While anyone can fold sheets of newspaper into triangles and call it a pirate hat, you can make a more realistic-looking pirate hat with basic art supplies. Tracing, cutting and measuring a do-it-yourself pirate hat may prove too difficult for many children, so leave the less-challenging work of decorating the hat to your child. Once you get the hang of measuring the hat band and cutting out the hat shape, you can quickly make multiples for play dates or a pirate costume party.
Step 1
Cut a long, 2-inch wide strip of card stock. Fit the card stock around your child’s head snugly. Remove the card stock carefully. Staple it where it fits your child’s head. Cover the potentially sharp staples carefully with cellophane tape. This hat band forms the key supporting structure of your child’s pirate hat.
Step 2
Draw the outline of a pirate hat on the black construction paper. The traditional shape features a tall, curved top, tapering to the sides. If you want the hat band to blend with the hat design, extend the construction paper around the width of the hat band.
Step 3
Adhere a Jolly Roger symbol of a skull and crossbones to the curved part of the hat. You can print a picture of a skull and crossbones from an online image, draw your own or have your child create a version. If you have pirate gift wrap or party favors, you might opt to clip an image for the pirate hat.
Step 4
Customize the pirate hat. Glue on the skull and crossbones. Fill in the eye sockets with glitter glue, or surround the image with metallic sequins. Stickers of bones, skulls, gold coins or swords extend the theme.
Step 5
Staple the pirate hat to the hat band after you have given the hat ample time to dry. Staple so that the staples face outward, away from the inside of the hat band to avoid having the hat catch onto a child’s head.
Warnings
- Avoid using scary pirate imagery when doing this craft with young or sensitive children. If some children do not like the Jolly Roger symbol, substitute the skull with a picture of a teddy bear, bunny or a fluffy cloud.
Photo Credit
- pirate flag white image by Tomislav from Fotolia.com
