A Swashbuckling Build A Pirate Craft (Printable PDF)

This build a pirate craft is an easy craft in which your kids will need to cut out and correctly put together the pieces to make a pirate! ARRRRRR!

This craft is great for toddlers and preschoolers because it’s so simple to do!

It would also be great little pirate activity if you’re having a pirate themed party!

Other build-a-… characters you may want to check out:

• Build-A-Unicorn
• Build-A-Fairy
• Build-A-Leprechaun
• Build-A-Superhero
• Build-An-Easter Bunny

I’ve created quite a lot more characters and will be uploading them when I can – so be sure to check back regularly.

What Skills Can Your Children Learn And Practice?

When making this build a pirate craft, your children will have the chance to practice and develop some skills such as:

• Cutting Skills – if you feel they’re ready, you can let them have a go at cutting out the pieces themselves – they’ll have to be careful and have good scissor control if they want to cut out the pieces neatly
• Fine Motor Skills – when they’re gluing and picking up and moving the body parts and placing them where they need to go
• Body Knowledge – great for the little ones to think about how the different parts of the body fit together
• Pencil Control – if you print off the black and white version they can practice their pencil control and develop hand strength through coloring.

This simple pirate craft will also give them a chance to practice their concentration and perseverance skills as they may find it tricky to place the pieces exactly where they want them to go.

How To Prepare This Build a Pirate Craft?

First you’re going to want to download the pirate templates by clicking on the download box at the bottom of the page – I’ve made a color and a black and white version!

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Other materials you’ll need:

• Safety scissors
• Card Stock or Craft Paper
• Glue
• Some coloring pencils or pens

Once you’ve downloaded the templates, you’ll need to print them off onto paper or card.

Then, you can cut them out. Or if you’d like your children to get some cutting practice, you can let them have a go.

Then you can stick them all together to build your pirate.

It can be really nice to let you’re kids have a bit of free rein here and see if they can work it out – kind of like a puzzle.

If they’re struggling, the order I’d do it in is:

1. Stick the patch on the eye
2. Stick the beard on the head
3. Stick the hat on the head
4. Stick the belt on the body
5. Stick the head on the body
6. Stick the arms on the body
7. Stick the foot and wooden leg on the body
8. Stick the sword to the hand

(I expect you could have worked that out but I do like to be thorough…)

The finished one should look something like this:

If you want to you could always laminate them and use them as a puzzle. That way the different parts would be kept nice and they can use them again and again.

After that you’re all done!

Let your kids practice their cutting and sticking skills in a fun way! ARRRRRRR

But Wait… There’s Also A Black And White Build A Pirate Craft

I’ve also made a black and white version which would be an awesome way for your little ones to practice their coloring skills and personalize their pirate in their own way!