Of all our precious civil liberties, probably the one I cherish most is the right to play freeze tag without government oversight. But that may be changing in Albany, NY. State legislators want to brand freeze tag — the only childhood activity in which paralysis is a key component, unless you count my Little League career — as a “significant risk activity.” Also on the danger list are Wiffle Ball, Red Rover, Capture the Flag and the most terrifyingly hazardous kids’ activity of them all: Steal the Bacon.
The law sought to close a loophole that legislators said allowed too many indoor camp programs to operate without oversight.
Under the new rules, any program that offers two or more organized recreational activities — with at least one of them on the risky list — is deemed a summer camp and subject to state regulation.
Ritchie said the regulations could cripple small recreational programs, forcing them to pay a $200 fee to register as a summer camp and provide medical staff.
Health Department spokeswoman Diane Mathis said the list was created with help from camp groups. Not on the list and therefore considered safe: Frisbee, tug of war and sack races. Proving that the people who made the list did not participate in many games as children.
Bill Murray in Meatballs: “The potato race?! (Gasp!). The most dangerous of all food-related sports. Egg toss? Don’t they know you’re just a kid?!”
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Classic kids games like kickball deemed unsafe by state in effort to increase summer camp regulation [New York Daily News]
