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◆ Did you have this?
👍 I had this💔 I wanted this1970s · toys
Lawn Darts
Backyard darts the size of small javelins — a cookout staple until the metal-tipped originals got banned for being exactly as dangerous as they looked.
- Era
- 70s
- Released
- 1950
- Category
- toys
- Availability checked
- 7/16/2026
From the archive
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The pitch
Toss it high, watch it stick — lawn darts were the backyard cookout classic that got banned for being a little too much fun.
Why people remember it
- It's one of the most famous "banned toy" stories — genuinely dangerous darts that were a staple of backyard cookouts.
- Older siblings and cousins usually had a wild story about a too-close call from a game gone sideways.
- The underhand toss-and-stick gameplay was simple enough for the whole family to play at once.
Did you know?
- The original metal-tipped lawn darts were banned for sale in the United States in 1988 by the Consumer Product Safety Commission.
- They're also known as Jarts, a once-popular brand name that became the toy's common nickname.
- Modern replacements use soft plastic or weighted foam tips to keep the classic game legal and safer.
How people search for it
“giant backyard lawn darts”, “jarts outdoor game”, “banned metal tip darts”
Tags
Questions people ask
- Why were lawn darts banned?
- In the U.S., metal-tipped lawn darts were banned from sale in 1988 after being linked to thousands of injuries and several children's deaths.
- Can you still buy lawn darts?
- Yes — modern versions use soft, rounded, weighted tips instead of sharp metal points to meet current safety standards.
