From experience, I know that having kids onboard a superyacht can be challenging as a yacht stewardess, especially when you are expected to entertain them safely and uniquely.
To support you on this task, I have joined forces with former stew Super Yacht Nanny Ella Peters to share our 11 tried-and-tested onboard activities to keep kids entertained and happy during their time onboard. Let’s get started!
1. Arts and crafts- Perfect for while underway (especially as it keeps them in one place). Avoid glue, glitter, and paint, as things get messy quickly. In our experience, jewelry making is always a win, as the kids get to make gifts for their family members or the crew. Another activity that's always a favorite is building a little car or robot.
2. Water sports- To impress the kids, stage your Total Wipeout tournament with inflatables like the Double Icecap or The Thor (a slide, diving platform, and obstacle course) by Aquaglide. Avoid kids asking for every water sport available by pitching them one toy at a time per water session. This way, they will experience the variety of sports/toys you have onboard without driving the deck crew crazy.
3. Treasure hunts- These are fun and teach kids how to communicate effectively, act responsibly in a team, and improve their problem-solving skills. Here is how to create them:
Choose a location for your treasure hunt.
Choose a theme and format for your kid's treasure hunt. A fave on yachts are Pirates.
Plan your clues. The players need the clues to get from one spot to the next. Riddles are great for older players who need more challenging clues. In contrast, younger players may enjoy fun clues like rhymes. Treasure hunt clues for kids should be simple for non-readers; use pictures instead of words.
Create your treasure. Choose a variety of prizes that relate to the theme of your treasure hunt. For a pirate theme, it can be gems, gold coins (edible), etc. Players may have food allergies, so keep them in mind if you're including snacks or treats, and keep it low on sugar if the parents are sugar-conscious. If doing a hunt with teams, remember that every child wants to be a winner, so have a selection of smaller prizes for runners-up or offer one big prize that a group can share.
Decide where you will hide the treasure, then design your clues leading away from that place – planning hunts backward is easier. Consider writing yourself a cheat sheet of the locations so that you know where you've hidden all the clues.
Do a final treasure hunt run-through. Before you start the hunt, double-check that all the clues (or activities) are where you left them and that they lead each other correctly. Make sure the search doesn't take too long – reduce the number of clues if you think this will happen.
Send them on their treasure hunt. Gather the players and explain the rules. Make sure they know what's out of bounds. Split a larger group into teams and make sure there's an equal amount of skill in each team. For example, avoid placing all the fast kids or good readers in one team. Get the players in costume if you are doing a themed treasure hunt. Ensure you have adults on hand to keep everyone going in the right direction, work together, and cooperate. Cheer them on, but don't give away the answers.
Click here to get your Ready-To-Play Pirate Scavenger Hunt Template by Superyacht Nanny.
4. Napkin Folding Workshop– Kids love learning new skills, and this is the ideal activity to engage kids between mealtimes when bored or stuck inside. Don't forget to teach them how to set the table too!
5. Mocktail-Making Workshops- Set up the bar with everything they need to create exciting, fun-colored mocktails. Use a recipe incorporating a range of steps (juice squeezing, shaking, ice crushing, etc.) to give them the whole experience. Click here to get our fave mocktails cheat sheet.
6. Cookie decorating- Set up a baking area with piping tools, icing, sprinkles, room-temperature cookies/cupcakes, cleaning supplies, etc. Dress the kids in chef hats and aprons and let them go wild with their designs. This activity is great for all ages.
7. Pizza making- Set up a pizza station with the dough and their favorite topping ingredients in bowls. Depending on the children's age, you can have them roll out the dough. Dress the kids in chef hats and aprons. Challenge them to the best pizza design – is it a face? A symmetrical pattern?
8. Chamois technician- This activity is popular among school-aged boys and girls who want to be 'big and cool' like the deck crew! Equip them with a chamois or mop and let them help the deck crew dry the boat. Don't forget to ensure the kids have sunscreen, a hat, and a rashguard.
9. Water Gun Games- Water fights are an absolute classic. One rule is no direct hit on the face. Tip: Give some water guns to the beach crew to sneak up on them to keep them on their toes!
Capture the Flag and Bubble Shooting are also fun water gun games. Here’s how to play them.
How to play Capture the Flag - Everyone in this game will have a water gun. Players are divided into two teams. Each team will have a flag to protect from the other team. The game aims to capture the other team's flag. To do this, players need to race towards the flag; however, if they get hit by the water gun, they need to freeze. To be unfrozen, another player from their team needs to crawl between their legs. The winning team either captures the other team's flag by freezing all their players or gets to the flag without being caught.
How to play Bubble Shooting- This game is simple but fun. Grab some giant bubble wands and blow bubbles into the air. All players have a water gun and must shoot the bubbles with water to make them pop.
Play these games on the beach to ensure no one gets hurt while running and the water guns stay outside the vessel's interior.
10. Movie night- Bring out the popcorn, cozy blankets, pillows, and their favorite movie! Save this for the last day onboard or when they are stuck inside.
11. Water Olympic Games- This is great fun and involves all guests. It works best when guests are split into two teams, with a mix of ages and abilities on each team or guest vs crew. Make a child the team captain and have a variety of challenges within the game; these could be sea bob race, silly slide skills, blindfolded cup stacking (with a teammate giving direction), rope climbing, tug of war, etc. Have medals for the winning team to hand out at the awards ceremony.
We hope these fun kids' activities help you create unforgettable memories for the families onboard and keep the kids happy and entertained.
And before you go, don’t forget to grab our Free Yacht Stews’ Kids Provisioning Checklist to ensure you have everything in place to run a smooth family trip onboard a superyacht.
If you'd like extra support regarding childcare onboard, check out the Ultimate Superyacht Stewardess Kid’s Charter Resource Pack from Superyacht Nanny Ella. Don’t forget to use code YACHTSMERM to receive 10% off!
