Eleanor Abbott created Candy Land in 1948 while recovering from polio in a San Diego hospital. Distressed by the suffering of children around her, she designed a simple board game using butcher paper, colorful cards, and candy-themed destinations like Peppermint Stick Forest and Gum Drop Mountain.

She tested her prototype with young patients, who found joy in the color-coded gameplay that required no reading or counting. The game's cottage-home ending held special meaning for quarantined children missing their families. Abbott sent her design to Milton Bradley, which was seeking new board games to compete with Parker Brothers.

Candy Land became one of history's best-selling games, with over 50 million copies sold and found in 60% of households with young children. Abbott earned substantial royalties but lived modestly, donating much to polio-affected children and schools. Though her connection to the game remained obscure for decades, Candy Land endures as a piece of Americana that continues to bring simple joy to new generations.