What is it about kids and pirates?
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Find Family Fun at Pirate Adventures
Set sail in search of fun with us and experience a Pirate Adventure with your family aboard the pirate ship Sea Gypsy in the Annapolis Harbor.
What is it about kids and pirates? Tell us and enter to win 4 tickets to a Pirate Adventure.
Our job at Pirate Adventures on the Chesapeake is really fun. When people say to us, your job is so much fun we agree and we know we are lucky to have it. If you ask the crew what their favorite thing about the job is they will all tell you, it’s the crazy things that the kids say when caught up in the Pirate Adventure. We are lucky enough to get caught up in the adventure with them and our job would not be nearly as fun if the kids did not bring us along for the ride. For some reason, kids are inspired by the story of a pirate hunting for treasure at sea. Many parents tell us that they have never seen their children so engaged in a social setting with other kids. What is it about pirates that takes kids such a wonderful place in their imagination. Is it the setting, sailing off into the unknown? The search for treasure and sparkly things? The mention of mythical creatures, mermaids and sea dragons? Whatever it is we love what we do and we look forward every day to helping kids discover their inner pirate and sharing it with their families.
Yo Ho Ho and a Bottle of Milk
Years ago when we opened this business and the Disney Pirates of the Caribbean had just opened (incredible timing) many people told us how lucky we were to be able to take advantage of a fad. We never worried that the “pirate thing” would go away. Once you see a five-year old pull a treasure chest out of the water and raise a battle flag you feel pretty confidant that all kids will forever love pirates wether or not the pirate publicity machine is in effect. A favorite aunt sent us a clipping from a newspaper and it is still on our refrigerator 12 years later. When we are looking for inspiration, this article never fails. It is a clipping from a newspaper and there is not a byline in the clipping but we wanted to share it.
The Boy pirate – Yo ho ho and a bottle of milk!
-author unknownHe was the youngest pirate on record, no more than 11 years old. All that remains of him is a femur, a stocking and a shoe. He met his death in a terrible Cape Cod storm on April 26, 1717. Last week his identity was announced. John King, a boy who lived the dream of many young boys, but all too briefly.
Today we romance the pirate life. So, evidently, did John King. When notorious pirate Sam Bellamy attacked and plundered the ship young King and his mother were sailing from Antigua to Jamaica, King demanded that the pirate captain take him as a crewman. He threatened to kill himself if Bellamy left him behind. The captain gave in, and John King became a pirate.
“Black” Sam Bellamy was the sort of charismatic, romantic pirate who might actually resemble Johnny Depp’s lovable Captain Jack Sparrow in some ways. In the bleak world of the 18th century, it is easy to see why a spirited boy would be drawn to this outlaw.
Back then, a child’s life was no carefree playtime. It could be harsh and cruel, and young boys had to grow up quickly. A boy born in England in John King’s time could expect to live little more than 30 years. A pirate’s life? Why not?
When we agonize over the dangers our children face — from auto accidents, crime, obesity, etc. — we often forget what astoundingly good lives our children lead. They have more candy and toys than princes and princesses of old could imagine. The hardest work most will do is picking up their rooms. Statistically the most dangerous activity they will engage in is riding on the Interstate with their parents while strapped into a car seat.
And so we entertain them with grand tales of pirates and princes, knights, and dragons. We let their imaginations carry them to dangerous worlds that, thankfully, no longer exist. Excitedly, they tell us how much they long for a pirate’s adventurous life. What they cannot know is that we have given them something no boy pirate ever had. We have given them a childhood.
What do your kids love about Pirates?
It is mid-summer and we have run a lot of Pirate Adventures so we thought we would ask, what is it that makes your kids love pirates? We’re looking for inspiration to keep us going strong through August and into the fall. Comment on this post below with and tell us what it is that makes your kids love Pirate’s and enter to win 4 tickets to a Pirate Adventure. If your kids love playing pirates we guarantee a Pirate Adventure will be the favorite thing they do all summer.
[contesthopper contest=”2495″]
My girls love that pirates are adventurers, explorers and mighty sword fighters!! Treasure hunts, secret maps and jaunty pirate music, nothing better than that 🙂
Kids love the adventure, to be part of the pirate crew! Finding keys and unlocking the mysterious treasure!
Can’t forget the mermaids and fighting the “bad” pirates
Mason loves that he doesn’t need to be verbal to play pirates! Pretend play of any kind is great for special needs kids! Why? Everyone instantly understands the “game”… no explanation needed! Maybe that is why we have been 4 times this season already! <3 you all!
You have a perfect combination of excitement and intrigue – the kids could not go last year (will go on Friday) but still remember Pirate Pete, the water guns and Pete falling in the water and, of course, the treasure.
Kids’ lives are full of structure and rules. It’s no wonder they day dream of turning to piracy. A ride on the Sea Gypsy gives them a taste of that dream! The thrill of the open water, hunting treasure and thwarting that dang pirate Pete (will that guy ever learn?)
Kids (and pirates)are happy to follow along as long as they are getting what they want!
Being part of an elite pirate crew makes them feel special. They have a purpose, whether to find something or protect the ship and crew. They know pirates will be after something tangible that will be good (treasure). Pirates don’t need to be perfect and rarely are, but they live hard and play hard.. Just like kids. Pirates don’t have to worry about the niceties of society. Which kids often struggle to get right. Pirates are themselves, no restrictions, just what kids long to be! What an adventure, what an escape!
I think these are some reasons why kids love “being” pirates:-)
Arr…Arr.. Arr…..says me showing my GOLD TOOTH.
BLACK LEATHER POUCH over my left EYE.
HAIR FLYING with the WIND …..my forehead covered with my SCARF.
Two LEGS …or maybe…….just… ONE, ,,,,,,Arr …Arr…Arr….
What you SEIZE is what you get, ….Arr….Arr….Arr !
Hoist up those SAILS and on with ADVENTURE.
The allure that is adventure on the high seas and transforming from a landlubber to first-mate, Chesapeake Pirates allows children (of all ages) to bring the pages of Treasure Island or the scenes from Peter Pan (or Jake for even the smallest privateers) to life and experience like none other. The scars, tattoos, grog, and the booty all lend themselves to a mysticism that fully engrosses each child from the moment they don their eye patch to the first sip of pirate grog.
yaaaar! Pirates and kiddos be the same creature! Pirates be bigger in stature, but share the same fire for adventure!
Pirates are adventurous. We have a pirate ship in our yard. The kids make up fantastic advertures, wear costumes. Its amazing. they never tire of it.
Olivia loves taking down Pirate Pete because he’s the “bad guy” and who does love finding treasure! It’s a fun filled, exciting time where kids get to take part in the adventure. They get to experience a treasure hunt on the “open seas” where else can a kids yell “argh….” at the top of their lungs and get “tattooed”? Olivia is a pirate princess at heart. 🙂
When I asked my boys what they love about pirates, they said,
“Singing pirate songs and saying, ‘Me Matey!'” -Eamon, 5
“Making my brothers walk the plank!” -Perry, 6
“I like swords. I like fighting.” -Brom, 3
My kids love the adventures that pirates go on. They love to make their own pirate adventures!
My little Grandson loves saying “Arrggh”. One day I happened to say “Oy”, and he said, “Nana, are you trying to sound like a pirate? Because that is not what they say!”. lol. We love spending time together with his treasure map and finding treasures I hide and then surprising his Mommy and Daddy with them!
Kids love pirates and the Pirate Adventure because it gives them a chance to use their imagination and actually for a few moments believe that they ARE pirates and they are rulers of the sea! They dream of treasure and the goodies that await them. The chance to fight against the “bad” guy and come out on top! AHOY Mateys!
Ship Ahoy! A sunny day and a calm sea……….what could be more wonderful than a treasure map, a sword in hand and a few trusted Matey’s??? Aaarrrrgh!
My boys love that pirates get to battle with swords, get to go on treasure hunts, and most importantly skip baths!!