1. Slap Bracelets
At first, slap bracelets seemed like harmless fun—just bend a piece of metal around your wrist with a satisfying snap. But soon enough, teachers realized the edges could cut skin when the fabric wore off. Suddenly, the must-have accessory was being confiscated left and right.
Kids loved showing off their colorful bands and trading them at recess. But once safety concerns made headlines, schools cracked down. What began as a simple toy turned into one of the most notorious bans of the decade.
2. Garbage Pail Kids Cards
Gross-out humor was at its peak with these parody trading cards, each one a twisted spoof of the sweet Cabbage Patch Kids. Kids loved collecting and swapping them, often giggling at recess over the wilder designs. Teachers, however, saw them as disruptive, inappropriate, and sometimes even a little frightening for younger students.
Classrooms were quickly overrun with trading frenzies that distracted from lessons. Some schools banned them outright, saying they promoted bad behavior. For kids, that only made the cards seem cooler.
3. Yo-Yos
Yo-yos have been around for decades, but the ’80s brought a huge resurgence, especially with flashy, light-up models. Lunchtime became a stage for tricks like “walk the dog” and “around the world.” Unfortunately, yo-yos also turned into projectiles when someone lost control.
Teachers grew tired of near-misses and tangled strings in the hallways. Many schools eventually restricted yo-yos to recess or banned them altogether. Still, kids kept them tucked in backpacks, ready to sneak in a trick or two.
4. Rubik’s Cubes
The Rubik’s Cube was as much a brain teaser as a toy, but it caused plenty of classroom distractions. Students couldn’t resist twisting and turning the colorful squares during lessons. The clicking sound alone was enough to frustrate teachers trying to give instructions.
Competitions to solve the cube quickly spread across playgrounds. But once it became clear that cubes were taking up more attention than math homework, teachers cracked down. The puzzle was fun, but not when it replaced actual schoolwork.
5. Trapper Keepers
The bright, Velcro-strap Trapper Keeper binders were more than just school supplies—they were status symbols. Kids loved the colorful covers, pockets, and the satisfying rip of the Velcro. Teachers, however, claimed they caused too much noise and took up too much desk space.
Trading and comparing designs became a distraction all its own. Some schools even banned them outright, arguing they made students too focused on fashion instead of function. Still, every kid who had one remembers how cool they felt.
6. Pogs
Pogs exploded in popularity toward the end of the decade, turning milk-cap-style disks into a playground currency. Kids stacked and slammed them with “slammers,” hoping to win their friends’ prized designs. Unfortunately, the game led to arguments, gambling-like stakes, and lots of classroom noise.
Teachers grew weary of the disputes and distractions. Soon enough, schools banned the little disks completely. It was a short-lived craze, but one that defined a moment in playground culture.
7. Sticker Books
Collecting and trading stickers was practically a schoolyard economy in the ’80s. Kids carried binders full of scratch-and-sniff, glitter, and puffy designs, eager to make trades during recess. Class time often ground to a halt when stickers slipped out or became the focus of whispered deals.
Teachers saw the trend as harmless at first, but it quickly got out of hand. With trading wars breaking out and kids refusing to part with prized stickers, many schools banned them. The smell of grape scratch-and-sniff still brings back memories.
8. Big League Chew
This shredded bubble gum, sold in pouches that looked just like chewing tobacco, became a playground favorite. Kids loved pulling out the stringy gum and stuffing their mouths until they could barely talk. Teachers didn’t appreciate the mess of sticky wads stuck under desks—or the questionable example set by the packaging.
Many schools decided it crossed the line and banned it outright. Parents sometimes agreed, worried about the look-alike packaging. Still, kids loved the ritual of pulling a long pink string out of the pouch.
9. Hacky Sacks
Hacky sacks turned every patch of schoolyard grass into a makeshift arena. Circles of kids would spend entire recesses kicking the little beanbag back and forth, trying to keep it in the air. But stray kicks often sent them flying into windows, gardens, or other students.
Teachers quickly got tired of broken items and scuffles. While some schools allowed them only at recess, others banned them completely. Even so, hacky sacks became a lasting symbol of ’80s and ’90s youth culture.
10. Electronic Handheld Games
Before Game Boys, there were Tiger handhelds and other battery-powered mini games. Kids hid them in desks, pretending to pay attention while pressing tiny buttons on a glowing screen. Teachers could hear the beeps from a mile away.
It didn’t take long before the gadgets were being confiscated daily. They turned lessons into battles of stealth and timing. For many students, getting caught was almost worth it just to sneak in one more round.
11. Jelly Bracelets
These stretchy, colorful bracelets were worn in stacks up and down kids’ arms. They were cheap, easy to trade, and came in every color imaginable. The trend got so distracting that some teachers banned them outright, claiming kids spent more time comparing bracelets than paying attention.
Some schools even cited “inappropriate meanings” rumored to be attached to different colors, which fueled the crackdown even more. For kids, they were harmless fun and a way to show personality. For teachers, they were one more nuisance in a growing list of playground fads.
12. Skateboards
Though skateboards weren’t technically small toys, they often showed up on school grounds in the ’80s. Kids rode them between classes or tried tricks at recess, turning hallways and sidewalks into makeshift skate parks. Teachers, worried about safety and property damage, put an end to it quickly.
Skateboards were left outside or locked away until the final bell. Still, kids dreamed of showing off their moves in front of classmates. It was another case where fun clashed with school rules.
