Some of the products featured in this post I received for free to host my Jake and the Never Land Pirates #DisneySide Preschool Playdate, but the opinions expressed here are my own.
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| It’s easy to create a festive table without breaking the bank. |
My family loves to entertain—from themed birthday celebrations to a holiday party we look forward to hosting annually. After moving to a new home this past spring, we finally finished getting unpacked and (mostly) organized. When I learned we’d been selected to host a #DisneySide Preschool Playdate, I was so excited for an opportunity to make new memories here. My 4-year-old son, Mason, started preschool this fall and was thrilled to invite some of his school buddies over to play for the first time!
My son’s current favorite Disney Junior show is Jake and the Never Land Pirates, so we really had a great time getting into the swashbuckling spirit! I drew upon some ideas and materials I originally used for his second birthday party, which had a pirate theme, and incorporated some new decor and game ideas using items provided to me.
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| Small trinkets like beads, rings and gold coins made for an engaging table setting. |
I set up an inexpensive but festive tablescape for the kids using Jake and the Never Land Pirates tablecloths, plates, napkins, cups and party hats. I added a few Jake-themed paper centerpieces and finished off the look with treasures like beads, jewel rings, bouncy cannon balls, mini telescopes and chocolate gold coins, all available at party supply or discount stores. I also used wooden treasure chests (purchased at a craft store and then stained brown) in various sizes. We cued up an episode of Jake and the Never Land Pirates on TV to set the mood for our little mateys.
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| Gold coins and rings added some pizzazz to simple cupcakes. |
The largest treasure chest was the focal point of my dessert table (yes, I have a thing for dessert) and was overflowing with pirate’s loot! An amazing local baker, Will Run for Sweets, created custom cookie favors inspired by Jake and the Never Land Pirates, including a treasure map, Mickey Mouse gold doubloon, Jake’s spyglass, and an “X” to mark the spot for #DisneyKids fun! (Thank you again, Sarah!) Rounding out the sweet options were some cupcakes I purchased from the grocery store bakery and jazzed up with gold coins and rings. I was really pleased with how they came out in spite of being a simple, inexpensive concept.
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| A local cookie baker created four custom favor designs inspired by Jake and the Never Land Pirates. |
Our playdate was scheduled from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., so lunch was served. We offered Pirate Pizza, Skully’s Salad, Gold Nuggets (chicken tenders), Bucky’s Blueberries, Pirate’s Booty, Fish ‘n’ Chips (potato chips mixed with Goldfish crackers), Shark Bait (Finding Nemo fruit snacks), and Izzy’s Tropical Punch.
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| The kids chowed down on pizza and chicken tenders. |
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| The food and snack name cards helped add to the pirate theme. |
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| Along with pizza, we offered chicken nuggets and fruit to accommodate those with a dairy allergy. |
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| The kids worked together to create the Mega Bloks Hot Wheels Monster Truck. |
In addition to some free play, the kids had a great time floating between the activity stations set up for them to explore. They could build with Legos or Mega Bloks, play games of Disney card matching with a partner, color, or dig for hidden treasure in the Kinetic Sand tabletop sandbox. We also played a few lively rounds of Disney Side-inspired bingo as a group, and I was seriously impressed by the kids’ ability to pick out locations and attractions they’d never seen in person (many were Walt Disney World Resort-focused, and this crowd was mostly familiar with Disneyland Resort here in California), especially considering most of them aren’t old enough to read! For game prizes, the kids were invited to pick a treasure from the table decorations to take home. Each child also received a Mickey Mouse chore chart and luggage tags, generously provided by Disney Parks, in addition to other snacks and goodies like Clif Kids ZBAR Protein and Crunchmaster Grammy Snacks.
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| Disney Side Bingo was a big hit! We used Cheerios for game markers. |
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| Digging in the Kinetic Sand for buried treasure was a must-do. |
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| I was lucky to have lots of helpful moms on hand to assist the little buccaneers! |
I loved having our house filled with the happy sounds of Mason’s
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| #DisneyKids Mason, Michael, Ava, Allison, Marissa and Chase. |
pirate pals, and the other moms and I had a great time visiting outside of the normal hustle and bustle of preschool pickup and dropoff. Thanks so much to the playdate sponsors (Walt Disney World Resort, BSM Media, MomSelect, Clif Kids, Crunchmaster, Spin Master, Mega Bloks, and Kellogg’s) as well as all our guests! If you’re on the hunt for ideas for hosting your very own #DisneySide Celebration, be sure to visit www.disneysidecelebrations.com for more great tips, like theme ideas, recipes and activities.
Some of the products featured in this post I received for free to host my Jake and the Never Land Pirates #DisneySide Preschool Playdate, but the opinions expressed here are my own.
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