Lawn darts, also known as Jarts, yard darts, or lawn darts game, are a type of outdoor game that involves throwing large, weighted darts toward a target, typically a plastic ring placed on the ground. Each dart is about a foot long, with a metal or weighted tip designed to stick into the ground when thrown in a high arc. Players or teams compete to land the darts within the target ring or as close as possible to score points. The game is loosely similar in concept to horseshoes or bocce, relying on accuracy and technique.
We had a set of Jarts, most likely bought at Sears, when I was a child. My Dad and I would play the game in our back yard. I remember that over time the plastic fletchings1 became brittle and finally boke off.
Lawn darts originated in the early 20th century as a backyard adaptation of traditional darts. By the 1950s and especially into the 1970s, lawn darts had become a popular family pastime in North America. Commercial versions were heavily marketed as safe family entertainment,
often including two plastic rings and four metal-tipped darts. However, the design soon came under scrutiny due to the inherent danger posed by the sharp, weighted tips—particularly to children. The pointed ends, necessary for sticking into the ground, could penetrate skin or skulls if thrown improperly or misused.
The game’s simplicity belied its risk. Despite warnings on packaging, many consumers treated lawn darts casually, unaware of the potential for serious injury. Tragedies occurred, including several incidents involving young children. The most pivotal case happened in 1987, when seven-year-old Michelle Snow of Riverside, California,
was killed after being struck in the head by a lawn dart thrown by a playmate. Her father, David Snow, subsequently launched a crusade to ban the product, and his efforts brought national attention to the danger of lawn darts. By 1988, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) responded with a full ban on the sale of lawn darts with metal tips.
The ban followed earlier attempts at regulation, which had required that lawn darts only be sold in sporting goods stores and not as toys. These measures proved ineffective. At the time of the ban, the CPSC estimated that lawn darts were responsible for over 6,100 emergency room visits between 1978 and 1986.
Over 80% of those injuries involved children under 15, and most of the injuries were to the head, face, or eyes. Three deaths had been officially linked to lawn darts in the United States by the time of the ban. Canada followed suit, banning the sale of lawn darts in 1989, and eventually prohibiting even the possession
of traditional metal-tipped lawn darts by individuals. Despite the bans, some vintage sets still exist in private hands and occasionally surface in online marketplaces, though selling them is illegal in both countries. In response to the bans, safer alternatives have been developed. These “safety lawn darts” feature rounded or blunt rubber tips instead of sharp points,
preventing the darts from embedding into the ground or causing severe injuries. They are often made of lightweight plastic and are designed to be used on soft surfaces like grass or sand. While lacking the original dart’s dramatic arc-and-stick appeal, the new designs retain the core gameplay in a safer form, making them acceptable for family and children’s play.
Lawn darts remain a vivid example of how consumer products can pose unforeseen dangers and how advocacy, combined with regulatory action, can lead to meaningful safety reforms. They also underscore the continuing tension between recreation and regulation—how to preserve fun while preventing harm.
Footnotes
- Fletchings are the aerodynamic stabilizers attached to the tail end of a projectile, most commonly arrows or darts, that help maintain a steady and accurate flight path. Typically made from feathers or plastic vanes, fletchings create drag and induce spin, which stabilizes the projectile in the air, much like rifling in a gun barrel. Traditional fletchings were often crafted from bird feathers—particularly turkey feathers for arrows—while modern versions may use synthetic materials for durability and uniformity. The number, shape, and orientation of fletchings can significantly affect flight characteristics, including speed, accuracy, and range. ↩︎
Further Reading
Sources
- Wikipedia “Lawn Darts” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lawn_darts
- Mental Floss “How One Grieving Father Got Lawn Darts Banned” https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/31176/how-one-dad-got-lawn-darts-banned
- Consumer Product Safety Commission “LAWN DARTS CAN CAUSE SERIOUS OR FATAL HEAD INJURIES AND DEATH” https://www.cpsc.gov/Newsroom/News-Releases/1987/LAWN-DARTS-CAN-CAUSE-SERIOUS-OR-FATAL-HEAD-INJURIES-AND-DEATH
- Mashable “The rise and fall of lawn darts” https://mashable.com/article/lawn-darts-jarts-history
- Darts & Piks “History of Lawn Darts” https://www.dartspiks.com/lawn-darts-history.html
- A Little Bit Human “The Dark History of How Lawn Darts Became Illegal” https://alittlebithuman.com/the-dark-history-of-how-lawn-darts-became-illegal/
- The Retro Network “Toy Stories: Lawn Darts” https://theretronetwork.com/lawn-darts/
- Nostalgia Central “Lawn Darts (Jarts)” https://nostalgiacentral.com/pop-culture/toys-games/lawn-darts-jarts/
