How to Make a Carnival Duck Game
Carnivals and fairs can help raise money for schools, churches, synagogues and other groups while providing a fun atmosphere for children and adults. Many carnival games of skill and chance require relatively few supplies and can be created cheaply. Games for small children don’t have to be lavish or intricate, and your prizes can be modest. The classic duck game is a fun, easy carnival activity for children and can draw large crowds.
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Things You'll Need
- Plastic or inflatable baby pool
- Water
- Heavy metal washers
- Glue that bonds metal to nonporous surfaces
- Thick black permanent marker
- 40 to 50 Styrofoam, plastic or rubber ducks
Instructions
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1
Glue a heavy metal washer to the base of each duck. Allow the glue to dry for one to two hours.
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2
Write a number (1, 2 or 3) in permanent black marker on the bottom of each duck.
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3
Fill a 5- to 6-foot-diameter plastic or inflatable baby pool with water and place your ducks on the surface.
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Ask players to choose a duck. The number on the bottom corresponds to a prize. A child who chooses a duck marked “1” will receive the smallest prize, “2” corresponds to medium prizes and “3” wins large prizes.
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Tips & Warnings
This game has several variations. You can use plastic or vinyl snakes, sharks or fish instead of ducks or give children small nets with handles to fish out the ducks or other objects you place in the pool.
Check the “Free” section of online classified sites to look for baby pools, or get one at a discount store. If your pool is made of plastic, paint the outside surface to fit your carnival’s theme or atmosphere.
To create a more attractive display, add blue food coloring to the water before placing your ducks on the surface.
Buy prizes in bulk at carnival supply and novelty stores. For games for small children, use stuffed animals or other child-safe prizes.
Mark a greater percentage of ducks with 1s and 2s so that it’s more difficult to win a large prize. Also, set a limit as to the number of large prizes each child can win, so you can keep the game cost-effective while raising money for your organization.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit rubber duck image by Christopher Hall from Fotolia.com
