I have to give huge props to Urban Pirates in Baltimore.  HUGE. 

For starters: This is a mom-driven enterprise. No, not my mom - the phylum of moms that I belong to… the ones who might possibly take a small crafting project and turn it, say, into a Giant Pirate Ship that actually sails, and has cannons (water-cannons) and Real Pirates and stuff… and is huge gobs of fun.

There's a long story and a short story to this trip.  I'm going to stake out the short story, and leave the longer one for Raq. 

Short story:  Get On This Boat.  It is Fun.  Your kid will have a blast and will likely want to keep his or her pirate nametag on for the rest of the day if not longer. 

It was a gray day - and safety comes first, so it was up to the crew if the sail was on or not; luckily, the rains held off until late afternoon.  As the ship set sail, the skies cleared and singing, chanting, and really bad puns could be heard from all directions.

There were games, there were stickers.  It was a lot of fun.  If you want to pair it with some educational stuff, visit the Maritime Visitors' Center on Thames Street once you disembark - there's a trove of history in there.

The Urban Pirates staff we encountered are great with kids, and it's a good trip around the Baltimore harbor for the adults too.  Yes, your ears will be ringing by the time you disembark.

If you can, get into the spirit by dressing up too … or finding a dear family friend with a penchant for red and black stripy stockings who will happily get in the swing of things for you.

To sum up:  Urban Pirates = Fun

(tune in next time for the longer story…)