Captain's Coming (Ships and Sailors)
Follow the captain's commands fast, or you're out.
10–100 players · about 10 minutes · Run around · Gym, Big room, Outdoors
What you need
- Nothing
Setup
Name the walls of the room: "Bow" (front), "Stern" (back), "Port" (left), and "Starboard" (right). A leader is the captain.
How to play
- The captain shouts commands, and everyone acts them out.
- "Bow!" "Stern!" "Port!" "Starboard!": run to that wall.
- "Captain's coming!": freeze and salute until the captain says "At ease."
- "Man overboard!": find a partner, and one person gets on one knee while the other puts a hand on their shoulder.
- "Lifeboats!": form groups of three, sit in a line, and row while singing. Anyone without a group is out.
How to win
The last sailor standing wins.
Leader tips
- Start slow, then speed up and add new commands like "Hit the deck!" (lie on your stomach).
- Use group sizes that don't divide evenly so someone is always out.