Advanced Candyland rules (by Russ):
1. Deal 3 cards face up to each player.
2. On your turn, you choose which card to use.
3. You can use multiple cards of the same color (so you can theoretically go 6 blues in a turn).
4. If the first yellow of your double yellow card gets you to Rainbow Trail, use the short cut then move the second yellow. Same for Gumdrop Pass.
5. All Pink cards (Ice Cream Cone, Gumdrop, etc.) send you forward to the correct item OR forward to the next pink square (if the correct item is behind you). Never backwards.
This teaches a child to make wise choices (which color is best and when to use the Pink). It helps the individual games be quicker, so you can play more games and have more winners, making winning/losing not such a big deal. "Remember the fun is in the playing." Plus, you can draw the Ice Cream Cone and not automatically win, especially if you fill up your hand with another pink or 2 after you pass the Cone space.
Speed Candyland alternative (by Rick):
While the above idea turns Candyland into an actual game, as opposed to
twenty minutes of random card drawing and possible crying, and we highly
recommend implementing it today - many of you that have stumbled upon
this may have a problem. If your child is adverse to change (i.e. if
they are 3 or 4 years old), he or she might be slightly resistant to a
massive rules change. They want to play Candyland like they have always
played Candyland. Ahh, now want to do?
No fear, just implement the Speed Candyland rules. In the dark of night
(because all good things for your child are done in the dark of night),
take the Candyland game and (no, don't throw it away!) take out the deck
of cards. We're going to doctor the deck a little - take out the pink
cards from the peanut brittle space and below. One problem solved. Next separate the double space cards from the single space cards - good,
now take out about half of the single space cards and stick them with
the pink cards you removed. Gather the remaining doubles and singles
along with the pink cards, and put the "new" deck back in the box and
ninja it back onto the game shelf. Do whatever you wish with the stack
of removed cards. Now Candyland will be fast, real fast - in fact
you'll be able to play it three times as much as before in the same
amount of time! Game on.