Candyland Color Recognition

Recognition can be taught through the game`s combination of color, counting, and progression. The idea of color recognition and the difference between different numbers may seem elementary, but that’s because it is. The genius of Candyland is that it`s one of the few board games simple enough that its core components are toddler-age concepts and skills. As professor Remillard said to the Chicago Tribune, "Candy Land is a tad slow for adults, but preschoolers can't get enough of this rainbow-bright board game. No numbers required so even very young children can tackle ideas about sequences (one thing comes after another) and work on matching colors and pictures"(Schoenberg). This is further proof that Candyland is a uniquely designed game for
In the midst of a disease no-one truly understood and seemingly struck all members of society without prejudice, the pictures of children affected by the epidemic struck the public in particular. Parents all across suburban America became fear-struck that Polio would affect their children as well (Kawash 8). Candyland seemed to help out quite well in this respect, by offering a solution to children playing outside. Candyland, as well most other toys in this time period, were aimed at keeping children entertained for hours on end being away from the dangers of Polio outside (Kawash 10). It was during this time that Candyland was imprinted in American culture as one of the famous board games that was standard for every young family to own. Aside from the omnipresent threat of Polio, there were a slew of other reasonable reasons that a parent in the 50s might buy their child this new hit game. For example, at the time there were virtually no games centered around early childhood entertainment and additionally this toy could be used by more than just one child at a time. Additionally, unlike the other kid toys of the time, Candyland was comparatively cheap and allowed parents to get into the kid toy craze much easier (Kawash 9-10). In baby boomer America the concept of caring for and protecting your children everywhere, from toys to marketing and Candyland
Many locations within the game slow down progress and drawing location cards can send you back to earlier points on the board, often making the game seem to last forever (Kawash 10). This was not seen as a flaw, however, but a selling point: "Advertisements for the game like one published by Rogers Toy Store in Washington, D.C., promised parents that "this indoor game . . . will keep your youngsters happy for hours"'(Kawash 10). In other words, Candyland was, in a sense, the board game babysitter of Polio-stricken 50s America. The idea of outdoor play and playthings were seen as potentially dangerous, and the favored alternative for many parents was keeping children inside. None of these characteristics, nor the educational benefits, should come as a surprise, however, if one is aware of Candyland`s