Smudge Pirate Ship
Ahoy! This ship runs on colour and chaos.
The Set Up
We’re lucky at Smudge to be surrounded by brilliant local businesses who share their boxes with us. The mechanic out the back is gold. Those huge car-part boxes became the base of our pirate ship (a little tricky to drag through the alley myself, but definitely worth it!).
A few joins with duct tape or Makedo tools and suddenly, ship shape.
The rest is simple. A cardboard tube for a mast, an old curtain for a sail, maybe a flag or a plank if you have time. The beauty of a build like this is how little it takes for kids to believe in it. Once they climb in, the play does the rest.
Poster paint with a glug of white works beautifully, or use paint sticks for fast, bright coverage.
The Making
The ship only needs a hint of colour before it comes to life. Installation pieces like this invite children to work together, move through their creation and fill the space with their own stories. The making is less about the ship itself and more about giving them a space big enough for imagination to steer.
Variations
Roll up cardboard tubes into spyglasses and spot “land ahead!”
Add a treasure chest (shoebox + gold foil, sequins, or painted bottle tops) and let them fill it.
Swap pirates for explorers or mermaids or sea monsters so the story shifts instantly.
Hang a sail outside and let the wind do half the work.
Materials
Giant boxes (mechanic shops and appliance stores = pirate gold)
Cardboard tubes for masts and spyglasses
Old sheets or curtains for sails and flags
Duct tape or Makedo for strong joins
Poster paint or paint sticks (fast-dry is great for sails)
Brushes, rollers, sponges: big marks, fast coverage
Optional: ropes, planks, sequins, bottle tops for treasure
Back to Top
Smudge Pirate Ship
Ahoy! This ship runs on colour and chaos.
Bookmark
Installations
The Set Up
We’re lucky at Smudge to be surrounded by brilliant local businesses who share their boxes with us. The mechanic out the back is gold. Those huge car-part boxes became the base of our pirate ship (a little tricky to drag through the alley myself, but definitely worth it!).
A few joins with duct tape or Makedo tools and suddenly, ship shape.
The rest is simple. A cardboard tube for a mast, an old curtain for a sail, maybe a flag or a plank if you have time. The beauty of a build like this is how little it takes for kids to believe in it. Once they climb in, the play does the rest.
Poster paint with a glug of white works beautifully, or use paint sticks for fast, bright coverage.
The Making
The ship only needs a hint of colour before it comes to life. Installation pieces like this invite children to work together, move through their creation and fill the space with their own stories. The making is less about the ship itself and more about giving them a space big enough for imagination to steer.
Variations
Roll up cardboard tubes into spyglasses and spot “land ahead!”
Add a treasure chest (shoebox + gold foil, sequins, or painted bottle tops) and let them fill it.
Swap pirates for explorers or mermaids or sea monsters so the story shifts instantly.
Hang a sail outside and let the wind do half the work.
Materials
Giant boxes (mechanic shops and appliance stores = pirate gold)
Cardboard tubes for masts and spyglasses
Old sheets or curtains for sails and flags
Duct tape or Makedo for strong joins
Poster paint or paint sticks (fast-dry is great for sails)
Brushes, rollers, sponges: big marks, fast coverage
Optional: ropes, planks, sequins, bottle tops for treasure
Back to Top
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Thoughts?
Would love to hear if youv'e tried this or have any ideas on how to make it even better!
