Happy Families facts for kids

Happy Families is a classic card game that's usually played with special picture cards. These cards show funny drawings of made-up families, often based on different jobs like a baker or a doctor. The main goal of the game is to collect all four cards that belong to the same family.

When it's your turn, you ask another player for a specific card. You can only ask for a card if you already have at least one card from that same family. If the player you ask has the card, they must give it to you. Then, you get to ask for another card from anyone. If they don't have the card, it becomes their turn to ask. The game keeps going until all the families are complete and no cards are split between players. The player who collects the most complete families wins! One important rule is that you can't pretend to need a card if you don't already have one from that family. You can even play a version of this game with a regular deck of playing cards, similar to the game Go Fish.

How the Game Started

The game of Happy Families was created by John Jaques Jr.. He was also known for inventing other popular games like tiddlywinks, Ludo, and snakes and ladders. The game was first published before a big event called the Great Exhibition in 1851. Even today, you can still find cards with Jaques's original designs. They often have funny, exaggerated drawings that might have been made by Sir John Tenniel, who drew for Alice in Wonderland.

Happy Families in Books

The Happy Families children's storybooks, written by Allan Ahlberg, have titles that sound a lot like the character names in this card game.

Meet the Family Members

In the game, the names of the family members usually follow a pattern. Here's how they are typically structured:

• Mr X the Y (like Mr. Bun the Baker)
• Mrs X the Y's Wife (like Mrs. Bun the Baker's Wife)
• Master X the Y's Son (like Master Bun the Baker's Son)
• Miss X the Y's Daughter (like Miss Bun the Baker's Daughter)

Family Names and Jobs

The names of the families and their jobs can change depending on which edition of the game you have. Here are some examples of family names and their occupations. The ones in italics are from the very first edition of the game by Jaques:

• Ache, the Dentist
• Ache, the Doctor
• Artichoke, the Greengrocer
• Ashes, the Sweeper/Sweep
• Ashes, the Undertaker
• Bacon, the Butcher
• Black, the Undertaker
• Block, the Barber
• Block, the Builder
• Blue, the Fisherman
• Blue, the Sailorman
• Board, the Teacher
• Boat, the Fisherman
• Boat, the Sailorman
• Bobby, the Policeman
• Bones, the Butcher
• Bud, the Florist
• Bun, the Baker
• Bung, the Brewer
• Carpenter, the Carpenter
• Carriage, the Undertaker
• Carver, the Mason
• Carver, the Carpenter
• Carver, the Sculptor
• Caste, the Doctor
• Caste, the Vet
• Chalk, the Teacher
• Chip, the Carpenter
• Chop, the Butcher
• Clay, the Potter
• Clay, the Roofer/Tiler
• Codd, the Fisherman
• Codd, the Sailorman
• Cooke, the Baker
• Cooke, the Chef
• Constable, the Policeman
• Copper, the Policeman
• Creep, the Crook
• Dashe, the Athlete
• Deck, the Swabhand
• Digg, the Farmer
• Digg, the Gardener
• Digg, the Miner
• Drill, the Dentist
• Drill, the Digger
• Drill, the Miner
• Dipp, the Dyer
• Doch, the Dockman
• Dose, the Doctor
• Dregg, the Brewer
• Drip, the Dyer
• Field, the Farmer
• Fisher, the Fisherman
• Fisher, the Fishmonger
• Flatfoot, the Policeman
• Flea, the Vet
• Grey, the Sweeper/Sweep
• Green, the Farmer
• Green, the Gardener
• Green, the Grocer (most likely a greengrocer)
• Grits, the Builder
• Grits, the Grocer
• Grits, the Stonemason
• Haddock, the Fisherman
• Haddock, the Sailorman
• Hardwatch, the First Mate
• Hearty, the Captain
• Hose, the Fireman
• Hose, the Gardener
• House, the Builder
• Jack, the Mechanic
• Jumbo, the pilot
• Jumbo, the Zoo Keeper
• Jumper, the Athlete
• Kettle, the Potter
• Kipper, the Fisherman
• Level, the Architect
• Level, the Surveyor
• Mason, the Stonemason
• Mug, the Milkman
• Paint, the Artist
• Paint, the Painter
• Parcel, the Postman
• Peeler, the Policeman
• Pint, the Milkman
• Pipe, the Gasman
• Pipe, the Plumber
• Pipe, the Tobacconist
• Pithe, the Builder
• Plod, the Policeman
• Potter, the Farmer
• Potter, the Gardener
• Potter, the Potter
• Pots, the Painter
• Pots, the Potter
• Root, the Farmer
• Root, the Gardener
• Root, the Grocer (most likely a greengrocer)
• Runner, the Athlete
• Runner, the Messenger
• Shoote, the Hunter
• Shoote, the Soldier
• Shoote, the Gunman
• Shoppe, the Shopkeeper
• Snoot, the First Class Passenger
• Smith, the Blacksmith
• Snuff, the Tobacconist
• Snuffet, the Undertaker
• Spanner, the Mechanic
• Sprint, the Athlete
• Splint, the Doctor
• Sodd, the Farmer
• Sodd, the Gardener
• Sole, the Fisherman
• Soot, the Sweep
• Squint, the Optician
• Squint, the Scientist
• Stamp, the Postman
• Stitch, the Tailor
• Stitches, the Sailmaker
• Stone, the Builder
• Stone, the Mason
• Tape, the Tailor
• Teeth, the Dentist
• Test, the Teacher
• Trout, the Fisherman
• Trout, the Sailorman
• Trim, the Hairdresser
• Trim, the Tailor
• Tuckin, the Chef
• Walker, the Athlete
• White, the Doctor
• White, the Milkman
• Wood, the Woodcutter
• Wrenche, the Mechanic

Happy Families on TV

CBBC, a children's TV channel, also had a children's TV series that was based on the Happy Families Card Game. It even featured characters from the game!

Special Game Editions

Sometimes, special versions of the Happy Families game are made. For example, in 1987, the town of Dartmouth in Devon, UK, created a unique version. It celebrated real business owners in the town whose last names matched their jobs perfectly!

Some of these special families included:

• The Drews (who were artists)
• The Hairs (who were vets)
• The Crews (who worked with boats)
• The Pillars (who were builders)
• The Sleeps (who ran bed and breakfasts)
• The Nashes (who were dentists)
• The Carrs (who rented out cars)
• The Measures (who were pharmacists)
• The Crisps (who were greengrocers)
• The Rains (who grew fruit)
• The Legges (who were cobblers or shoe shop owners)
• The Cutmores (who were butchers)
• The Swindells (who were bankers)
• The Prices (who were bank managers)

Many of these businesses were still around in 2012, but by 2017, some had changed.

More recently, in 2016, a British game company called GoForItGames.co.uk made new special editions of Happy Families. These games don't focus on jobs. Instead, their cards show funny parts of everyday family life. These sets include themes like:

• The Family with a new baby
• The Family with an unruly toddler
• The Family with a typical teenager
• The Long Family Car Journey
• The Family dressed up at Halloween
• The Family getting through Christmas
• The Family at Easter
• The Disastrous Family Barbecue
• The Gross Cousins

Images for kids

• 

  A 'family' from a set of old German Quartett cards. Each card lists the three others that it groups with.

See also

In Spanish: Juego de las siete familias para niños