Kids and Toy Guns?

Question

Do you let your children play with toy weapons. Knives, swords and guns etc?
If so, why? and if not, why not?
I don't let mine play any kind of games involving weapons or violence. Will they suffer not being able to play them?

(2 daughters, 7+10 and 4 year old son)

Answer 1

I have an 11 year old son and no i do not let him use those items. I firmly believe that they promote violent behavior in children and have seen this proven time and again from being a teacher for 13 years. I also do not let him watch violent television shows.

Answer 2

I am pretty much the same way with my son, and contrary to the first response I happened to glance at I highly doubt it with give them a "highly distorted view of real life". The truth is that no matter what your rules are they are going to - at some point - be exposed to these things. The difference is that seeing it and allowed to be involved in it are HUGE differences. I do not, by any means, believe they will "suffer" from not being able to play with toy guns or play violent games. They will suffer, however, if you are so overly worried about them gettting hurt or something that you won't allow them to do many common activities. I commend you as long as you don't go overboard. God bless.

Answer 3

Me and my boyfreind try and advoid letting our kids(boys-6,4,3 and daughter 11 months) play with weapons but mainly with guns.The reason for that is cause when the boys lived with their biological mother the 4 year old at age 3 knew how to load a shot gun.They would use any thing as a gun and point it at people and pretend to shoot people.So we do not let them play with guns but we still get after them at least a couple times a week for playing guns with other stuff like cars,dinosaurs,ect.But now the 4 year old keeps telling us that when he gets old he is gonna be a pirate and get a sword and we have no clue where he got that from cause I am a stay at home mom and he does not go to school or anything.

Answer 4

My son will be 3 in a matter of days. We chose not to let him play with these types of toys. I grew up with a brother who did and was very violent (not always the case). When my son is old enough (maybe about age 10-12 depending on maturity) his grandfather will teach him loads about weapons of all sorts as well as safety.

I don't think ANY parent likes to see a child running around the park acting like they are shooting or stabbing other children. That is just disturbing. I don't shelter my son, I just chose not to influence him at his age. Because at his age he doesn't know much than play.

My husband's cousin is a police officer. My son has seen guns before and knows what they are and knows he is not to touch them ever. They are are safely locked (not at my house), but he knows not to get near them.

Answer 5

I don't let my children play w/ any violent toys games also. I feel we live in a violent enough soceity I don't need to draw their intrest to things like that. Also, we live a big hunting state many families have guns in the home, I don not want my children to think a friends fathers gun is a toy, I am careful to ask people if they have a gun in the home & if it is under lock & key. I also refuse t buy toy guns for gifts for other children, I think they are completly unneccesary & no child will suffer or miss playing w/ such things

Answer 6

I have 2 boys 6 and 9, and my husband is a State Trooper. We try to limit the toy guns because there is a gun in my household(locked up of course) and we do not want them to think of them as toys, they are to be taken seriously. But water guns we do allow, since they do not look much like guns anymore..super soakers etc. As for the swords, ahhh we let em play. Every boy wants to be a ninja once in a while.

Answer 7

I never let my now 13 year old son play with guns of any kind......water or otherwise. He now has a very healthy respect for the fact that guns are weapons NOT toys. How are we supposed to teach them NOT to be violent when they play with violent toys? My son just told me (because I asked) that he does not feel like I was wrong to say no to guns........kids can get confused between "real" and tv too easily. If you dont let them use them now......perhaps they wont WANT to use them later.

Answer 8

I thought I wouldn't, but gave up the fight. Boys will be boys. If you don't buy them the toys, they make them, or use bananas, etc. There is nothing wrong with them being exposed to toy weapons, as long as you are talking to them about violence - there is a difference.

Answer 9

I refused to BUY toy guns, swords ect...and made it clear to my boys as to why. I dont support violence. I dont encourage it.
Of course they still would occasionaly make, or find such a toy. Boys will be boys. They enjoyed playing army and cops.
Once they got old enough they somtimes chose to use their own money to buy a toy gun. I told them how I felt about it, but allowed them to do it.
I dont think you can shelter you kids from the world, but hopefully you can help them see the wisdom you have gained.

Answer 10

I have two boys, I never bought those type of things for them either. Not that it stopped them from using other things as play weapons. I finally figured out that you have to instill in them that toys are toys, and the difference between right and wrong. They will be fine.