• Classic game with updated graphics and sculpted, detailed pawns

• Passing the peppermint forest and the ice cream sea on the way, the first one to reach the candy castle wins

• No reading required to play

• This is the classic "child's first game", and preschoolers will love it

• Instructions are in both Spanish and English

• Children draw colored cards, and move their plastic gingerbread playing tokens to the next square of the same color

First, the game does not require children know how to read. They do not even need to know their numbers as they do in "Chutes and Ladders." Movement is based on a child being able to recognize colors and symbols. What could be easier than that?

Second, the game is based on luck (or chance or divine intervention or however you want to characterize it), which means it is a great equalizer. This is a game where a kid has the same chance of winning as their parents, older siblings, grandparents, babysitters or whoever. Children are not going to be interested in playing a game they cannot win, which is why "Candy Land" is where they begin instead of "Monopoly" or "Trivial Pursuit."

Third, the game teaches the basic skills of board games. The hardest lesson kid have to learn with this game is to...take turns. Yes, this might be one of the first times in their young lives when kids are confronted with the regiment of structure that will afflict them the rest of their lives. But from board games like "Candy Land" to sports like baseball, structure and rules are a basic consideration. Strategy and tactics come later, but learning to take turns comes first (and I could argue is a basic lesson in civil behavior).

Therefore, I would respectfully submit that "Candy Land" remains the ideal choice for the first board game you play with your children. Just pick a card, move to the appropriate square, and proceed to have a great life.

58 of 62 found the following review helpful:


A classic kids game.  Jan 07, 2000
I remember playing Candyland as a child, so it is another game that has passed the test of time. It is simple, and it does not require reading skills, so very young children can play the game. It is good for practicing colors and for taking turns and following rules. I do feel that the game is a little long, especially for the 3-year old kids in the recommended age range. Some of the rules, like getting stuck until a certain card is drawn, makes the game rules a little more difficult to follow, so in that way I would recommend it more for a 4-6 age group. A 3-year old can play it with a lot of supervision, but some of the rules are hard to understand at that age - especially when they can draw a card but can't move their game piece! The game is very inexpensive, and therefore the quality of the actual game is not great. I agree with another reviewer that a "classic gold" edition with wooden pieces and a durable box would be a wonderful option for someone who would like the game to last. It would also be nice to have a nice spot to put all of the cards during the game and for storage. Despite the length of the game and the durability factor, I would still highly recommend this classic game to parents with small kids, especially those in the 4 - 6 age range.

44 of 46 found the following review helpful:


A great classic never dies (unless it gets torn up)  Sep 23, 2004 By Lisa M. Franklin "homeschoolin'mommy"
This classic game was played by myself and my brothers as our first experience with board game playing and it is also my son's first experience with playing board games as well. We began playing Candyland when he was 2 years old and knew his colors well enough. It teaches colors and matching, obviously, but it allows for the parent to teach valuable concepts like taking turns, not being a sore loser, playing by the rules, and other good social skills involved in game play with others. That said, I was so disappointed with the quality of the game itself. The board is OK (although I wish the spaces were large enough to accomadate the gingerbread men pawns that are supposed to fit on the spaces). But the cards are very flimsy. All of our cards are bent up and some are torn. All are dirty. I realize that the price of this game is quite inexpensive and is still a good value for the price. But I wish they had an alternative Candyland game that cost more and was more durable to withstand play for all my child's toddler and preschool years. An ideal game would have a larger board with larger spaces and sturdy (maybe chipboard) cards that are laminated. A plastic "draw-discard" container would also be nice to contain all of the cards during play to get children use to that concept of card play. I would gladly pay more for a more durable version of this wonderful game

44 of 46 found the following review helpful:


A Game That Transcends Generations  May 25, 2001 By Clark Paull "(Sleepin' with the TV on)"
I'm not sure how long "Candyland" has been on the market, but I played it when I was a kid and I'm pushing 44. My wife and I bought this game for our then-three-year-old son (he's now four), unsure if it would hold his Nintendo-infatuated attention. Fortunately (or unfortunately, depending on who is playing with him), it does, so much so that his record at one sitting is 17 straight games. Still a classic of its kind, "Candyland" is easy to learn and fun for kids and adults (sheesh, I'm beginning to sound like a commercial here). One minor complaint: the cards aren't very durable and perhaps need to be made of thicker material to facilitate multiple shuffling and to endure the often rough touch of little hands.

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