How to Play Mr McGregor’s Garden | Peter Rabbit Board Game Instructions – Peter Rabbit

Mr McGregor’s Garden – A Peter Rabbit Story Board Game

Welcome to Mr. McGregor’s Garden™. It is a beautiful and wholesome place, but it can be dangerous for a young rabbit. Peter Rabbit and his sisters, Flopsy, Mopsy, and Cottontail live close by the Garden™, and it is so enticing with all the wonderful fruit and vegetables. Can they get into the Garden™, gather the produce they need for their dinner, and get out without being caught? Well, that is up to you!

Objective

Mother Rabbit is waiting in the sand bank burrow outside of Mr McGregors Garden™. Players must get into the Garden™ and collect one of each item of produce (a carrot, corn cob, green bean, lettuce, and a blackberry). The first player to collect each produce item and get home safely, WINS!

DOWNLOAD RULEBOOK HERE

Parts of the game

Playing Pieces: Each player selects a rabbit (Peter is blue, Flopsy is red, Mopsy is green, Cottontail is yellow). The youngest player chooses first.
Board Layout: Place the board in the center, with the rabbits’ sand-bank home in one corner and Mr. McGregor’s Garden™ across from it.
Garden Entrances: Rabbits may enter the garden through the blue door (if open) or under the white gate at the far end.
Traps: Place each trap (hat, rake, sieve, pot, bird net) beside its respective produce patch (carrot, corn, bean, lettuce, blackberry).
Mr. McGregor’s Cat and Door: Position the cat near the pond and place the blue door in the open position.
Produce Cards: Set out the produce cards for each patch, ready to be collected as rabbits visit each patch.
Game Order: The youngest player begins, and play proceeds clockwise

Phases of Play

Beginning with the first player (the youngest) and proceeding clockwise. Each turn follows these steps:

ROLL THE DIE

The die has four numbered faces (1–4), a red face, and a green face.

Movement (Numbered Roll): If a number (1–4) appears, the player must move their rabbit that many spaces in one direction, following these rules:

Movement can only be in a single direction per turn (no backtracking).

Rabbits can share the same square without blocking each other.

If a rabbit has collected all five produce items and is close to home, they can enter the sandbank even if their roll would take them past it.

TRAP PLACEMENT OR REMOVAL (RED/GREEN ROLL)

Red: The player does not move their rabbit but must choose one action:

Place a trap in a produce patch.
Close the blue door, blocking that garden entry.
Place Mr. McGregor’s cat on a garden path to block other rabbits.

Green: The player does not move their rabbit but must remove a trap, open the blue door, or remove the cat from a path (if there are no traps or obstacles in place, the turn simply ends).

END OF TURN

After executing the actions required by the die roll, the player’s turn ends, and the next player in clockwise order takes their turn, rolling the die and following the same sequence of actions, until a rabbit achieves victory.

KEY CONCEPTS

Collecting Produce: To gather a produce item, a rabbit must stop in that patch. Once stopped, they collect the corresponding produce item (carrot, corn, bean, lettuce, blackberry). They need all five
items to win.

Traps and Obstacles: Each patch has a unique trap Mr. McGregor can use (e.g., hat in the carrot patch). Traps block movement until removed. If a rabbit is covered by a trap, it cannot move until the trap is lifted.

The Blue Door and White Gate: The blue door provides a shortcut but may be closed, forcing players to use the white gate at the far end of the garden. This can add extra distance on the way back.

Mr. McGregor’s Cat: The cat can block a path, preventing rabbits from moving through that space.

Movement:

On your turn, roll the die. If it shows a number, you must move your rabbit that many spaces in a single direction if possible. However, movement may be affected by obstacles:

Blocked by Trap or Obstacle: If your rabbit is blocked by a trap or obstacle, you cannot move and must forfeit your turn.

Returning Home: When your rabbit is just one space away from the sand-bank home and you roll a 2, 3, or 4, you may move directly into the burrow, winning the game if you have collected all five produce items.

WINNING THE GAME

After a player collects all five produce items, they must return to the sand-bank home to win. The first rabbit back with all five items wins. Players may need to strategize if the blue door is closed, deciding whether to wait for it to reopen or take the longer route through the white gate.

Parts of the game

Step 1 - Set up the game
Unfold the game board and place it in the middle of the table. Each player chooses a rabbit figure and places it at the starting sandbank. Unbox the produce tokens and scatter them face-up across the garden patch they belong - carrots in the carrot field, blackberries in the blackberry bush, etc.
Step 2 - Take Turns Rolling the Die
The youngest player goes first. On your turn, roll the movement die and move your rabbit that number of spaces. Follow the path and choose your direction at forks.
Step 3 - Collect Produce
When you land on a space with a produce token, pick it up and keep it. You can store these on the rabbit image at the sandbank for safe keeping while you hunt for the others! Your goal is to collect one of each type.
Step 4 - Watch out for Traps
When the RED dot is rolled, a player can put one of the traps into play. Players can use this to block, stop another player from moving, or slow your journey. But don’t worry — there ways to remove the traps - by rolling a GREEN dot or by changing route.
Step 5 - Race Back to the Sandbank
Once you have five different produce tokens, head back to the sandbank as fast as you can. The first rabbit to collect them all and return home wins the game!
Step 6 - Watch the demos
Want to see it in action? Watch our short “How to Play” videos below for a simple walkthrough of game setup and gameplay. Perfect for first-time players or anyone who prefers learning by watching.