Whatever happened to …

… lawn darts?

This is another from the collection that Sheila Stewart forwarded my way. Thanks, Sheila.

I think the answer to this one is pretty easy. The plastic fins on the end were smart for accurate throwing but the metal tip that stuck in the ground had the potential to be a killer.

Mushy – Day 361 – lawn darts at an elementary school rummage sale!! (I didn’t buy ’em)
A package of Franklin brand lawn darts. Photo taken at an elementary school yard sale in Washington state, United States, with a Kodak Z650 Zoom digital camera.

I’ve also seen them called Jarts.

They came with a yellow plastic circle that was the target. Play, as I recall, was like a lighter game of horseshoes.

Now, playing by the rules was something that we did when my parents were around. Left to our own, we had other uses for them.

• catching them
• throwing them overhand for distance
• being merciless when a friend would climb up a tree and become a target
• using a newspaper as the target and trying to hit the pictures
• and probably a few other things

Despite these uses, I don’t recall a serious event happening in our side yard with their use. We weren’t allowed to take them off our property though.

I do recall an incident once with someone else while we were camping. He came into the camping office bleeding from the forehead. A couple of bandages and he was off again.

Eventually, they were banned in Canada. They aren’t in the same deadly category as Kinder Eggs, but I don’t recall anyone being upset when they were banned. Sometimes, it’s just common sense.

For a Sunday, your thoughts…

• did you ever own or play with lawn darts?
• do you have any accident stories to share?
• do you have any non-standard games that you played with them?
• interestingly, real darts are still a thing. I’d argue that, in the wrong hands, they could be even more dangerous. I mean arming people with these things while they’re drinking in a pub? Your thoughts?
• can you think of any current toy in production that should be banned?
• is there a safe way to implement the lawn dart concept? (Answer is yes, there are alternatives)

Please take a moment and share your stories in the comments below.

This post originated on:

https://dougpete.wordpress.com

If you read it anywhere else, it’s not the original.