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Fun Games for Kids Series: How to Play Duck Duck Goose

I cannot even imagine how many hundreds of times I have played the popular group game of Duck Duck Goose with groups of young children in school, kindergarten, preschool and even child care. It certainly is an Australian classic!

Games for Kids: How to Play Duck Duck Goose

How to Play Duck Duck Goose

Number of players: 6+

Recommended Age: 4+ years

Equipment needed: None

To play:

Sit the children in a circle, facing inwards.

One child is chosen to be ‘It.’ It walks around the circle, gently tapping each other player in turn on the head or shoulder, naming each player as a ‘Duck.’ When ready, It chooses one player to be the ‘Goose’ – tapping that player on the head (or shoulder) and saying, ‘Goose.’

The player selected as Goose stands up and chases It around the circle, trying to tag her before she gets all the way around the circle to sit back in the spot where Goose was originally sitting.

If the Goose is not able to tag It, then Goose becomes It and the game continues as per the previous steps.

If the Goose does tag It, the tagged player sits in the centre of the circle and Goose becomes It for the next round. The player remains in the middle of the circle until the next time a Goose is tagged to replace them.

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Check out the other games in the Games for Kids series;
Games for Kids: How to Play What's The Time Mr Wolf? Games for Kids: How to Play Scarecrow Tag

Games for Kids: How to Play Red Light Green Light Games for Kids: How to Play Tails

Games for Kids: How to Play Please, Mr Crocodile How to Play Captain's Orders

45 Fabulous Birthday Party Games for Kids

Christie Burnett is a teacher, presenter, writer and the mother of two. She created Childhood 101 as a place for teachers and parents to access engaging, high quality learning ideas.

Filed Under: Bigger Kids Play, Featured, Group Games for Kids, Outdoor Fun, Physical, Preschool Play Tagged With: games for kids

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Read the comments or scroll down to add your own:

  1. Mands says

    May 18, 2014 at 3:29 PM

    Oh I remember this from when I was a child. There have been a few things that have resurfaced from my childhood lately and I am loving the trip down memory lane
  2. Amna says

    January 14, 2015 at 12:02 PM

    There is a Pakistani version of this game too!! In Urdu :)
    • Christie Burnett says

      January 22, 2015 at 8:43 AM

      I love that the same games are played by children all around the world :)

Trackbacks

  1. 20+ Fun Ways to get Active With your Kids - Picklebums says:
    June 19, 2017 at 6:54 PM
    […] water fight is on the cards, or a game of ‘drip drip drop’ – it works the same as duck duck goose, but you walk around with a cup of water and drip drip drip a little water on everyone’s […]
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