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Rifle through a kindergarten fun trunk, and there’s a good chance you’ll find a Candy Land board game or two. Have you played Candy Land? What’s the story behind this ever-popular game?

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All the plotting in the world won’t help you crush in Candy Land. Win, lose – your fate lies in the shuffling of the deck, and the luck of the draw. But, as you travel down the rainbow road, you’ll find yourself in hot spots like Chocolate Mountain, Lemon Lime Springs, Molasses Swamp, and Peanut Brittle House.

You won’t be lonely. Joining you in your sugar-fuelled journey will be characters like Princess Lolly, Mr. Mint, and Duchess E. Clair.

And what’s your end goal? Find the elusive King Kandy, Imperial Head Bonbon and Grand Jujube of Candy Land.

Candy Land was created in 1949 by Eleanor Abbott, a retired school teacher who was stricken with polio and assigned to a San Diego hospital. She found herself sharing a ward with ailing children, many of whom  were separated from their parents.

How to distract these young people from their difficult lives? Abbott dreamed up this fantasy world of sweets and intrigue – Candy Land! –  sketched a prototype on a big piece of craft paper, and showed it to the kids. It was an instant hit.

Bed-ridden children with polio could imagine a happy, colourful life, and simulate movement as they wound their pawns around the game board. You’ll note the young boy in the original version below is wearing a leg brace.

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Abbott eventually sold her Candy Land idea to Milton Bradley – now owned by Hasbro. The best-selling Candy Land went on to win the Toy Industry Association’s ‘Best Toy’ of the 1940s. Ever thoughtful, Abbott donated a significant portion of her earnings to local schools, so they could stock up on much-needed supplies.

The link between Candy Land and the polio ward was kept hush hush for years. The game board has also featured some interesting quirks, like these two be-striped buddies who insist on holding left hands while they skip about.

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Abbott might be surprised to learn that her Candy Land even inspired a six episode holiday baking show, hosted by Kristen Chenoweth on the Food Network.

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www.justcurious.ca

Header Photo + Photo #2: Rodion Kutsaiev

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