Tamagotchi are tiny virtual pets in a distinctively egg-shaped case, which allows you to carry them around with you. You would raise your pet from egg to adult, taking care of their needs to keep them happy and healthy. Originally from Japan, Tamagotchi became a sensation across the world in the late 90s and early 2000s. However, they ended up being banned in quite a number of schools. This was in large part because of how distracting they were, with pets frequently becoming hungry, unhappy, or even sick if you didn’t clean up their droppings. No kid wanted their Tamagotchi to die, and that - combined with their constant beeps when they needed attention - didn’t exactly make them a good fit for the classroom.Tamagotchi are tiny virtual pets in a distinctively egg-shaped case, which allows you to carry them around with you. You would raise your pet from egg to adult, taking care of their needs to keep them happy and healthy. Originally from Japan, Tamagotchi became a sensation across the world in the late 90s and early 2000s. However, they ended up being banned in quite a number of schools. This was in large part because of how distracting they were, with pets frequently becoming hungry, unhappy, or even sick if you didn’t clean up their droppings. No kid wanted their Tamagotchi to die, and that - combined with their constant beeps when they needed attention - didn’t exactly make them a good fit for the classroom.
Tamagotchi are tiny virtual pets in a distinctively egg-shaped case, which allows you to carry them around with you. You would raise your pet from egg to adult, taking care of their needs to keep them happy and healthy. Originally from Japan, Tamagotchi became a sensation across the world in the late 90s and early 2000s. However, they ended up being banned in quite a number of schools. This was in large part because of how distracting they were, with pets frequently becoming hungry, unhappy, or even sick if you didn’t clean up their droppings. No kid wanted their Tamagotchi to die, and that - combined with their constant beeps when they needed attention - didn’t exactly make them a good fit for the classroom. | Adobe Stock/Ana Belen Garcia

Banned from the playground: 11 toys commonly forbidden in UK schools in the 2000s

Amber Allott
By Amber Allott

Education writer

Published 29th Jan 2025, 13:56 BST

Some of these nostalgic favourites left some children with injuries đŸ¤•

Almost every year, a new toy craze will sweep the nation’s children.

And not long after, some primary schools will inevitably ban them from the classroom and playground alike. This can be for all sorts of reasons, from causing injuries, to starting schoolyard fights, to supposedly encouraging violence, gambling, or other potentially harmful behaviours.

Even the most innocent-seeming playthings will sometimes face bans. Maybe they caused arguments, or distracted children during class. Others have been deemed choking hazards, or simply annoying to teachers.

We picked the brains of some of our reporters who went to school in the UK in the 2000s, to see what they remember being banned. Here are some of the top nostalgic toys they had to leave at home:

These popular toys, many of which you could switch between a robot and a vehicle form (and sometimes even assemble into a whole new form by combining them with others) have been highly collectible since their release. Many of the retro ones are worth a fair sum now, but even at the time they could be on the more expensive side - with some schools banning them amid reports of them being "borrowed" and not returned, or getting broken.

9. Transformers

These popular toys, many of which you could switch between a robot and a vehicle form (and sometimes even assemble into a whole new form by combining them with others) have been highly collectible since their release. Many of the retro ones are worth a fair sum now, but even at the time they could be on the more expensive side - with some schools banning them amid reports of them being "borrowed" and not returned, or getting broken. | Octavio - stock.adobe.com

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Taking spinning tops and making them combative (with a great tie-in cartoon to boot) was a stroke of genius. These tops could be launched at each other at high speeds by pulling a ripcord, bouncing off one another until one ‘lost’ and stopped spinning. But the early 2000s craze saw them banned in many UK schools. In some cases this was due to safety, with reports of a few minor injuries, and a parent being hit in the eye. Some children also modified their Beyblades to make them more competitive - which could also make them more dangerous.

10. Beyblades

Taking spinning tops and making them combative (with a great tie-in cartoon to boot) was a stroke of genius. These tops could be launched at each other at high speeds by pulling a ripcord, bouncing off one another until one ‘lost’ and stopped spinning. But the early 2000s craze saw them banned in many UK schools. In some cases this was due to safety, with reports of a few minor injuries, and a parent being hit in the eye. Some children also modified their Beyblades to make them more competitive - which could also make them more dangerous. | Adobe Stock

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Crazy Bones were a modern, collectible form of knucklebones. Each of the small plastic ‘bones’ was a different character, with some being incredibly rare. When trading began to cause problems they were banned at some schools (although there are reports of children smuggling them into one West London school in hollowed-out tennis balls). There were also concerns in some corners about them being a choking hazard, due to their size and children’s tendency to stick things in their mouths.

11. Crazy Bones

Crazy Bones were a modern, collectible form of knucklebones. Each of the small plastic ‘bones’ was a different character, with some being incredibly rare. When trading began to cause problems they were banned at some schools (although there are reports of children smuggling them into one West London school in hollowed-out tennis balls). There were also concerns in some corners about them being a choking hazard, due to their size and children’s tendency to stick things in their mouths. | Adobe Stock

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