Battleship

Description

Battleship is also known as Ships Ahoy, the Poop Deck, Port & Starboard and other similar names.

1. Explain to the players that the entire playing area is broken down into different parts of a ship. The leader explains the location of each part. For example :
   1. Bow: the front of the playing area
   2. Stern: the back of the playing area
   3. Port: the left side of the playing area
   4. Starboard: the right side of the playing area
2. The game begins with everyone standing in the center of the area. When the leader calls out one of the above parts of the ship, all players must run to the designated area. The last person to reach the spot is eliminated, and goes to help the leader. Each time a different part of the ship is called, the last player reaching the site is eliminated, until one player remains.
3. Once the players understand the parts of the ship, the captain calls out specific order/actions while the players are running. For example:
   1. Submarines: Players run to the centre of the playing area, lie down on back, and raise one foot in the air.
   2. Lifeboats: Players run to the location called form single line, sit down and begin to row.
   3. Hit the deck: lay down on your stomach (or if players don’t want to get dirty, they can crouch down)
   4. Attention on deck: salute and yell, “Aye, aye captain!” — players may not move now until the captain gives the order of, “At ease!” (ie even if the captain gives a different order such as “to the ship” the crew must continue to remain at attention until told “at ease”)
   5. Three men in a boat: the crew must form groups of three and sing “Row, row, row your boat” Anybody who is not in a group of three is out.
   6. The love boat: crew members grab a partner and dance. Anybody without a partner is out.
   7. Clear the deck: everyone must have their feet up off the floor
   8. Scrub the deck: everyone on their knees scrubbing
   9. Captain’s Quarters: everyone ran towards the captain.
   10. Man-over-board: Players must find a partner as quickly as possible. One partner must lay on their stomach while the other places their foot on their partner’s back. Children without a partner or pairs that are too slow are eliminated.
   11. A Periscope: Every player falls on their back and sticks one leg in the air. The last ones are eliminated.
   12. SHARK!!!!: Everyone must run to a designated base (multiple bases can be used). The last player to the base is eliminated.
   13. Crow’s nest: All players must find a partner. The lightest player rides on their partner’s back. Those without partners or who assemble the crow’s nest too slowly are eliminated.
   14. Three maids in a row: Children form groups of three and sit in a vertical row. The players who are the odd-man-out are eliminated.
   15. Sick turtle: Everyone falls onto their backs and waves hands and feet in the air.
   16. Bow: Run to the front of the boat
   17. Stern: Run to the back
   18. Port: Run to the left side of the boat
   19. Starboard: Run to the right side of the boat.
   20. Row the Boat: Each player finds a partner, sits face to face, holds hands, and pretends to row a boat. Players who can’t find partners or who are too slow are eliminated.

Alternative rules: If playing in a pool, all of the orders stay the same except for “hit the deck” which becomes “walk the plank.” This means that crew members must bob underwater.

To make the game less competitive, player do not get “out.” Instead, if the captain notices that they do not follow an order, they must stand out for a count of 20.