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Student Bailey Lee plays Candy Land at the Linda Nolen Learning Center.

Student Cree Couch gets help from Kay Parker to play the life-sized Candy Land game.

Teacher aide Tempestt Haynes helps student Isaac Linn cross the bridge in the life-sized Candy Land game. (Reporter photo)

Student Noah Earley prepares to roll the dice.

PELHAM – Students at the Linda Nolen Learning Center spent a part of their day on Thursday and Friday, May 10-11, playing a life-size version of the board game Candy Land.

LNLC behavioral aide Brad Manley said he wanted to create a life-size version of the game so that all students, regardless of their abilities, could participate.

“The pathway is wide enough so wheelchairs can fit through and the dice is bigger so that it’s easier for students to handle,” he said. “It’s really an inclusive game.”

This year marked the second year that the school has hosted the event for students, who play during their physical education classes.

“Everybody had a lot of fun the first year so we decided to do it again,” Manley said.

To fund the project, Manley said a fundraiser generated more than $200.

“The fundraiser was called Sweets Week,” he said. “For one week we sold everything from cookies, cheesecake, cupcakes, cake and brownies for $1. The students helped work the cash register. They ran it and counted out the change for customers.”

Kay Parker, a retired LNLC paraprofessional who is now a substitute, helped cook most of the sweets for the fundraiser.

Not only was the Candy Land game fun, but it was also educational. Manley said students practiced recognizing colors and counting, as well as being patient and waiting their turn.

“They’ve really done well with it,” he said.

Student Noah Earley, 17, said he loved the activity.

“I went over the bridge and to the castle,” he said. “My favorite part was the lollipops.”

Student Bailey Lee, 17, helped Manley cut out, tape and glue parts together for the game.

“It was really fun,” Lee said. “I liked going over the bridge and the gumdrop cones.”

Next year, Manley said he might change up the activity a bit since the school has done Candy Land two years in a row.

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