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Duck Duck Goose

Children sit in a circle; one taps heads naming 'duck' until a 'goose' chases them around, a group classic.

Cartoon illustration of a parent and child at home doing Duck Duck Goose.
  • Age3 to 6 years
  • Time15 to 30 minutes
  • EnergyActive
  • CostFree
  • WhereIndoors or out
  • PrepNone

A circle chasing game where one player taps heads around the ring until they name a "goose," then races that player around the circle to the empty spot. A short-burst energy game for a group.

How to do it

  1. Have everyone sit in a circle facing inward, close enough to reach.
  2. Choose one player to be "it," who walks around the outside gently tapping each head and saying "duck."
  3. At some point they tap a head and say "goose" instead, then run around the circle.
  4. The chosen goose jumps up and chases, trying to tag "it" before they reach the empty spot.
  5. If "it" sits in the spot first, the goose becomes the new "it"; if tagged, "it" goes again. Keep going for several rounds.

What you need

  • Group of players
  • Space

Signs it is working

Your child waits in the circle for their turn, runs when chosen, and takes turns being "it". They follow the tap-and-run pattern. They laugh and want another round

If it is not quite clicking

A younger child taps "goose" on the first head every time: Remind them to walk most of the way round first. The same few children keep getting chosen: Add a rule that "it" must pick someone who has not had a turn yet. Running near seated players gets bumpy: Widen the circle and remind runners to stay on the outside of it

Make it yours

Younger, 3 years: Walk instead of run, and let an adult be "it" for the first few rounds to model it. Older, 5-6 years: Add the version where "it" gives a describing word before saying goose, or make the circle bigger for a longer chase. Lower-intensity (calmer): Walk the chase instead of running, keep the circle small with a group of three or four, and stop after a couple of rounds, so a child who finds the noise, sudden chasing, or waiting-to-be-picked overwhelming can join without the fast-burst energy. Solo or pairs: This game needs a group; with only one child, try a running-and-freeze game instead. Sensory note for parents: This is an active, noisy game with sudden bursts of chasing and the tension of waiting to be chosen

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