Don’t Wake Daddy is a children’s board game where players tiptoe from their beds past noisy obstacles to reach the refrigerator for a midnight snack without waking Daddy. Players spin and move, hoping they have the right cards to avoid pressing the alarm button.
Components
1 game board with track
1 Daddy figure in bed (mechanical pop-up)
4 player movers (colored)
Spinner
Deck of cards (numbered matching track spaces)
4 beds (start spaces)
1 Rainbow Refrigerator (finish space)
Setup
Place Daddy in bed and put his nightcap on his head. Press him down flat in bed.
Set clock face on the alarm clock.
Place blanket and pillow and sheet on bed.
Insert the headboard into the frame of the bed.
Snap Daddy into the bed by inserting the back “prong” first, then snapping in the front.
Each player takes a mover and places it on the matching colored bed at the start.
Shuffle the card deck and deal cards to each player. With 2 players, each gets extra moves from the deck. With 3-4 players, deal the appropriate number.
Turn Structure
On your turn:
Spin the spinner.
Move your mover to the first unoccupied space of that color ahead on the track.
Actions
Landing on a space:
A color with a picture and you have the matching card: You are safe! Do not press the button.
A plain colored space (no picture) with a matching number card: You are safe.
A space where you do NOT have the matching card: You must press the Daddy button the number of times shown. If Daddy pops up, you go back to your bed.
If Daddy stays asleep: You are safe and your turn ends.
If Daddy pops up: Collect the matching card from whoever has it (so you are safe next time), then return to your bed. Press Daddy back down.
Note: If there are no more track spaces of the spun color ahead, move to the Rainbow Refrigerator space (it contains all colors).
Scoring / Victory Conditions
The first player to land on the Rainbow Refrigerator wins the game.
Special Rules & Edge Cases
If you would rather have all your extra moves in the deck, remove extras from the deck. Each player gets an equal share.
With 3-4 players, if you have a matching card, show it but do not discard it – keep it for future use.
If no more spaces of the spun color exist ahead, go to the Rainbow (all colors count).
When Daddy wakes, collect the card that matches the space where you were caught, then go back to your bed.
Multiple players can be on the same colored bed space at the start.
Player Reference
Item
Detail
Players
2-4, ages 4+
Goal
First to the Rainbow Refrigerator
Safe landing
Have the matching card
Unsafe landing
Press Daddy’s button; if he pops up, return to bed