Playsaurus · No. 108 · 3.5 to 7 years

Duck, duck, goose

Everyone sits in a circle. One walks round tapping heads saying duck, until they say goose, and then there is a chase.

You need

Nothing at all

Takes

Five or ten minutes

Energy

Lively, loud

You

You need to be properly in it

Words

Works in any language

Good for

Taking turns, Moving about

How to start

Sit in a circle, as few as three of you. One person walks round the outside, tapping each head gently and saying duck, duck, duck. At some point they tap a head and say goose. That person jumps up and chases them round the circle. If the walker gets back to the empty space first, the goose takes over walking.

What tends to happen

Younger children say goose on the first tap every time, because waiting is the hard part. That is fine and it is the skill the game is building. The anticipation while being tapped is most of the fun.

If it is not working

With only one child, walk round a circle of soft toys with them and let them pick the goose. If the chasing gets too fast indoors, make the rule that everyone walks.

Things next to it

• Does the same job: No. 101, What's the time, Mr Wolf?