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 all of your errors into a creative masterpiece with the Bob Ross party game, Happy Little Accidents!
Just like Bob Ross would sagely defend the usefulness of “accidents” on his television 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 and 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 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 or a raincloud to a “smell” based on a chosen game card. The best drawing at the end of three rounds wins!
Game setup is easy, and in my opinion, 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 Ross’ happy little face on one side and his real-life pet squirrel, Peapod, on the other side. These cute and colorful touches bring Ross’ warm energy to the room and maintain the game’s intended mellow style of play.
If the Ross name and therapeutic play alone don’t make you want to add this item directly to your cart, the beautiful packaging, which features a textured Bob Ross headshot on a bright-pink background, should. Little Ross-headed canvases line the perimeter of the box, each one featuring a real Ross landscape painting. Turn to one of the inside box panels for a motivational quote from Ross to pick you up during the game’s lulls, so there’s never a lack of quaintness 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 inside all of us, just waiting to be made. And at roughly 15 minutes per game, it’s the best quick fix to start or settle any kind of night. Feel free to throw episodes of The Joy of Painting on in the background.
In the immortal words of Ross himself: “This is not something you should labor over or worry about. Enjoy it.”
Photo: Big G Creative
