Toddler Games: Ducks, Fish and a Bucket

Disclosure

Do you ever get giddy when you see a candy from your childhood? Or squee ecstatically as you whirl around on a merry-go-round at the park? Adults too often get hung up in all the things that make up adulthood and forget about the simple things in life like dancing on a sheet of bubble wrap. You’re never too old to eat whipped cream straight from the can, splashing in a puddle in the rain and playing games.

Kennedy reminded me of that recently when I pulled out some toddler games from Pressman. When I commented that they’re for little kids, her response was that it doesn’t matter if they’re fun. Then she proceeded to tell me how she had played two of the three and was ready to play them right then. With age comes wisdom, but with youth comes that innocent honesty. And for Kennedy, that means playing games like Mr. Bucket, Let’s Go Fishin’ and Lucky Ducks Game. Who cares that they are targeted for a younger crowd?! Not her since she recognizes everything is what you make of it.

Lucky Ducks Game

You might feel like you’re on the midway or at your local school carnival when you play this color matching game. Setup is simple: Install batteries then place all the ducks into the pond. Each player selects a colorful shape which is what they’ll be searching for throughout the game.

Press the orange button and the ducks start to swim around the pond. Starting with the youngest player and working clockwise, players select a duck from the pond. If the sticker on the bottom matches the player’s color then they keep it. If it doesn’t then the duck goes back in the pond and play moves to the next person.

The first player to get all three of their ducks from the pond wins. Pick up a copy of Lucky Ducks Game for your 3+ child (14 falls into the + part of that in my case) on Amazon for under $15!

Let’s Go Fishin’

We’ve spotted a version of this game at the Goodwill Outlet but it has never looked like this. We’ll find the board in one place and the adorable little fish scattered in bins throughout. Let’s Go fishin’ is for up to 4 players (ages 4+) but the beauty is it’s a single player game as well!

Set up the game by installing the batteries if you haven’t already. Give each player a fishing pole then turn the game on. There isn’t any difference in the colors of fish nor will you be trying to catch a specific color. It’s simply a race to catch fish!

You’ll see the board start rotating and the fish start to jump up and nip. Everyone plays simultaneously with the goal of catching as many as possible. When all the fish have been scooped out of the pond, players count how many they’ve caught. The player with the most wins! You should be able to reel in a copy for under $20 on Amazon.

Mr. Bucket

Kids have an abundance of energy, especially when parents are trying to get something accomplished. There are plenty of outdoor activities, but sometimes weather doesn’t cooperate and you’re stuck inside. Mr. Bucket is a good way to burn their energy! You’ll want your kids to love this game because you’ll be able to use it as an excuse for them to clean up their toys. It’s played on the floor so you’ll need plenty of clutter-free floor space, preferably not carpeted.

To begin, you’ll assemble the bucket and add batteries. Each player chooses a color then selects a shovel and the three matching balls. When everyone is ready to hustle, turn the bucket on and get moving. Players are racing to be the first to scoop up their three matching balls and deliver them to the bucket. Unfortunately, sometimes Mr. Bucket shoots one back out! Everyone scurries to recover it and get it back into the bucket. The first player to get all three into the bucket rushes to lift Mr. Bucket up to deactivate the part that shoots them back out. That person is the winner! If you’re ready to encourage your kids to get moving, you can find this game on Amazon for under $12!

All three of these games are designed for younger kids but have elements of entertainment for older kids and adults. What I found creative was how the older kids amended the rules to make it more difficult. As an example, with Mr. Bucket, they each took other players’ colors and hid them around the room. This added Easter Egg hunt element upped the game quite a bit! On a side note, every one of these games requires AA or D batteries so be sure to stock up when you’re purchasing the games! Stay up to date on new releases for all ages by visiting Pressman’s website or catching up with them on Twitter and Facebook!

What do you do to recapture the joys of your youth?