15 Old Playgrounds That Should Have Been Illegal

Written by Erin Kuschner on May 28, 2025 updated May 29, 2025

A rusty, old merry-go-round with faded paint sits on grass in a park, surrounded by trees and a metal slide in the background. The equipment appears weathered and unused.

Scalding hot slides, too-high jungle gyms, and splinters galore: These are the hallmarks of playgrounds past. Before plastic seesaws and padded floors, playgrounds used to be prime territory for daredevil stunts. Lawsuits aside, maybe they were also a little more fun back then?

For a reminder of how the neighborhood play structures used to bring us one step closer to breaking our bones, here are 15 photos of old playgrounds that would definitely not be up to code today.

1. Talk About Defying Gravity

Children play on a tall, metal jungle gym in a park. Some kids climb high while others swing or stand below, all wearing light, casual clothing. The scene is lively and energetic under a clear sky. — BambiKittens666

2. This Would Not Fly Today

Black-and-white photo of children playing on tall metal playground equipment, including swings, ladders, and bars, with some climbing high and others hanging or swinging, in an outdoor park setting. — AcademicPainting23

3. Is This a Playground or a Circus?

Black and white photo of children playing on a playground. A girl swings on rings in the foreground while another child sits on monkey bars. Several other children and adults are in the background on a sunny day. — Electrical-Aspect-13

4. ‘Hot Slides and Giant Splinters. Those Were the Days.’

A large wooden playground structure with towers, ramps, and climbing areas, including a section with stacked tires, sits in a park surrounded by trees on a sunny day. — xTugboatWilliex

5. That’s One Way To Get Over a Fear of Heights

A tall, old-fashioned metal playground slide with a steep incline stands in a grassy park near a lake, surrounded by trees. The slide has a ladder for climbing and metal supports anchored in the ground. — unl0veable

6. On These Seesaws, There Are No Rules

Two children wearing red shirts play on wooden seesaws in a playground. One child is hanging upside down on a seesaw while the other stands nearby. A third child is in the background near a fence. — unl0veable

7. Playground Safety Was Not a Priority in the 1970s

Children climb and hang from a tall, old-fashioned metal playground structure, with one child standing and balancing on top, arms raised, and others hanging or climbing below. The scene appears daring and lively. — unl0veable

8. Think They Could Pack a Couple More Kids in There?

Black and white photo of children in old-fashioned clothes playing on a large wooden merry-go-round outdoors, with two girls standing and watching as others cling to the structure. — BambiKittens666

9. Where Exactly Is This Ladder Going?

A group of children, dressed in early 20th-century clothing, climb a tall wooden slide on a playground, while others wait their turn or play nearby. The background shows industrial buildings and an open dirt field. — CincoDeMayoFan

10. All I See Are Splinters

A large wooden playground structure with towers and bridges, surrounded by a wooden fence and a garden with colorful flowers, set under a clear blue sky. — alexdionisos

11. Don’t Let Go!

A young child hangs from old metal playground equipment over bare dirt in a suburban neighborhood, with houses, trees, and a street visible in the background. — unl0veable

12. When Playgrounds Were Made Entirely of Metal

Children play on a vintage metal playground structure with slides, stairs, and platforms, set in a sandy outdoor area on a sunny day. The equipment is mostly red and yellow. — Porkchopp33

13. Whoever Made It to the Top Got Serious Bragging Rights

Two children climb on a large metal jungle gym in a park, with one child standing at the top and another partway up. Lush green trees fill the background. — Porkchopp33

14. Hamster Wheel or Tumble Gym?

Three young children play on a vintage metal tumble gym at Tuscora Park, with trees and park benches visible in the background on a sunny day. — Imgur

15. ‘Enjoying a Wooden Playground, August 1996’

Four children play on a wooden playground structure in a park. One child holds a blue ball while others climb and slide down a pole. Trees, grass, and balloons are visible in the background. — Salem1690ser

Want to take a closer look at the way things were?

If these eyebrow-raising playground contraptions made you nostalgic, dive into 15 Vintage Photos of Summer Camp for bunk-bed hijinks and lake-front antics, cruise through 12 Vintage Photos of the Roller Skating Craze to see neon wheels in action, and wander 16 Vintage Photos That Capture the Magic of Old State Fairs full of midway rides and prize-winning pies.