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Original poster

Nerf guns

27 replies

24566t3 · 22/02/2025 09:02

Do you let your kids have them? Ds would love to get some but I really dislike all things gun and war related. He thinks that am boring and all his friends have them. How do others feel about them?

OP posts:
Skethylita · 22/02/2025 09:10

From a mere skills perspective, they're a great toy for hand-eye coordination at a minimum (if all you do is target practice - great accessories for that out there) and teamwork, exercise and planning skills if you yourself or friends join the fun.

Don't worry, they're no more of a gateway to crime than chocolate cigarettes were a gateway to smoking - kids tend to know the difference.

I may have slightly gone overboard with the type of nerf gear we have in our house, but the spontaneous fights are epic.

Drylogsonly · 22/02/2025 09:11

you won’t win this one! They grow out of them by about 11/12….

Skethylita · 22/02/2025 09:13

They grow out of them by about 11/12

... the 40-year-old, adult teen and the youngest mini-me all wish to disagree wholeheartedly.

Ferrazzuoli · 22/02/2025 09:16

I dislike action figures holding realistic looking guns, but I think plastic orange nerf guns are fine.

Lamelie · 22/02/2025 09:17

Another fan. I’d never have let dc have pistols etc. but nerf guns are different. And as pp have said encourage hand eye coordination, activity etc.

Adhikv · 22/02/2025 09:19

I’m a no on this; my DS doesn’t need another way to cause mayhem or wind up his sister. I don’t like them as a general thing either

Ablondiebutagoody · 22/02/2025 09:23

A nerf gun battle is a wonderful thing

Dolambslikemintsauce · 22/02/2025 09:26

Ime dc will use a stick as a fake gun...
My dc had guns. And Nerf guns.. 1 ds joined the army. He lived his dream!! Now out he has no regrets..

MiddleClassProblem · 22/02/2025 09:27

So no water guns either? No super soakers?

Tailfeather · 22/02/2025 09:32

How old is he? My DS loves his. He's been to loads of nerf battle parties and even the school has nerf battles. I'm personally very happy with him getting involved.

BunsenBurnerBaby · 22/02/2025 09:34

We said no to nerf guns and water pistols and held the line (with clear explanation why) til DS was about 10. He played with them for 6 months and then it was all over.

Ellejay67 · 22/02/2025 09:36

24566t3 · 22/02/2025 09:02

Do you let your kids have them? Ds would love to get some but I really dislike all things gun and war related. He thinks that am boring and all his friends have them. How do others feel about them?

We had loads and played war around the garden. Just set rules about how close they fire them. Loads of fun. Laser quest is fun too.

Chocolate85 · 22/02/2025 09:37

More importantly have you actually played with them as an adult? They are so much fun! Plastic balls (like the ones you get at soft play) are also great for adults.
My kids are so tame and far from remotely violent but we’ve had lots of fun with Nerf Guns.

JMSA · 22/02/2025 09:39

It's absolutely fine.
And as for a childhood without water pistols, just bonkers!

EvilNextDoor · 22/02/2025 09:39

We are/were a nerf gun house…

Kids are teens now and seem they seem to have been forgotten about.

Bring back memories of me vs kids we had some epic battles and built forts in the garden

TickingAlongNicely · 22/02/2025 09:39

We allowed them.
And simultaneously taught they could cause injury (even water pistols!) Which is why we have rules. They knew real war wasn't a game.

They did grow up on a succession of Army camps though, so seeing real guns wasn't a novelty and they knew not to interfere with them.

maryberryslayers · 22/02/2025 13:02

Yeah they are no different to water pistols so DS 6 has them, we just got the goggles too.

We wouldn't let him have replica type guns though.

Sinkintotheswamp · 22/02/2025 13:04

I used to like lining up the plastic cans amd shooting them off table. Quite miss having random nerf bullets around the house. The DC's could be quite creative with targets and dens.

MumChp · 22/02/2025 13:05

Yes. We did. Never been an issue.

thedogatethecattreats · 22/02/2025 13:09

I really dislike all things gun and war related
having nerf guns doesn't mean they will join the army or the police, the horror 🙄

They all seem to have them, and I haven't heard of anyone being injured. I prefer when they play outside, and they've been told not to shot in people's face. You will find nerf bullets everywhere, but it's better than legos 😂

Whotenanny · 22/02/2025 13:10

No issues with guns of any sort in this household 🤪

MargaretThursday · 22/02/2025 13:46

My cousin wasn't allowed guns for that reason. He was obsessed. Eventually my uncle let him have a small cap pistol. Within a month he'd lost the interest and it was never mentioned again. Making them forbidden makes them so much more interesting.

Ds and his friends loved them. He had all sorts from little ones through to a sniper that was bigger than himself at the time. We got a target and the rule was no firing at faces or anyone who wasn't playing. I think I once had to stop a game due to rules being broken.
I also made him do safety checks (NSPs I think they're called) when he first picked up one and when he was putting them away. Made him think about being safe.

One of my fond memories of ds and his friends aged about 7/8yo was they had a pile of the pop cork guns that they used to run round the woodland behind the house, before they had nerf guns. They were always rather noisy, and lots of pops and I could hear them playing happily.
One day I had a bang on the door, and an elderly gentleman was there in mobility scooter. He asked if it was my son playing, and I had a moment of "oh heck, what have they done".
Apparently they'd jumped out and tried to hold him up, and he'd "fired" back with his walking stick as he made his escape. He was bubbling with delight that he'd been able to join their games that he'd played "as a nipper".
Two days later I got £10 through the door from an "unknown source" to pay for another "pop gun" as he'd noticed one wasn't working properly.
Bless him.

Season0fthesticks · 22/02/2025 13:50

I love them. An unplanned nerf game in the family is the best way to pass an hour on a rainy day.

Clearinguptheclutter · 22/02/2025 13:53

i was like you but was told to get over myself

they loved running around shooting at each other but it was a relatively short lived phase

Sharptonguedwoman · 22/02/2025 13:53

24566t3 · 22/02/2025 09:02

Do you let your kids have them? Ds would love to get some but I really dislike all things gun and war related. He thinks that am boring and all his friends have them. How do others feel about them?

Had a bunch of 17 yr olds fighting a nerf gun battle around my house and garden back in the day. Obviously need care with eyes but otherwise completely harmless and it was hilarious.

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