How do I explain guns to my very innocent/sheltered 3 year old!

[BayLeaves]

I have always sheltered my son from "bad" things in the world like guns and death. He is 3.5 and still doesn't know what a gun is.

However we are currently on holiday abroad staying at a farmhouse which has a shooting range nearby. We keep hearing loud rifles firing. He is asking me questions and I don't really know what to say to him.

Has anyone else got any advice on explaining what the noise is and potentially explaining what guns actually are, to a very sheltered/innocent 3 year old?!

I really want to keep his innocence as long as possible especially as he is the sort of boy who gets obsessed with things like this, as well as being easily scared.

The people are pushing a button on a metal tube to make a small piece of metal go whooshing out of the end. When the small piece of metal comes out it flies really fast through the air and hits a piece of wood, which makes a loud noise.

If you want to duck the question, then the answer is: 'I don't know, but because it's coming from quite a long way away, it's not important'

At some stage, he's going to be learning about goodies and baddies, cops and robbers, maybe pirates, the Big Bad Wolf, or Star Wars or whatever.

Does he yet have any concept of a weapon, or a fight?

Tell him it's people playing with big nerf guns

Unless you’re holidaying in a war zone explain clay pigeon shooting to him.