I found this gem at the local thrift store for $3- it even came with the 3AAA batteries needed for the Momma Goose! For preschool game connoisseurs, this is a slightly quieter cousin of Lucky Ducks which I do not have a copy of yet.
Components: 1 motorized Momma Goose, one game board, 14 ducklings (1 grey and 13 yellow ducklings- 1 is an extra), 13 half-egg stands for the ducklings, and 4 nests with 3 random color dots.
Setup: My copy was all assembled, but normally 3 AAA batteries need to be placed in the Momma Goose. The ducklings may also need to be punched out of the cardboard sheet and placed in the stands (there is an extra yellow duck- forcing the cardboard into the stands leads to casualties).
Put the board in the center of all players. Randomly place the ducklings on the center ring lily pads. Hand out a nest to each player. Put the Momma Goose on a random “splash” spot on the outer ring- next to the grey duckling is suggested. Make sure she is turned “On.”
Standard Play:
On your turn, you lift the Goose by it’s head and place it on the next open space, which must be next to a duckling- so skip splashes adjoining empty lily pads
. Push down the Head. The Goose will make a splash sound and flap its wings, then say “Duck” or “Goose”. If it says “Duck” you may move the Goose to the next splash spot next to a duckling, and push the head again. This repeats until it says “Goose!” “Goose” allows you to pick up the duckling adjoining the Goose’s splash spot and look at the colored dot on the bottom of the egg.
If it matches a dot in your nest you may place it on that dot. Otherwise it is returned to its lily pad and it is the next player’s turn. The grey duckling is “wild” and has all the colors. The winner is the first player to “fill” his or her nest by matching ducklings to the dots.
Variation:
1) Make new nests with numbers (dots or numerals) and place stickers on the bottoms of the eggs with dots or numerals to make a math matching game. This can also be done with the target letters of the week, upper and lower case.
2) To practice sharing: when a duckling is revealed that does not match the player’s nest dots, any other player may ask “May I have that duckling?” if it is needed in their nest. If the giver is able to politely answer “Yes you may” and hand the duckling nicely, they may have the opportunity to select any duckling to turn over and keep- this would also test their memory. The player could also be the asker- “Does anyone need this duckling?” and then they can nicely select someone who politely says “I do, please!”
DIY
Granted, the motorized goose is a HUGE draw for the younger kids. However plastic Easter eggs could be re-purposed for an alphabet upper/lower or dot/numeral set for rotation, and any animals could be printed to fit our themes. I would use a die with pictures or the words ducks and goose on them to run the DIY game.
Super cute if you see a copy- but can be grating if listened to for too long…..
Paradise's Playroom 