Ahoy there! Every September 19th it’s time to dust off your best “Arrr!” because Talk Like a Pirate Day is here. It’s a brilliant excuse to add a splash of silliness to your child’s reading and spark their imagination. Whether your little one is obsessed with treasure maps or just loves a good sea shanty, pirate-themed reading is a playful way to boost literacy skills while keeping things fun.

From treasure hunts to storytelling with a pirate twist, there are loads of ways to bring books to life. Here are some simple ideas to help your family set sail on a reading adventure this Pirate Day.

Create a Pirate Reading Nook

Turn a corner of your home into a cosy pirate ship where storytime feels like an adventure on the high seas:

  • Build the ship: Use blankets or cardboard to create a boat-like hideout.
  • Add the gear: Pirate hats, eye patches, or even a stuffed parrot perched nearby.
  • Decorate with maps: Hang a world map or make a hand-drawn treasure map to inspire their imagination.
  • Treasure chest of books: Keep pirate tales and adventure stories in a decorated box ready to be discovered.

Pirate Word Play

What’s Pirate Day without the lingo? Playing with words is a great way to sneak in some phonics and vocabulary practice.

Learn Pirate Phrases

  • Teach simple words like “Ahoy!” (hello) or “Avast!” (stop!).
  • Challenge your child to use pirate words in a silly sentence.
  • Make matching games with flashcards of pirate terms.

Rhymes and Alliteration

  • Play rhyming games with words like “sea,” “ship,” and “gold.”
  • Create funny pirate names using alliteration—think “Captain Courageous Clara” or “Jolly Jack the Juggler.”

Want more wordy fun? Take a look at our What is Phonics? guide.

Tell Your Own Pirate Tales

Encourage your child to be the author of their own high-seas adventure. Storytelling builds creativity and confidence with words:

  • Start with a prompt: “You discover a treasure map in a bottle. What happens next?”
  • Add pictures: Let them draw ships, treasure, or sea monsters to go with their story.
  • Make it a group story: Take turns adding to the tale—you’ll end up with something wonderfully wacky.

Go on a Treasure Hunt

Combine books with movement and mystery by organising a pirate treasure hunt around your home:

  • Hide clues or books: Each step leads closer to the “treasure.”
  • Add challenges: Simple riddles or short reading tasks to unlock the next clue.
  • Draw a map: X marks the spot for the final treasure—a pile of pirate books or a little treat.

Digital Pirate Fun

If your child enjoys screens, sprinkle in some digital reading fun:

  • Story apps: Interactive pirate adventures they can click through.
  • Audiobooks: Perfect for quiet time or long car rides—let a pirate narrator take the helm.
  • Printable worksheets: Free online resources with pirate puzzles and word games.

Keep the Reading Adventure Going

Pirate Day might be once a year, but the excitement of reading doesn’t need to end there. With Reading Chest, your child can enjoy a constant supply of books matched to their reading level.

Wrapping Up

Talk Like a Pirate Day is a playful way to turn reading into an adventure. Whether you’re building a ship-shaped reading nook, inventing pirate names, or sending your child off on a treasure hunt, you’re helping them see books as something exciting.

Want the fun to last all year? Learn more about Reading Chest and discover how we can keep your child stocked with adventure-filled reads.

Share Your Pirate Fun!

We’d love to see your pirate-themed reading adventures. Share your photos and stories with us on Twitter/X, Facebook, or Instagram. Anchors aweigh—it’s time to read like a pirate!