All the Things Boomer Kids Thought Were Normal

Also known as lawn darts, these were heavy, missile-shaped projectiles with sharp metal tips that kids tossed across the yard toward plastic rings. The thrill? Extreme. The risk? Higher. Nobody thought twice about a projectile flying over a sibling’s head.

Eventually, the injuries piled up and Jarts were banned—but not before generations of Boomers built up stories of close calls and backyard battle scars. It was the kind of fun only possible in an era with looser safety regulations and a very generous sense of what counted as a “family game.”