Pirate Waiter

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Requirements

• Age 5+
• Players 4-16
• Time 1-3 min rounds
• Location Small clear area
• Energy High (running)
• Materials At least 2 half-noodles (20"-24" long) 2 Frisbees, and a game boundary (long rope)
• Lead by Pathfinder
• Guides 1

Story

On guard! Deft swordplay and agility are required in this hilarious dueling game that concludes with a clear winner each time.

Action Call

Using skillful strikes and blocks with your sword, plus jumps and dodges with your body, can you knock the Frisbee off your opponent's hand without dropping your own Frisbee?

Game

Safety

• Scout playing area for hazards: tripping objects, stinging insects, trash, and much more.
• Avoid collisions. Emphasize that participants must maintain control at all times.

Mission

Lay a long rope on the ground in a circle about 15' to 20' wide to create a game boundary. The place where the rope crosses itself is the "entrance" to the circle. Have all the players line up around the outside of the circle.

Explain how the game works: two pirates enter the circle to duel. Each pirate has a foam "half"-noodle (a noodle cut in half so it's only about 20" to 24" long) as their sword, and a Frisbee as their "tray" (the Frisbee provides the "waiter" portion of the game's title). Each pirate holds their sword/noodle in one hand, and balances the Frisbee on the palm and spread fingers of their other hand. The duel begins when both players are inside the circle and in full control of their noodle and Frisbee. Players may attack each other with their noodles, though strikes to the head are not allowed. Sword hits to the opponent's BODY are allowed but don't affect the outcome of the game. A player is OUT (loses the duel) if any of the following happen: 1) they drop their Frisbee and it falls to the ground, 2) they grasp the Frisbee with their fingers, 3) their Frisbee touches any other part of ther body or clothing besides their one hand, or 4) they set foot outside the game boundary.

When a player gets out, they immediately surrender their noodle and Frisbee to the next person in line, who enters the circle to duel the winner of the previous match. The person who got out goes to the back of the line, and the line moves up a space. Keep going until everyone who wants to play has had a chance.

Modify

• If you don't have Frisbees, you can try having people use small objects (bottle caps, acorn caps) balanced on the BACK of their hands.
• If one player is dominating the others, consider making a new rule that says that any player who wins five rounds in a row must "retire," meaning, they exit the circle (along with the person they just defeated) and two new players enter.
• Once people start to get the hang of it, consider having 3- or 4-person duels, either in teams or each player for themself.