Can I ask if you buy your children

[nappyaddict]

Toy guns, nerf guns, foam disc shooter guns, foam ball guns, water pistols or army toys?

i really don't like guns as toys the in laws bought water pistols in the summer one is designed to look like a machine gun, its been hidden at the back of the garage! ds is 3 and since he was born there have been so many terrible shootings including in schools, i can't see why when so many other toys available why guns are needed?

Would I buy the following

Toy guns - no
nerf guns - no but I am not that fussed
foam disc shooter guns - yes
foam ball guns - yes
water pistols - yes but nothing realistic
army toys - no, I wouldn't even buy army clothing.

Laser guns - not sure but nothing realistic
Swords - yes

I'm not too fussed about guns but avoided them in general and would always completely avoid anything realistic.

Yes, mine have. I see the point in avoiding them in countries where guns are in the home in case they get muddled. Without that possibility over here I don't see the point in avoiding them.

Ds doesn't like nerf guns coz you have to collect the bullets and he's a lazy sod!

I was a but precious about this issue when my DC were toddlers: hated the idea of him playing with guns but was forced to reconsider when everything was made into a pretend gun anyway.

Now there is a fairly healthy mix of toys, and I've certainly observed no issues stemming from use of a water pistol

Yes of course - they love them!

They didn't show any interest before the were 6 or so.

Not bothered by monsters/ aliens etc. They don't cause anyone any physical harm and can explain it's just story/ fantasy. They haven't asked for them yet though.

I'm afraid I am a little lentil weaverish when it comes to toys: kids stuff etc.

monsters/aliens/zombies not an issue for me because it's pretend fantasy.

I don't think that toy guns cause issues. I just find it jarring that an instrument designed for killing is made out of plastic and given to kids as a fun toy. I mean when you look at it like that it's just horrific. Think about how you feel when you see images of child soldiers - scared, upset and horrified. Why would you give your children toys that emulate that? We don't give them toy cigarettes, toy knuckledusters, toy condoms.

I didn't till he asked. He watched Peter Pan then wanted a sword and a gun, He since has had water guns, swords, light sabres, nerf guns, space guns. A sword and shield from Lego land. These are over the years not in once go. He uses them to play not to plan to kill people.

My dc have nerf guns - a rather large box/collection of them. They also have swords, shields, light sabres etc.

I must admit I buy nerf guns as birthday presents - they are great fun. It wouldn't occur to me that someone would object!

We regularly go to the woods with our nerf guns and the DC and their friends play wars/ambush type games for hours.

Oh and the two most popular parties in these parts at the moment is laserquest and a nerf gun place. The have all the latest guns from the USA apparently!

You can't move in my house for guns, swords , nerf stuff. Ds knows that you don't aim at people (unless we are in a nerf fight with dns!) So we pin targets around the house with points on them. Great fun.

Yrs to all the toys.

When ds1 was little I was all 'no toy guns etc' but he would use a stick as a gun or a banana or bite his toast into a gun shape or build one out of duplo etc so I got a grip,

They love nerd guns, we currently have no bullets though they lose them easily! Toy guns but one's that obviously look like toys, they often choose them if they win a prize at the fair hook a duck type thing.

Toy army figures they have some of dps old ones and we bought a few other bits, they are interchangeable with their knights and castyle figures (shcleich ones).

Toy swords and shields send light sabers a go go here!

And we have been to many lazer quest pparties and ds2 has had a blazer quest party.

They also have toy bow and arrows/archery sets, national trust one's.

They know not to point them at other people and that they are pretend. They also know real guns kill.

I think an interest in guns and warfare and goodies and baddies etc is quite a normal phase for all children to go through.

My daughter plays with the guns and swords etc as well as the four boys.

artandco I am the same :) What about the foam type swords that someone mentioned?

Yes to all I think. Also DS1 went to rifle shooting and archery twice with cubs. I did both as a kid and loved it - DDad had an air rilfe and we used to line up old batteries on the fence and shoot them. I was rubbish though!

We do spend lots of time picking up nerf gun bullets - the flipping things get everywhere, especially the ones with the velcro tips. And the kids aren't allowed to shoot the cat, much to their dismay.

Bubbles only outside.

I agree with Bertie. Obviously there is a traditional role for guns (hunting etc.) but nowadays they are mostly used to kill people and perpetrate horrible levels of crime. Isn't it a bit weird to give replicas to our children?

I am also a bit biased because I work on conflict/security issues so my daily work is mostly about people shooting each other. How can the world become more peaceful, how can we become more intolerant of violence, when we socialise our own children to see guns as a toy? They are killing machines, they should not be toys.

I also grew up in the US, in places where people were shot to death all the time -- including very many young children, who were holding plastic guns that were mistaken for the real thing by police.

So no, I will not buy my son guns. Fantasy weapons, maybe a cardboard sword to go with a pirate costume, maybe, but nothing that resembles real guns.

I wouldn't get foam swords either. I just don't see the need at all.

I'm very against rough and tumble fighting also even without toy guns and swords.

I just think they can have enough childhood fun without them.

At the moment the world is so corrupt. I don't hide it all from them, but explain what/ why it's happening. Obviously I don't let them see all the news yet as I think too young to be harboured with others sorrow. But I select articles based in current events at age based appropriateness. However I don't think it's easy for me to explain x country has guns and is fighting y because of Xyz. Then give them a gun to play with. It's just wrong, and I think confuses the msg of when is the appropriate time to use such things

My almost 5 year old is of the age of playing with wooden marble runs and digging for worms still! We also don't watch day to day TV here so he hasn't seen adverts for toys like that.

Yes to most of the above (Ds1 is only 4 and DS2 is only 2). DS1 also loves anything camouflage. He'll also pick up sticks and anything else to become a gun/sword. He also likes drawing, writing, other types of role play and books. Everything in moderation I say - and he knows not to hurt anyone.
Bit hard to avoid Army type stuff in our house though as both me and DH are soldiers

No guns
But yes to Water Pistols of various sorts - after all being shot with them in summer can be "nice".
We've had foam swords, as they hurt less than "home made" swords.

Rough games were okay as long as people were laughing not crying, in my family.

Mine have played with other people's nerf guns, but never asked for them, so didn't have to think about that one.

I didn't allow them, but when DS went to anyone's house who did have these toys he couldn't leave them alone.

Then he got given a fairly small nerf gun for his 5th birthday, it seemed rude to refuse it and I have gradually relaxed from there.

He's early 8 now and not as bothered as he was about these toys.

We allow guns, swords etc. Anything that actually shoots has rules and limited use.

They're also taught gun safety rules and will be allowed to shoot real guns under strict supervision when older.

We come from a country that is very pro-guns but also has extremely strict rules about gun use (and v low gun related crime rate) and that's how my children will be raised.

Yes they do. They have guns, swords, light sabres etc. I've just bought ds a new nerf gun and dd a rebelle crossbow. I just can't see why so many people get het up about kids playing with toy guns. I'm the child of a soldier and grew up around really guns, tanks and soldiers. Kids will make guns out of anything.

When they're old enough they'll be allowed to play laser quest or go paintballing.

I don't BUY my DS any of those items.

And yet he still has a roomful of them.

Tell a lie - I got him a light saber. Toy guns get binned as soon as his back is turned. The rest he can have if someone else gets it.

Same with zoos, I would never take him to one but I let other people.

I am the ultimate hypocrite.

Yes they have had most of the things you've listed.

Youngest now 13. He doesn't play with any of them now. Had loads of fun when he was younger though with them all.

He loves paintballing though.

We haven't so far, apart from a bubble blower thing, and DS hasn't been interested, but he came home from school really upset yesterday because he'd been left out of a nerf gun party because he didn't have a nerf gun to bring. Grandma is now buying him a nerf gun for Christmas, but we'll make sure it's not a realistic-looking one. I don't let him play shoot-em-up computer games though and I don't buy camouflage clothes for him - I just don't want that sort of thing to be normalised in his eyes at 7.

TondelayoSchwarzkopf Would you take him to a zoo or safari park that has a worldwide conservation programme?