Ellie Kemper wants to take Pirate’s Booty from the snack aisle to the screen.
Ellie Kemper wants families to put down their screens and rediscover the fun of imaginative play this summer.
The Office and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt star partnered with Pirate’s Booty for Captain Bob’s Summer Quest. The free activity guide features simple adventures that parents and children can enjoy together throughout the season.
During her conversation with Nerdtropolis, Kemper reflected on the games she loved as a child. She also discussed sharing similar activities with her two sons, her growing voice-acting career, and the continued popularity of The Office.
Captain Bob’s Summer Quest was designed to make family activities easy and accessible. The guide uses common household materials instead of requiring parents to buy expensive supplies or plan elaborate outings. It also brings families into the world of Pirate’s Booty mascot Captain Bob and his parrot sidekick, Crunchy.
Ellie Kemper Remembers Playing School as a Child
When asked about the screen-free activities she enjoyed growing up, Kemper immediately remembered creating an imaginary school with her sister and next-door neighbor. “One of our favorite activities, my sister and my next-door neighbor and I would always play school,” Kemper said. “I loved it.”
Their homemade school featured a chalkboard, whiteboard, and desk. They even turned a storage closet filled with Christmas decorations into a supply room and teacher’s lounge. “We put, like, a stack of paper and a stapler in there, and we were like, ‘That’s where you get your supplies,’” Kemper recalled.
The simple setup gave the children everything they needed to create their own world. Kemper now recognizes the same level of imagination while watching her two sons, ages 6 and 9, play together. “Those kinds of imaginative worlds are, like, you can completely get lost in them,” she said. “I see them get lost in these worlds, and I’m jealous. I’m like, ‘I want to do that again too.’”
Captain Bob’s Summer Quest gives Kemper another opportunity to enter those imaginative worlds alongside her children. “It’s full of activities that bring you back to the world of imaginary play, which we don’t always get as adults,” Kemper explained. “So it’s really nice to be able to experience that again.”
Captain Bob’s Summer Quest Makes Family Activities Easier
Captain Bob’s Summer Quest features activities for indoor and outdoor play. The collection includes Create a Compass, Chalk Cove, “Aye-Aye” Spy, Captain’s Closet, and Message in a Bottle.
Families can use each activity as a starting point before taking the adventure in their own direction. “You don’t have to go out and buy anything,” Kemper said. “You just have items around your house. Like, the materials needed are, like, cardboard and aluminum foil. We all have that around our house.”
Kemper said the accessible materials help remove some of the pressure parents may feel when planning activities. “I think all these activities are jumping-off points for you to take in any direction you want,” she added.
Kemper has already tried Captain’s Closet with her sons. The activity encourages families to search through their clothing and household items to create pirate costumes. “It’s just dressing up as pirates,” she said. “Like, that’s fun, and they really like doing it. So yeah, that’s a great summer activity.”
The campaign was created to encourage more hands-on and unstructured play since a 2025 study found a decline in the amount of unstructured play in children’s daily lives. Researchers linked unstructured play with positive developmental outcomes, including creativity, imagination, emotional regulation, and stronger social interactions.
Pirate’s Booty partnered with Kemper to develop approachable ideas inspired by their experiences with children. Anderson is also known for her experience as a babysitter.
The Message in a Bottle Activity Includes a Mystery
One of the guide’s activities allows families to create their own message in a bottle.
Kemper recently read about someone who travels long distances searching for real messages that have washed ashore. While she could not remember every detail, the story convinced her that the bottles are out there somewhere. “But in the meantime, we can do it in our family rooms with this activity, Message in a Bottle,” Kemper said. “It also adds some decoding to the equation, which is always fun. And I think maybe makes it more authentic too.”
The complete quest includes art, coloring, science, resourcefulness, and imaginative games. Activities can be completed at home, outdoors, or while traveling.
Ellie Kemper Reunites With Tituss Burgess Through Voice Acting
Kemper is also exploring imaginative worlds through her voice-acting career.
She voices Piggie in an upcoming Elephant and Piggie Show alongside her Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt co-star Tituss Burgess. Burgess voices Elephant Gerald.
Although they do not always record together, hearing Burgess’ performance takes Kemper back to filming their Netflix comedy in New York City. “He understands me on every level,” Kemper said. “I met him for the first time, I was like, ‘Oh, I know you from, like, a previous life or something.’”
Kemper described their friendship as an immediate connection between two people who felt like they had already known each other. “The Elephant and Piggie series is so iconic, so funny,” she said. “I love the author Mo Willems. I love his work. So I feel, like, really lucky to be working on that show at all. It’s a really sweet show.”
Kemper and Burgess believe the material can connect with viewers of different ages. “Titus and I keep saying about this show specifically, we’re like, ‘Is this for kids or adults?’ Because it really resonates for both,” Kemper said. “Like, it’s profound life lessons.”
Voice acting has also allowed her to develop new skills. Without facial expressions or physical movement, Kemper must communicate the character’s personality entirely through her voice.
“There’s things that you can convey through voice acting that you — because it’s not your face — you have to modulate your voice in a way that makes the character come through,” she explained. “It’s a part of acting that I haven’t done as much of, and I really like learning more about.”
Kemper also appreciates one of the more practical benefits of recording voice work. “You don’t have to put on makeup,” she joked.
The Office Continues To Reach Younger Viewers
Kemper played Erin Hannon on The Office, becoming one of the NBC comedy’s most memorable characters. Years after the series ended, younger viewers continue discovering the employees of Dunder Mifflin through streaming and reruns.
Kemper understands the lasting appeal because she watched The Office before becoming part of its cast. “I feel so fortunate to have been a part of a show that is, like, still really relevant to people many years after it stopped airing,” Kemper said. “I understand it because I didn’t get cast on the show till later on in the series, so I was a fan of the show before working on it.”
She believes the comedy has remained popular because its humor is supported by honest characters and emotional storytelling. “It’s a really truthful show that has a lot of heart and is also very funny,” Kemper said.
However, conversations with younger fans can occasionally remind her how much time has passed. “It is always, like, a shock when, you know, if some teenager or someone mentions liking the show and they’re like, ‘I wasn’t born when it was on,’” she said. “You’re like, ‘I’m a thousand years old.’ But I’m still glad that they like it.”
Ellie Kemper Pitches a Pirate’s Booty Animated Show
As the conversation came to a close, Nerdtropolis suggested that Captain Bob and Crunchy should receive their own animated series.
Kemper quickly volunteered to bring the Pirate’s Booty characters to television. “Listen to me. I will write that show,” Kemper said. “I have no experience writing animated shows, but that is what I will do if it means bringing Pirate’s Booty to the TV and a lifetime supply of Pirate’s Booty.”
Her love for the snack began years before the partnership. She has since passed that appreciation down to her sons. “I love this snack. It’s so good,” Kemper said. “I have for years, and then I, like, genetically passed it on to my two boys, who also love Pirate’s Booty. So it’s like the best snack, and it should be brought to the screen. Why not?”
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Sean Tajipour
Sean Tajipour is the Founder and Editor of Nerdtropolis and the host of the Moviegoers Society and Reel Insights Podcast. He is also a member of the Critics Choice Association. You can follow on Twitter and Instagram @Seantaj.
