DIY Pirate Costume

It’s no secret that little kids need lots of stimulation.  I have two daughters, aged nearly-3 and 4, and I’m always having to dream up new activities to keep them busy and away from the dreaded television.  One of our most favorite things to do is dress-up.  The girls love getting into costume; as princesses, ballerinas or fairies, and I love helping them make things to add to the adventure.
While doing a photo shoot for my pirate party craft ebook, they put on paper hats, and I made them each a Captain-Hook styled hand to play with.  You can make them too.  Here’s how: Materials you’ll need:

• coloured plastic / paper cups
• plastic forks (or spoons for little kids)
• rubber bands
• something sharp (like a compass or pin and nail scissors)

To make your own Captain Funny Hands hook:

• Carefully, poke the compass or pin into the bottom of the coloured cup.
• Now that you have a hole, use small scissors to cut a small ‘cross’ shape into the bottom of the cup.
• Gently poke the plastic fork through the hole.
• Use a rubber band on either the inside or outside of the cup if you feel the fork is moving up and down too much through the hole in the cup.

Now all you have to do is hand the cup to the kids.  They put their hand inside to hold the fork, and then off they go.  My daughters enjoyed eating a fruit salad lunch with their funny-hands, and then raided the lounge-chair and sailed it over the horizon.  I can’t tell you how much fun they had… but watch for stormy weather ahead, as plastic forks can be very dangerous when wielded during a temper-tantrum!
(For more fun pirate craft - pop across for a sneak peek inside the pirate party craft ebook!)