Fun Facts of Bean Bag History

Bean bags have existed for thousands of years and were initially created as a toy for children. Today, bean bags are used for a wide variety of purposes, some of which extend far beyond their original function as an entertainment object.

The beginning of bean bags

The earliest bean bags were cloth bags filled with beans, rice or sand. No one is exactly sure when these toys were first used to entertain children, but around 2000 B.C., it was discovered that they made an excellent juggling tool. They are still used in this capacity today.

How horseshoes became corn hole

In Germany during the 14th century, a bean bag game was created using horseshoes as its inspiration. Players threw bean bags instead of horseshoes, and they built a wooden box with a hole in the top to toss them at. Known as “corn hole” today, the game involves getting as many bean bags as possible in the hole.

The Sacco chair

The first bean bag chair was designed in Italy and named “Sacco.” It was filled with polystyrene pellets and was a hot item throughout the 1970s. Bean bags are still used for children’s furniture and in media chairs.

The surprising uses of bean bags

Beyond toys, games and furniture, bean bags are also useful in a wide variety of other contexts. Photographers have found that the toy can support a camera while taking pictures. Law enforcement shoots bean bags at unruly citizens to regain control. They are even used as pillows to help individuals with stiff necks.

Bean bags were originally created as a children’s toy, but they have evolved into much more. Whether used in a game or as something to sit on, bean bags serve many functions for both children and adults.