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Treasure-Hunt Cupcakes. Write numbered clues on small pieces of paper. Roll them up. Bake one clue in each cupcake. Tell the children to put their clues together to find the treasure, which has been hidden somewhere.

Ice cream

Juice, milk, punch

DECORATIONS

Make a treasure chest for a centerpiece. Cover a cardboard box with foil. Fill it with bags of "gold" (either bags of potato chips or bags of foil-covered chocolate coins). Connect a string from each bag to each of the children's plates. Then put the cover (also covered with foil) on the box. When the children are seated, remove the cover and have everyone pull his or her string. Afterward, serve the food.

FAVORS, PRIZES, ITEMS FOR TREAT BAGS

Eye patches, headbands, scarves, pirate flags, toy jewelry, rubber knives, small toy telescopes, chocolate "gold coins".

INSIDE GAMES, NONCOMPETITIVE

1. Sneaky Pete

2. Seven-Up

3. Fish for Presents

4. Ring, Ring, Who Has the Ring?

INSIDE GAMES, COMPETITIVE

1. Camouflage

2. Drop the Clothespins in the Bottle

3. Candy Hunt

OUTSIDE GAMES, NONCOMPETITIVE

1. Draw a Circle on the Old Man's Back

2. I Spy

3. Kick the Can

4. Sardines

OUTSIDE GAMES, COMPETITIVE

1. Red Rover

2. Relay Races. Two pirate teams compete.

3. Snatch the Treasure. Play like Snatch the Flag.

Note: Inside or out, competitive or noncompetitive, a Treasure Hunt should be the main event of this party. The clues might be pieces of a map. The treasure can really be buried. If so, supply shovels to dig it up.