Home » The forgotten link between Candy Land and polio and why it still matters

The forgotten link between Candy Land and polio and why it still matters

Candy Land has been adored by preschoolers, tolerated by older siblings, and dreaded by adults for generations. The simplicity of its play makes it perfect for young children, and the colorful candy-themed game has endured as an activity the whole family can do together.
Even for the grown-ups who find it mind-numbing to play, there’s some sweet nostalgia in traversing the Peppermint Forest and avoiding the Molasses Swamp that tugs at us from our own childhoods. There are few things as innocent and innocuous as a game of Candy Land, but many of us may not know the dark reality behind how and why the game was invented in the first place.

Candy Land has been a family favorite for decades, but it was originally created for kids with polio.
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CandyLandwasinventedbyretiredschoolteacherEleanorAbbottwhilesherecoveredfrompolioin1948.ShewasconvalescinginaSanDiegohospitalsurroundedbychildrenbeingtreatedforthediseaseandsawhowisolatingandlonelyitwasforthem.Thegame,whichcouldbeplayedaloneandprovidedafantasyworldforsickchildrentoescapeto,becomesopopularamongthehospital’syoungpatientsthatAbbottR