The Imagination Zone

Turn your garden or living room floor into the deck of a pirate ship — the carpet is the sea, and you can't touch it without falling overboard!

Build a den or fort out of blankets and cushions and declare it the Pirates' Playground. Who's brave enough to guard the entrance?

Go on a treasure hunt: hide a "treasure" (a coin, a shiny stone, a small toy) somewhere in the house or garden, then draw your own map with clues to find it.

Pretend a park bench is the deck of Captain Marc's ship. Steer through "storms" (running past the swings) to reach the far shore.

Set sail across the living room "sea" using a cardboard box as your ship, complete with a broom-handle mast.

Train like a guardian: set up an obstacle course in the garden with hula hoops, cushions and rope, and time how fast you can complete it.

Go on a sea-monster hunt in the garden or on a walk. Look for shapes in clouds, tree roots or shadows that might be hiding a kraken or a serpent.

Write a message and seal it in a jar or bottle (with a grown-up's help), then hide it somewhere for someone else to find, just like a pirate's secret.

Make your own pirate hat and eyepatch out of card and paper, ready for your next adventure.

Craft a simple compass with a needle, a magnet and a slice of cork floating in a bowl of water (ask a grown-up to help). Does it point the way to Scardungeon?

Fold a paper boat and set it sailing in the bath, a puddle, or a bowl of water in the garden.

Design your own treasure map on paper. For an ancient look, scrunch the paper up first, then ask a grown-up to help dab it with cold tea.

Build a mini pirate ship from a cardboard box, toilet roll tubes and a paper sail. See if it floats in the bath or a paddling pool.

Make a parrot puppet like Cantrice using a paper bag or sock and some colourful paper feathers.

Create your own family bargain scroll: write a funny promise between you and a family member, roll it up, and tie it with string like Lord Tribworth's map.