Duck, Duck, Goose

Looking for a game to play with your preschoolers? Don't forget about an old favorite - Duck, Duck, Goose.

Duck, Duck, Goose
Ages 2 to 4
Also known as: Goose, Goose, Gander; Duck, Duck, Grey Duck; The Mush Pot; Peske (in the Czech Republic); Antoakyire (in Ghana)

Number of participants: Five or more

Length of time: As long as the kids are able to play, the game can continue

Background: This early version of Tag is especially good for younger children because there are only two kids running at the same time, preventing accidents and confusion.

Rules of the game:
First, choose one person to be It. Sit the kids down cross-legged in a circle facing each other. It walks around the outside of the circle, tapping each person on the head and labeling most of them Ducks. As soon as It taps a child and calls him a Goose, this player must get up and chase It around the circle. It has to try to get into the Goose's spot before that player tags him. If It does, then the goose becomes It and the game starts over. If the Goose tags It before he makes it safely onto the Goose's former spot, It must sit in the middle of the circle, called the mush pot, and the Goose becomes It in the next round. The child in the mush pot must stay there until another person is unfortunate enough to get caught. Then they trade places and the one in the mush pot can return to the circle while the other player takes his place.

Other ways to play it:
Not all games of Duck, Duck, Goose have a mush pot. In an alternate version, It simply stays It if he's caught, and the Goose returns to the circle.

source - babycenter