Preparation: Simply draw or print a large picture of a pirate, and cut out some accessories to stick on for a swashbuckling take on the classic children’s party game Pin the Tail on the Donkey.

Today, pin-the-tail-on-the-donkey and cake have been replaced by "a real donkey—and a full BBQ with all the fixings," said Janice S. Parents today seem to feel an increasing pressure to ramp up ...