11 Seemingly Harmless Games With Creepy Backstories
Beneath the surface of innocent childhood games lies a web of eerie history, where playful rhymes and simple activities carry dark, often unsettling origins that reflect humanity's forgotten fears and tragedies.
- Alyana Aguja
- 4 min read
What if the games we played when we were children contained dark secrets beyond our imagination? Behind the innocuous facade of children’s songs and playground games is a sinister past, with most children’s games having origins in ancient rituals, survival methods during wars, and dark lessons in society. From the Black Death to totalitarian rule, all these seemingly innocent children’s games are echoes of the era when play and survival became inseparable in ways we have forgotten.
1. Ring Around the Rosie
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The children’s nursery rhyme appears harmless, but legend has it that its beginnings are also associated with the Black Death. “Ring around the rosie” allegedly describes the rash produced by bubonic plague, “a pocket full of posies” was thought to repel the odor of death, and “we all fall down” represented the eventual downfall. While controversial, this ghoulish association has held fast in folklore.
2. London Bridge Is Falling Down
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Another rhyme that sounds so innocent, yet its origins might be indicative of the numerous times London Bridge had been destroyed, either by fires, Viking raids, or even the Great Plague. Its line “build it up with silver and gold” is quoted to refer to historical riches and exploitation in constructing the bridge. There is also speculation that it represents the falling apart of society and death.
3. The Killer in the Backseat
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What appears to be a normal game of “Look for the car ahead of us” conceals a chilling story of a possible backseat murderer. The tale is about a driver who, while playing a harmless game of observation with his passenger, unwittingly picks up a murderer in tow. The game is a heartless reminder of the risks of not knowing what’s happening around you.
4. Hide and Seek
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While it’s a common children’s game, there’s a spooky legend surrounding it that involves old rituals of concealing oneself from evil spirits. According to legend, the game originated from ceremonies where individuals needed to “hide” to be spared from being attacked or raided. It has darker associations, too, where some myth describes the “seeker” in some variations as a ghost rather than a child.
5. Red Rover
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This apparently harmless playground game has darker historical connotations with retro military games. Others speculate it may be connected to medieval games where prisoners of war were compelled to create human chains, and the “rover” would break through them. It’s a grim reminder of brutality in the guise of innocent fun.
6. Musical Chairs
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Although musical chairs is a popular party game, it might have a creepy history involving the tradition of “dead man’s chair.” The elimination aspect of the game has been likened to the inhumane history of public executions, where a person’s chair was their position to their doom. In a more symbolic context, it can mirror how society throws people away so quickly.
7. The Haunting of the Game of Monopoly
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Initially designed as an anticapitalist critique, Monopoly’s route to becoming a family favorite is far gloomier than it looks. The game initially went by the name “The Landlord’s Game” and was developed to illustrate the ill effects of monopoly behavior. The history of the game is linked to one woman’s effort to enlighten people about greed, yet in the process, it emerged as a worldwide symbol of it.
8. Ring Toss
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Apparently innocuous, ring toss has a haunting aspect associated with its roots in ancient carnival games. In certain historical cases, prizes were employed to entice unsuspecting victims to be kidnapped or injured. Although now light-hearted, the game reminds one of those times when such venues weren’t necessarily safe.
9. Kick the Can
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A classic of childhood play, “Kick the Can” is a game where players hide and one individual searches for them. Its place in history is darker, though, as it relates to times of war and desperate measures taken by children to avoid capture or harm. Used as a means of survival in times of war and tyranny, the game serves as a frightening reminder of grim times.
10. Simon Says
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At face value, it’s an innocent game of obedience, but its roots in authoritarianism are ominous. The game is occasionally associated with cult-like control, where the leader (Simon) orders the masses to obey unconditionally. It has been used in literature and film to symbolize manipulation and loss of free will over time.
11. The Clapping Game (Pat-a-cake)
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This child’s game, typically viewed as frivolous, has its origins in ancient ritualistic acts. During medieval times, clapping games served as signals between conspirators or coded messages during political upheaval. Once an innocent clap of the hand, it could have been a secret act in a world full of rebellion and peril.