Have you ever tried to draw something, only to leave a stray mistake on the page? According to renowned painter and feel-good guru Bob Ross, those hiccups aren’t mistakes: They’re happy little accidents. Now you can repurpose the whole family’s errors into a creative masterpiece with the Bob Ross home game, Happy Little Accidents!
Just like Bob Ross would sagely defend the usefulness of “accidents” on his TV show, The Joy of Painting, Big G Creative’s family board game is all about taking the mess-ups and squiggles and turning them into lovely little works of art. It’s a great lesson in finding a creative way out of a sticky situation; kids and parents can both learn from the patience of changing a vision to make a new, even-better-than-imagined creation. It also just might win you the game, too.
Three to six players ages 10 and up can start the game by doodling random shapes, lines, circles, and zig-zags onto the included sheets of blank drawing paper. The doodles are then randomly picked up and turned into a new creation, anything from a slice of pizza to a raincloud to a “smell” based on a chosen game card. The best transformed-drawing at the end of three rounds wins!
The setup to the game is easy, and the instructions are some of the easiest to follow in any board game out there. The game’s contents are very cute and fun, as well. When creating a new drawing, each player picks one of six colored markers to add the fun little pop of color needed to bring that squiggle to life. When it’s time to vote, players use the set of voting tokens featuring Bob Ross’ happy little face on one side and Ross’ real-life pet squirrel Peapod on the other side. These cute and colorful touches bring Bob Ross’ warm energy to the room and maintain the game’s intended mellow style of play.
If the Bob Ross name and therapeutic play alone doesn’t add this item directly to your cart, the beautiful packaging should, which features a textured Bob Ross headshot on a bright pink background. Little Bob Ross headed canvases line the perimeter of the box, each one featuring a real Bob Ross landscape painting. This calm imagery will have players eager for some artistic expression. Turn to one of the inside box panels for a Bob Ross motivational quote to pick you up in the games’ lulls, so there’s never a lack of quaintness for you and your family to ponder.
Happy Little Accidents could have higher stakes, but at its heart, the game’s not meant to be competitive. It’s a nice way to celebrate the creative choices that are possible inside all of us. And at roughly 15 minutes per game, it’s the best quick fix to start or settle any kind of night.
In the immortal words of Bob Ross himself: “This is not something you should labor over or worry about. Enjoy it.”
