Divide your room into three clearly marked zones: Poop Deck, Quarterdeck and Pirate Deck. Use different floor surfaces, lines of painter’s tape or cones; what matters is that everyone can see clearly whether they’re in or out. A captain gives the commands, and with a microphone and music from Pirates of the Caribbean it’s perfect.
When the captain calls “Poop Deck!” everyone runs to the Poop Deck. The last one to arrive walks the plank and is out. Watch out: if you’re already standing in the zone that was called and jump out in surprise, you’re out too.
Extra commands keep it surprising: on “Swab the deck!” everyone drops to the floor and scrubs. Over time, you can also invent your own areas, like a small “treasure chest” as an extra zone or a fantasy zone behind the curtain that your group might call “Narnia.”
The winner becomes the new captain. For teenagers, a stage plus a microphone is half the reward.
