Pirate Night & Brownie Visit

This week we were joined by two 2nd Year Brownies and one Guider for a Pirate-themed evening.

As the girls arrived, they filled out their dues books and organized a loud game of 'Everybody's It Tag'. We had our usual opening, followed by an active game - Starburst Tag.

We started off by giving everyone their Pirate Names and red bandanas to transform themselves into pirates for the night. Newly named pirates included Captain Scally Hook, Ghost Pirate Jim, Purple Scruffy Sparrow, Mad Dog Bobby Scurvy, and Pirate Rusty Buckle.

Our first game was Port and Starboard. One player is chosen as the Captain and stands at one end of the playing area. All other players face the Captain. The Captain calls out various commands and players race to follow them, the last person to do the action or those who do the wrong action are out. The last player remaining becomes the new Captain.

• "Port" - run to the left side of the room
• "Starboard" - run to the right side of the room
• "Captain's Coming" - stand at a attention and salute
• "Sharks" - lie on the floor with one leg in the air
• "Climb the rigging" - pretend to climb
• "Mess Deck" - sit cross-legged on the floor

Every good pirate needs a parrot, so we moved on to making Perching Parrots.To make the parrots, each girl needs a copy of the two templates (see link at bottom). We printed the templates on cardstock, and after they were coloured, the girls cut them out and glued them back to back. The parrot will  balance on the ring and also on the tip of a finger or a toe!

Crafting was followed by a Pirate Obstacle Course that we ran that was fun. Each patrol lined up at one end of the room and raced through the obstacles one at a time - and coming back the same way! We had three obstacles arranged along the room:

• "Walk the Plank" - walk along a skipping rope stretched out and taped to the floor
• "Climb the Rigging" - climb onto and over a chair
• "Fire the Cannons" - throw a bean bag through a target

The target was a frame made from a half-sheet of bristol board and girls had to continue tossing beanbags until they got one through before returning to their patrol.
Before heading out on their Treasure Hunt, the girls received and put on felt eye patches (to complete their pirate look!). Clues were placed around our meeting space, kitchen and hallways that led the girls back to a 'treasure chest' of gems and chocolate coins. I didn't manage to grab all the clues, but here are some of them:

• If treasure ye seek, be sure not to gloat, the first clue ye seek is where ye hang ye coat
• Avast ye harties clever ye be, to find ye treasure ye must visit places three. The galley is next ye be
• As ye have sought ye riches old, ye must first search beyond the gold. The next clue ye seek is where stairs be scarlet.
• Avast ye mates closer ye get, beyond the treasure ye must see where small sparks of girls gather ye see
• Huzzah, Huzzah, the treasure is nigh, go back to where your crew first set sail

We ended the evening by eating the treasure and reminders for next week, and closed with Taps.
Downloads & Links:

• What's Your Pirate Name?
• Perching Parrot Template (external link)