Fill the Pirate Ship

In the middle sits a pirate ship (a kiddie pool or big box), and everyone around it throws paper cannonballs to fill it, while the pirate captain (the teacher) tosses them back out. It's a nonstop cooperative throwing game for the whole group.

How to play

1. Place the ship in the center and lay a rope in a circle two or three steps around it that no one crosses; scatter the cannonballs on the ground (2 min).
2. Sailors pick up cannonballs and throw them into the ship from outside the rope, all at once (4 min).
3. The pirate captain tosses the cannonballs back out from the ship, gently and toward the ground; sailors pick them up and throw again (4 min).
4. When the teacher shouts "Fill her up!", the captain stops emptying and everyone tries to get every last cannonball in (3 min).
5. Cheer for the full ship with a pirate dance (2 min).

Rules

• Always throw from outside the rope.
• Cannonballs go in the ship, never at sailors.
• Grab one or two at a time.
• We're all filling the same ship: we're a team.

Variations

Adaptations

• Limited mobility: the child helps the captain inside the circle next to the ship, catching and returning cannonballs.
• Autism: if the commotion is too much, give the child a quieter side of the circle or a small ship of their own.
• Visual impairment: the ship has a crinkly plastic bottom that makes noise, and a classmate guides the child by the hand to collect cannonballs.

Learning goals

• Throw repeatedly into a container from different positions.
• Cooperate as a whole group toward a shared goal.
• Enjoy a very active game with no one left out.

Equipment for a class of 25

• kiddie pool or large box: 1
• paper balls: 60
• soft balls: 20
• rope: 1

Teacher tip

As captain, toss toward the ground and away from faces. At the end, ask them to put all the balls in the ship and clean-up is done.

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