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We built a pirate ship in our backyard. Could we have just bought a swing set? Yes. Should we have just bought a dang swing set? Probably.
But this is SO MUCH MORE FUN!
The original design we based our project on is from this wonderful Bunnings tutorial. It’s supposed to be a sandbox in the middle, but I refuse to deal with an open sandbox in my yard and all the ensuing dirt tracked inside.
So we added pebbles in the middle of the ship instead of sand, plus a host of other modifications and embellishments to truly make this customized to our family. We also had to convert all the measurements from metric, so there’s that.
Here’s the basic rundown of our process:
- Follow the plans, convert from metric, buy supplies accordingly.
- Choose your ship location and clear/level the area.
- Assemble the frame
- Lay down landscaping fabric
- Move the frame onto the fabric and continue building from there.
We added a bunch of modifications based on how we thought our kids would use this. Since it’s a fairly simple design, it wasn’t difficult to take an idea and make it happen within the original design.
We also added a landscaping perimeter around the outside and filled in the space around the ship with rubber pieces, giving a nice cushion for all the jumping off action.
Ship modifications:
Poop deck height: We added one slat on the top for a higher back, hoping it would be safer. (Read: less enticing to jump off)
Bench: We added a bench behind the steering wheel to facilitate adult laziness. (We originally had it the width you see below, but expanded it by one because, you know…our butts were too big to fit.)
Extra room for poop deck: We modified the upper platform to include some extra room for getting up and down, extending a diagonal edge to the outside frame.
Extra features: We added a cup holder. Because why not. And a shelf for treasures. The cup holder is two pieces of wood stacked, using a hole saw on the top piece to cut a circle in the top piece. Drill small holes in the bottom piece so water doesn’t collect.
Fun pirate ship accessories
Steering wheel: Self explanatory. This is the very first thing we bought for the project. It comes with a mounting kit.
Telescope: No, this isn’t a real magnifying tool. Yes, the kids love it as-is. The compass on top is great teaching opportunity to teach directions.
Treasure map: Find whatever map you want online (here’s ours), print and laminate. Sacrifice an elusive chip clip from your kitchen for a cheap mount, so the map can easily be referenced or removed.
Flag: We found this flag in our garage after we purchased our home. It’s like the pirate ship at the house was meant to be! We may need a new flag plan when the kids can read…
We had an extra plastic pole (PVC/conduit) laying around because we apparently live in a junk yard and strung a rope through a couple holes to attach the flag.
Anchor: We had to pretend throwing an anchor so many times that this was quickly determined a necessary addition.
Treasure chest and gold: Get a box (this is an old shoe shine kit). Add handles and a latch. Get some smooth rocks. Spray paint them gold.
