Captain's Coming: Port and Starboard
A classic nautical command game: the playground is a ship and students run to the bow, stern, port or starboard side on the teacher's call. It builds spatial orientation, left-right discrimination and reaction speed.
How to play
- Explain the ship: the wall the group faces is the bow, the wall behind is the stern, the left is port and the right is starboard. Everyone points to each one (2 min).
- With the group in the center facing the bow, call the four sides; students run until they step on that side's line, 6 feet from the wall (3 min).
- Add actions: "Hit the deck!" (lie face down), "Man the mast!" (freeze, arms up) and "Scrub the deck!" (scrub the floor on hands and knees) (3 min).
- Move the bow: stand by another wall and call "The bow is over here!". Everyone turns and works out port and starboard again (3 min).
- Add "Lifeboat of 3!": sit in a line of three. Anyone left over does 5 jumps and keeps playing (2 min).
- Last round: a student calls the commands while you correct side mistakes (2 min).
Rules
- No one is out: a mistake means 5 jumps, then keep playing.
- Run only to the line; no one runs into the wall.
- Eyes forward so you don't collide with classmates coming from another side.
Variations
Easier
Only the four basic calls, with the bow never moving.
Standard
Calls plus actions, moving the bow every five or six calls.
Harder
Chain two calls ("Port, then hit the deck!") and move the bow without warning.
Adaptations
- Limited mobility: a student using a wheelchair travels half the distance or calls commands with the teacher.
- Hearing impairment: pair every call with an agreed gesture (left arm for port, right arm for starboard).
- Fitness level: add challenge with two-foot jumps or bear crawls; tired students speed-walk.
Learning goals
- Distinguish right from left based on the direction they face.
- Reorient themselves when the reference point changes.
- React quickly and with control to verbal signals.
Teacher tip
After the bow moves, many kids run to the old wall: pause and have everyone point to port before continuing. Early on, avoid back-to-back calls to opposite sides to prevent collisions.
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