Do you let your dc have toy weapons?

[muldersspeedos]

I've always been against guns in particular and ds would like a nerf gun. I've explained to him that he won't be getting one but I wondered what others think about weapons as toys?

It’s never bothered me.

Ds (19) had a load of nerf guns as a younger child. He has joined the police with a view to going into the firearms unit though!

My 7 year old dd has a few.

DS1 has waterpistols and 2 small nerfguns (but they live at his grandparents because she has a garden and I told him they were outdoor toys only, we make targets on their wooden fence).

He won a policeman kit at the fair but I hid the gun from that in a cupboard and told him it was lost. He wasn't bothered luckily, as he just likes the (flimsy plastic) handcuffs.

He also has a wooden knight sword from a trip to a castle.

I guess I don't mind too much as long as they are obvious "kids toys", the police gun was too realistic/close to real life for my liking.

I've always felt it's pointless banning toy guns because they'll improvise weapons anyway - either by building them out of Lego or just using their fingers to pretend.

It depends really how they play with them. There's a big difference between a bright green water pistol and a realistic airsoft gun. Likewise something that shoots suction cup "darts" at a target is different to Nerf guns which are fired at people.

My view is it's best to use toy guns as a means of teaching gun safety, the number one point being never point a gun of any description at anybody even if it isn't loaded.

I have two sons and they have never had nerf guns despite admire asking for them.

We have no toys resembling weapons.

Sometimes they make guns out of their fingers and pretend to shoot each other but they get a stern talking to if they do it in front of me or their dad.

It’s a personal choice, lots of parents have different limits and boundaries in their child’s toys and games etc, but personally we don’t want to normalise violence through play.

Lime green and orange etc. nerf guns that fire foam darts at targets and wooden knights’ swords, yes. Toys that look like real guns, no.

Yes, we have nerf guns, toy ninja swords & trident things, water guns, rubber swords, pirate swords, arrows (with rubber tips), next year we are getting a proper archery set.

I think it’s ridiculous banning toy weapons. They are toys and as long as you teach them how to use them properly I don’t see an issue.

I haven't allowed any toys guns but have been relaxed about water pistols- I prefer if they don't look anything like an actual weapon. I think I'll be much more strict about shoot em up war games when/if they get into gaming. They are far too realistic these days and will only become more so.

I don't allow guns. I do though allow bow and arrow. I bought dd a toy archery set - she has strict instructions that it is not to be fired/aimed at people or animals (which she never would anyway). To me archery is a sport. Guns are a no no I'm my mind.

I have 5 boys and never really had any objection to them having toy weapons. I had some when I was younger, cap guns and stuff. None of them ever showed any interest in guns though. They were into swords, and one of them does fencing now.

I got given a load of nerf guns when they were older and they spray painted them and steampunked them!

Need guns are amazing, I can't wait for ds to be old enough for them! And water pistols

I wouldn't have anything that looked like an actual weapon but nerf guns are so much fun and I have great memories from playing with them as a kid with my family.

I probably will try and stay away from nerf guns, mostly because they’re bloody annoying- but I don’t have a problem with toy weapons in general.

My kids loved nerf guns, they are non violent teens, and I can't see how depriving them of popular toys will help their development.
They are also popular birthday gifts, so unless you specify you will probably find someone gives him one eventually.

I had spud and cap guns as a child and loved them and my ds has nerf and lasar tag ones. When he didn't have toy guns he used a stick or literally anything that was vaguely gun shaped so didn't sem much point in banning them. Besides shooting is an olympic sport.

Mine don't. They have begged me for Nerf guns but I haven't agreed to them because I don't trust them to be safe with them and I can't be arsed with having to constantly monitor their use of them in case they get overexcited and fire one into their siblings face. They both make guns out of their fingers/lego/sticks and shoot each other with them instead.

I managed to keep all knowledge of guns a secret from my eldest until he started primary school and learnt about them in a reception class RE lesson. He has been obsessed with them ever since .

I don't buy any weapon of any kind for my DS , not even water pistols . If we get one as a present, I just re gift it .

Nerf guns are brilliant fun! I got us all one for Xmas last year and we have pitched battles around the house, it’s very enjoyable.
My children are perfectly nice and non violent but honestly shooting at each other is very fun.

@muldersspeedos

I've always been against guns in particular and ds would like a nerf gun. I've explained to him that he won't be getting one but I wondered what others think about weapons as toys?

I always let my DC have toy weapons/guns. Only thing I would not get are “toy” weapons that are actually “replicas” because while not real, they look real until you are touching/handling it. And last thing I want is my DC playing with one outside being shot by police mistaking it for the real thing. It happens. Especially if you are not white like us.

DS1 & Ds2 had plastic swords as kids. Cost £1 each and they were the the most favourite of all their toys. They used to wack anything in their path with it and gave me many precious moments of much needed rest. Never bothered me.

Mine loved nerf guns. They used to meet up in the park about 20 of them around the age of 8-10 then grew out of it. Great fun but we did ban thr bullets as they kept getting lost. Neither of them have turned out to be psychos

We have banned weapon toys, not because I think they will turn my kids violent, but just because I hate what they represent. None of my kids have mimicked weapon play either.
Happy with my choices

I love guns and shooting - I've not tried real ones, just air rifles and clay pigeon.

I'm also vegan and would never kill an animal or person.

I don't equate toy weapons with violence somehow, don't know why.

My children had NERF guns and we just taught them not to shoot people in the face etc.

It's what you do with weapons that matter I think.

I also loved water pistols etc

It was good to teach them not to bother people who weren't interested in the game but other than that it was fun.

My kids have water pistols/nerf guns etc and I really don't see the harm in them.

It's not like they look like real guns.

I’m ok with water pistols, on the fence about need guns. I absolutely won’t have realistic toy guns.

I'd be wary of something that actually looked like a deadly weapon but wooden swords? Arrows with suckers on the ends? Nerf guns? All fine.

Playfighting, be it with toy "weapons" or "unarmed", is a normal and important part of play (and yes, for both sexes). It can be as basic as pillow fights or as elaborate as paintball, but as long as no one can actually get hurt and no one's being coerced into something they don't want to do, it's healthy.

I still love a water pistol fight...

DS is now 12, has dozens of nerf guns, went to many nerf gun parties, had his own laser gun party, he's not turned out to be a gun crazed, violent psychopath. Neither is his sister who also enjoyed the odd nerf gun battle. Or me for that matter.