Duck Duck Goose

Duck Duck Goose is the classic circle game, played here by a ring of cartoon dino kids seen from above. Be the tapper and pick your goose, or sit in the circle and wait for the call. You can play this duck duck goose game online free in your browser with no download, on a keyboard, a mouse or a phone’s touch screen. There is also a Caller mode for real kids playing at a party or in class.

The classic rules

• Sit in a circle: everyone sits facing in except one player, the tapper (or “it”).
• Duck, duck…: the tapper walks around the outside, tapping each head and saying “duck”.
• Goose: when the tapper says “goose” instead, that player jumps up and chases the tapper around the circle.
• The race: the tapper runs around the outside and tries to sit down in the goose’s empty spot before being tagged.
• What happens next: if the tapper gets to the spot safely, the goose becomes the new tapper. If the goose tags the tapper first, the tapper goes again. In some versions the tagged tapper sits in the middle of the circle, called the “mush pot”, until someone else gets tagged.

Local variations exist. In Minnesota it is Duck, Duck, Gray Duck: the tapper names colors (“red duck, blue duck”) and the chase starts on “gray duck”.

How to play the online game

• Party mode: 10 goose calls against eight CPU dino kids, starting with you as the tapper. Space, a tap on the game or the Duck button taps the next head. G, Enter or the Goose button picks the kid you are behind.
• Pick your goose: the middle of the circle shows dots for that kid’s running speed and how fast they wake up. Each duck adds 15 bonus points to a safe sit, up to 8 ducks, but also makes the whole circle more alert.
• Run to the spot: after “goose”, hold Space, or hold your finger or mouse on the game, to run. The empty spot is ringed in yellow.
• Being the goose: when a CPU kid is the tapper, sit still on duck (jumping costs 25 points). On GOOSE, react fast and hold to chase, then tag the tapper before they sit in your spot.
• Scoring: a safe sit scores 100 plus the duck bonus. A tag scores 150, plus up to 100 for a quick reaction. CPU kids score the same way, and the top of the table wins.

The game uses the classic rule: a tagged tapper goes again, and a goose who misses becomes the new tapper.

Running around the circle

The run is always around the outside. Crossing the dashed line counts as cutting inside, and your dino stumbles. The inside lane is the shortest way round, but runners swing wide as they speed up, so steer back in with the Up and Down arrows (or W and S), or hold on the dirt path and slide toward the circle.

Reaction challenge and Caller mode

In the Reaction challenge you sit in a circle of four. Only jump when the tapper says GOOSE on your head. Jumping on a duck or on another kid’s goose ends the run, and so does waiting longer than 0.9 seconds. The tapper speeds up as your streak grows.

Caller mode is for real kids. It calls “duck” at random intervals and “goose” after 3 to 10 ducks, then gives a 9-second run break, so nobody can guess when the goose is coming. Gray Duck words, spoken calls and pace (tap the bottom of the game) can all be changed.

Tips

• Read the dots. One speed dot and one wake dot is the safest goose. A fast, alert kid can catch even a perfect run.
• Hug the line, don’t cross it. Running close to the circle saves a lot of time, and one stumble can cost the race.
• As the goose, react first and steer second. Most tags are won in the first half second.

FAQ

Is Duck Duck Goose free?

Yes. No account or download. Your best score, best streak and wins are saved in your browser.

Does it work on phones and tablets?

Yes. Tap to say duck, use the Goose button, and hold on the path to run. The game area won’t scroll the page.

Can I use it to run a game for real kids?

Yes. Open Caller mode and turn the sound up. Spoken calls use your browser’s built-in voice, and the Sound button mutes everything.

Can I pause?

Press P or Esc, or use the Pause button. The game also pauses if you switch tabs.

Like chase games? Try Tag Game for a fast platform chase, or test your reflexes with the Reaction Time Test.