videos about pirates on the pirate shapes.
Display
Shiver Me Timbers!
Create a display of books and videos about pirates and treasure hunts. Use a pirate piñata as the centerpiece.
Decorations
Hang pirate and parrot piñatas.
Nametags
As children enter the storytime area, give them nametags of a pirate or parrot.
Fingerplay
Pirates, Pirates
(Adapted by Leila Raven Parrish.)
Pirates, pirates everywhere, (Motion around room)
Pirates climbing stairs, (Climb stairs)
Pirates giving stares, (Hand above eyes)
Pirates shouting "Ahoy There!" (Cup hands)
Pirates sitting on chairs. (Pretend to sit down)
ARGH! (With frustration)
Pirates washing hairs! (Rub hands on head)
Pirates, pirates everywhere! (Motion around room)
Song
Three-Corner Hat
(Traditional)
My hat it has three corners,
Three corners has my hat,
If it did not have three corners,
It would not be my hat.
Crafts
Three-Corner Pirate's Hat
Materials
- Pirate hat and bone patterns
- 9" x 12" black construction paper
- White construction paper
- Glue
- Stapler
Directions
For each child, precut three copies of the pirate's hat pattern from black construction paper and cut two bones from white construction paper using the patterns at the end of the chapter. With the help of an adult, the children cross and glue or staple the two white bones to one hat piece and then staple the two additional hat pieces together create a three-cornered pirate hat.
Pirate's Eye Patch
Materials
- Black felt
- Yarn, cut in 18-inch lengths
Directions
Using the pattern here, pre-cut eye patches from black felt and cut two slits on top. Let the children thread yarn through the holes. Tie it over one eye.
Activities
Pirate or Parrot Pinata
Fill a pirate or parrot piñata with gold coins, jewelry, eye patches, and other pirate loot. Let the children take turns swinging at it with a plastic bat or stick. With very young children, do not use the blindfold.
Performing Pirates
Children wear their hat and eye patches and perform the Three-Corner Hat and Pirates, Pirates fingerplays, and sing along to "Pirate's Life" from the soundtrack to Disney's Peter Pan.
Guest Speaker
Invite a storyteller/magician dressed like a pirate to tell pirate stories.
Audio Recording
"Pirate's Life" on Disney's Peter Pan Soundtrack.
CD-ROM
I Spy Treasure Hunt.
Professional Resource
Great Pirate Activity Book by Deri Robins.
