I need to set up a classroom as if Pirates have been in.

[blueberryboybait]

Our Reception class are doing a pirates topic, we are taking them on a walk/nature treasure hunt to the local park where they will have their morning snack before coming back to school.

I would like to set up the class so it looks like pirates have been in, taken the snack and left a map to find it.

I was going to put the map in a bottle and leave it hanging from a hook above the board, maybe a big jolly Roger on the carpet.

Any other ideas would be greatly appreciated.

one muddy boot print, one muddy peg leg print.

Some coloured feathers

Sand

AN empty Grog bottle

A couple of coloured feathers from the pirates' parrot? I suppose an empty rum bottle is a bit much for Reception...

and a piece of cloth with a black spot on it.

Cross post with Dwells - maybe empty bottle is ok!

Feathers scattered round from the tail of a parrot?

A couple of plastic cutlasses - maybe one sellotaped across the window or the door.

Pieces of eight - chocolate coins - here and there (obv a no-no if there are allergies though).

A plastic hook, maybe on the Jolly Roger.

Have some friends dress as pirates, take a photo of them grinning facebook style with all your fruit, and put the picture up on the whiteboard

A plank!

Just a piece of wood on the floor, can you draw "claw marks" on the end of it and tell the class that's where the people being made to walk the plank clung on.

A few pieces of rope with nautical-looking knots tied in them. Or, perhaps even an empty chair in the middle of the floor, with rope loosely wrapped round it as though someone escaped.

A treasure chest? Although the pirates would probably have taken it with them, lol.

Make a map showing the way to your classroom.

oooh yes, a map of the classroom with "There be dragons" where the head's office is, and X marks the snacks.

You could always dress-up as a pirate yourself (or get someone else to do it) and film a video message from the pirate? Telling them you have stolen their snack and will never be able to find it because children aren't as clever as pirates and can't read maps??

An old bag full of pirate type accessories (a telescope, pirate eye patch, old coins, spotted neckerchief - how do you spell that?)

Sand, water & an old pair of oars and/or plank for walking left outside?

Yo, ho, ho scrawled across the whiteboard?

Love the idea of pegleg prints!

(NB Are you aging the map - tea bags & burning round the edges?)

In the party bag section of the supermarket, you can usually get eye patches. Break the elastic on one and leave it on the floor as if it fell off.

Dd's class once had the caretaker come rushing in to show them CCTV footage which showed a superhero trying to learn to fly in their playground whilst they were away overnight - she's never forgotten that!

Thank you all so much, we will take pictures, set up the feathers, grog bottle, I love the peg leg prints so definitely doing that, will age the map and make them walk the plank into class!

Sainsbury's sell 'doubloons' in their party section, gold coloured, cheap iirc. Maybe the kids could find the treasure from the map and get a souvenir doubloon each?

Seaweed. Strewn round corridor or playground, whatever is the entrance to the classroom door. Are you near enough to a seaside to make a visit over the weekend? If not shred some cabbages (Savoy, Red and Spring), mix them up and soak well in salty water.

Definitely grog bottle, parrot feathers and an aged map.

I suppose some slash marks (from hooked hand) on non-important bits of paper might be too much? I know my boys would have LOVED that even in Reception but accept that other children might not be as bloodthirsty as mine have been.

Just a point about 'stealing' the fruit- are you sure this won't unnerve some children? In the ipc rainforest topic, we're meant to create a class rainforest then destroy it over night! Then, we're meant to record their cries of shock and pain. Strangely, we decided to skip that as we felt school should be a safe place.

Put the fruit in a treasure chest.

This sounds great - your Receptions will love it! Good luck!

Then the children could write letters to the pirates asking for clues as to where fruit is

Hairy black beard plait.

Got a large plastic skeleton in school ? hanging on a rope.

Wooden box of straw, coconuts, and burried compass.

Olde worlde maps (can print from internet to include co-ordinates practice)

Leaves from big plant (aka palm leaves) for general scence and hiding coded messages (writing with lemon juice on paper and shinning torch through the back to read message).

School got a fish tank ? sealed notes in bottles for kiddies to fish out.

don't forget the girls ! - too often girls in pirate myths are the rescued princesses - there are some great and terrifying girl pirates - wanted posters of these would be fun.

enjoy.

You lot are great!

Wrap the fruit in silver foil and bury In the sand