13 Playground Games That Would Be Outlawed Today
These once-popular playground games are now relics of the past, deemed too dangerous or inappropriate by today's standards.
- Alyana Aguja
- 4 min read
Playgrounds used to be wild arenas where kids tested their limits with games that involved tackling, climbing, and full-on physical combat. What was once dismissed as harmless fun has since been re-evaluated through a modern lens of safety and inclusivity. These 13 games have either been banned outright or heavily modified to avoid injuries, lawsuits, and bullying.
1. Dodgeball
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Dodgeball was a staple in schoolyards, where kids hurled rubber balls at each other as hard as they could. It encouraged agility but also caused countless bruises, black eyes, and even concussions. Many schools have banned it for promoting aggression and targeting weaker students.
2. Red Rover
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In Red Rover, kids form two lines and take turns sending someone to break through the other line’s joined hands. The game often led to dislocated shoulders and wrist injuries due to the force of collisions. It was eventually deemed too dangerous for most schoolyards.
3. Mercy
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Also called “Uncle,” this game involved locking hands and bending each other’s fingers back until someone cried “mercy.” It was a literal test of pain tolerance that often left kids with sore joints or sprained fingers. Today, it’s seen as a form of playground violence.
4. Smear the Queer
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This chaotic free-for-all involved one kid holding a ball while everyone else tried to tackle them. Despite the troubling name, the real danger came from the violent dogpiles and headfirst tackles. Schools cracked down hard on this one for both safety and inclusivity concerns.
5. King of the Hill
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Kids would climb on top of a mound or structure and try to stay there by pushing others off. While it felt like a game of strength and dominance, it led to falls, sprains, and the occasional trip to the ER. It’s no surprise most schools now forbid it.
6. Tetherball
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A tall pole with a swinging ball seemed harmless, but tetherball games could turn ugly fast. The rope often whipped kids in the face or tangled around their necks. It was removed from many playgrounds due to liability concerns.
7. Crack the Whip
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Kids would form a line while the front person ran in zigzags, causing the tail-end to whip violently. Those on the end were often flung several feet, resulting in scraped knees and hard landings. Many schools banned the game for being too unpredictable.
8. Jungle Gym Challenges
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Climbing to the top of jungle gyms or dangling by one leg was an unsupervised daredevil tradition. Many kids lost their grip and ended up with broken bones or worse. Modern playgrounds are now much lower and include soft flooring to prevent injury.
9. Trampoline Wrestling
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Jumping on trampolines was fun, but kids often combined it with body slams and flips. Without nets or safety pads, the risks of collisions, broken necks, and head trauma were high. Today, unsupervised trampoline use is discouraged, especially with multiple jumpers.
10. Butt Tag
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A ridiculous game where kids could only tag each other using their backsides. While silly and seemingly harmless, it often led to falls, inappropriate contact, and plenty of accidents. It didn’t take long before schools stepped in to shut it down.
11. Wall Ball
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Kids took turns bouncing a tennis ball off a wall and dodging hits, but the punishment for missing the ball was often getting pegged. The harder the kids threw, the more painful the game became. Complaints about bullying and injuries led to widespread bans.
12. Hopscotch on Concrete
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Classic hopscotch may seem safe, but playing it on hard concrete without proper footwear led to twisted ankles and scraped hands. In some cases, a bad fall meant a trip to the nurse’s office. Many schools have moved these games to padded or rubberized areas.
13. Freeze Tag with Pushing
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This variation of tag allowed kids to “unfreeze” others with a push rather than a tap. Over time, it turned into full-body shoves that sent kids sprawling. With rising injury reports, teachers either modified the rules or banned the game entirely.