It was all things piratical at one of a series of children’s summer holiday craft and exploratory sessions in Tavistock.

Youngsters and their families joined in a treasure hunt with pirate-themed clues and then enjoyed making parrot puppets, pirate hats and pirate galleons in Tavistock Guildhall’s historic court room at the weekly Wednesday session.

Nicky brought her granddaughter Darcy, four, to the session, saying: “Darcy’s made a wonderful pirate’s hat with brilliant colouring and a pirate’s parrot puppet. We’ll make a puppet theatre at home with a box we have to use the puppets. We also did the treasure hunt together with a map and clues and Darcy was very good and was given treasure as a gold chocolate coin. It’s caught her imagination and is a good way of helping her parents and entertaining her.”

Stacey brought son Brian, three, where he made a Viking style model sailing boat and parrot puppets. Stacey said: “These are wonderful sessions because they’re full of different activities that not only keep the children occupied, but stimulate their creativity and imagination. We came to the first one and Brian made a castle out of wooden blocks, which he loved.”

Ben, three, and his dad Baz, from Princetown, followed the treasure hunt and also won a chocolate coin.

Brothers Theodore, six, and Albert, three, came with grandad Robin from Tavistock, who said: “The sessions are not only fun and engrossing for children, they’re also educational for when they’re on holiday with us.”

The Discovery Team is a group of volunteers from the Tavistock Heritage Trust who bring the local history and mining heritage of Tavistock alive through hands-on family activities, school visits and interactive workshops, usually hosted at the historic Tavistock Guildhall Courtroom.

The Wednesday sessions ask for a £1 donation and are from 10am to 1pm throughout the summer holidays. Families do not have to book. More details at the Tavistock Heritage Trust website at this link: https://www.heritageintavistock.org/our-projects-discovery-group

Brian, 3, with the boat and puppet he made at a pirate-themed heritage children's activity session in Tavistock Guildhall.
Brian, three, with the boat and puppet he made at a pirate-themed heritage children's activity session in Tavistock Guildhall. (Iliffe Media)
Theodore, six, brother Albert, 3, and grandad Robin, at a pirate-themed heritage children's activity session in Tavistock Guildhall.
Theodore, six, brother Albert, three, and grandad Robin, at a pirate-themed weekly heritage children's activity session in Tavistock Guildhall. (Iliffe Media)