To my delight, upon shopping for a toy for my grandson, Noah Bernard, who just turned 2 years old, I discovered several board games for children. In locating the game, Candy Land, the cover indicated it was for children 3 years and over. But because Noah already shows signs of being gifted, I believe he will be playing the game before his next birthday. As a very young child, I have fond memories playing Candy Land with my brothers.
I recently read an article in the New York Times about the woman, Eleanor Abbott, who created the game. Ms. Abbott was among the many who were afflicted with the disease of polio when it hit the city of San Diego in 1948. While recuperating in the hospital that year, she observed the many sad faced children who had been stricken with the same illness. The sight of these children motivated Ms. Abbott to design a game in 1948 that would bring the joys of childhood into their homes. The rules of the game were quite simple: There was a trail of colored spaces leading to the end of the path with a picture of a Candy Castle. A player would draw a color-coded card from the deck and then move to the nearest space matching that same color. There were sweet stopping points: Peppermint Stick Forest, Gingerbread Plum Tree and Gum Drop Mountain. If a player drew one of those pictured cards, she would advance her piece to the space marked by the picture. As a young child playing the game, the candied path of this game remains etched in my mind
Ms. Abbott created the game for young children that did not know how to read or juggle with numbers. All they had to do was match the color of the card they drew with the nearest space on the board with that same color. Because Noah already not only understands the difference in colors but can also name the different colors, I am confident that he will soon be an expert in playing Candy Land. I am happy to say, not only for the sake of children like Noah and myself, but also for Ms. Abbott, who received handsome royalties when the game of Candy Land gained the novelty of television advertising to become wildly popular in the market of children’s toys and games.
As Noah becomes older, I hope to instill in him the great fun I had as a child playing other board games such checkers, chess, monopoly, clue and scrabble with my brothers and friends. I hope Noah will be able to enjoy these games in the company of his peers in the future. Playing games like these teaches young people how to socialize with their peers along with learning to follow the rules and regulations that are a part of any organized play. The social skills developed by children in participating in activities that require engagement with their siblings and friends are invaluable to their upbringing. When they are in front of a board game, children need not obsess with an iPhone or iPad.
Dr. Bernard F. Natelson 