Mermaids & Pirates Week for Kids: Creative Ideas, Books, Snacks & Screen Time Picks
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Looking for a simple way to add some fun and structure to your summer at home with little ones? Theme Week Summer was designed with preschool and early elementary-aged kids in mind, giving you a low-pressure rhythm for the season with flexible, intentional ideas. Each week centers around a new theme, and you can grab my free printables to create your own summer schedule and plan out books to read, activities to try, snacks to make, and more! 👉 Click here to visit the main blog post and get your free calendar and planning worksheet.
This week’s theme is Mermaids & Pirates—a perfect excuse for a week full of imagination and creativity! My husband is preparing for an upcoming work trip, so this week I wanted something extra fun that would help keep the kids entertained while I manage things solo and still try to get work done from home. Mermaids and pirates offer so many opportunities for pretend play, creative crafts, and themed snacks, and I’m excited to see where their imaginations take them!
Theme Week Summer: Easy Ideas for an Intentional Summer at Home
Theme Week Summer is all about simple, intentional fun at home with your preschoolers and early elementary kids! Grab free printables to plan your own summer themes and follow along with weekly inspiration, activities, books, snacks, and more.
Mermaids & Pirates 🧜♀️🏴☠️
Mermaids & Pirates Week is all about playful adventure! Whether your kids are building cardboard ships or crafting sparkly mermaid tails, this theme taps into big imaginations with very little prep. Inside this post you’ll find easy activity ideas, themed snacks, great books, screen time picks, and memory verse suggestions to keep things simple and fun all week long.
Activities to Do
Make a mermaid or pirate sensory bin
Set up a DIY treasure hunt with clues around the house or yard
Build a cardboard pirate ship or mermaid castle
Dress up in costume and have a pretend ocean adventure
Paint seashells or make beaded "treasure" necklaces
Create ocean slime or play-dough
shop activities & crafts
see ideas on pinterest
Places to Visit
Local to Lancaster, PA:
Dutch Wonderland has a fun splash area with a pirate ship and themed rides that feel magical
Visit a local pool, splash pad, or creek for mermaid play
Explore a beach or lake if you have one nearby
Check your local library for pirate or mermaid storytime events
Enjoy some mini golf at a pirate-themed location!
Snacks to Eat
Check out the carousel below for some of the cutest and easiest mermaid and pirate-themed snack ideas I found on Pinterest!
Some ideas include:
Fish-shaped crackers or trail mix in treasure boxes
Mermaid smoothie bowls with colorful fruit and sprinkles
"Ocean Jello" cups with gummy fish
Pirate ship sandwiches (cut with a sail on top!)
Pirate’s Booty puffed snacks
see ideas on pinterest
shop snack supplies
Books to Read
See the carousel below for our favorite mermaid and pirate-themed picture books!
A few highlights:
Look for books featuring mermaids, pirates, and ocean adventures
Favorites include "The Pirate Pig," "How to Be a Pirate," and "Pearl the Magical Unicorn Mermaid"
Shows to Watch
Mermaids & Pirates TV Shows for Preschoolers
Bubble Guppies – "Pirate Treasure" (Season 1, Episode 11) – Streaming on Paramount+
Jake and the Never Land Pirates – Entire series – Streaming on Disney+
Santiago of the Seas – "The Treasure of El Bravo" (Season 1, Episode 1) – Streaming on Paramount+
Peppa Pig – "Pirate Island" (Season 3, Episode 13) – Streaming on Paramount+
Sesame Street – "S is for Seashells" (Season 42, Episode 3) – Streaming on Max (HBO)
Mermaids & Pirates Movies for Preschoolers
The Little Mermaid (animated or live action) – Streaming on Disney+
Peter Pan – Streaming on Disney+
Pirates Who Don’t Do Anything (VeggieTales) – Streaming on Peacock
Treasure Planet – Streaming on Disney+
Barbie Mermaid Power – Streaming on Netflix
Memory Verse
“Mightier than the waves of the sea is His love for you.”
Here’s a recap of our Mermaids & Pirates Week:
Here’s a peek at what we actually did during Mermaids & Pirates Week! 🧜♀️🏴☠️
Stay tuned!
Even during a busy week, a theme like Mermaids & Pirates gives your kids a fun focus and plenty of opportunities to play and imagine. Whether they’re off on a treasure hunt or swimming like mermaids in the pool, these ideas make it easy to keep them engaged while you juggle all the things!
