This early 19th century Dutch book for young girls on games and play contains a chapter called 'Het Ganzenbord' (The game of the goose). In this, two girls are playing that board game when a young visitor arrives and does not wish to join in the game because she considers it boring. Keetje, the young visitor, also dislikes the use of dice with their connotations of gambling. She suggests that the girls should buy a copy of one of the newer boardgames which were both educational and entertaining.

The Game of the Goose dates back to the 16th century. Players used dice as they moved around the coiled track and encountered hazards along the way. It was a game of chance and a stake (of money or some other mutually decided token) was involved. This association with gambling was not approved of by late 17th and early 18th century educationists, but they used the concept of the coiled track for other race games - rewards for moral behviour and forfeits for vices were substituted. Dice were replaced with teetotums, a four to six-sided miniature top which was spun.

Many different board games were developed from this time, initially used as an aid to learning but by the middle of the 19th century there were numerous games published that were purely for fun.

Dubosarsky, Ursula. The game of the goose, Ringwood, Vic.: Penguin, 2000

Goodfellow, Caroline. A collector's guide to games and puzzles, London: Apple Press, c1991

Shefrin, Jill. Ingenious contrivances: table games and puzzles for children, Toronto: Friends of the Osborne & Lillian H. Smith Collections: Toronto Public Library, 1996

Hampshire Museums Service: Childhood Collection. A brief history of toys. Games and Puzzles

Victoria and Albert Museum: Museum of Childhood. Collections: Games: Game of Goose