Kids and fake guns?

Question

Do you think it's appropriate for children to play with fake guns?

Answer 1

No, it just leads to aggressive play. Guns have no purpose or positve imagination in child's play.

Answer 2

I used to think I would never ever let my kids play with guns. Now that my son is 4, I will admit, he has fake guns. I wavered because I was trying to protect my son from even knowing what guns are--but we are a military family--every single day I would drive through a gate that is guarded by men carrying huge guns!

I DO, however, only allow him to play with them if he shoots "targets" like the wall, a book, bottle, etc. He knows he is never to aim them at the pets or people...even when playing with friends. I just feel like It's my job to teach him the right way to use them and the wrong way.

One more thing...my son will make a gun out of anything :) This started even before I got him a fake one. He made them out of string cheese for goodness sakes!

Answer 3

Depends on the kids and their environment. If the kids are well brought up and would never touch a real gun and live in a peaceful neighbourhood where gun shots are not heard on a monthly basis and cops are not constantly around -- then maybe yes. But if the neighbourhood is crazy then no. But then again, look at the kids in the news who have recently been arrested because of guns and heroine?? Maybe mix up the toys.

Answer 4

Guns are not toys! So why allow children to play with them. Teaching children about guns, even showing them how to shoot, is not a bad thing. I shot my first rifle when I was 7. But I was never allowed to "play" with guns, real or fake. And I continue this as a parent. Allowing children to "play kill" with "play guns" does not provide them with any valuable lessons. And it certianly does not teach them to respect guns and what they can do.

Answer 5

No, in case they ever for some reason come across a real one and play with it and shoot themselves or someone else.
My kids are not even allowed to play with water pistols. They get upset as other kids are allowed to, but I explained to them that guns are bad because they hurt people.
I dont allow them to make a gun with their hands either. I hate seeing little kids with toy guns just walking around pretending to shoot people. It's horrible and not cute at all.
Espeacially if they aim it at you and some of them have really nasty looks on their faces as well and thats even scarier. Espeacially when they start to associate guns with anger, eg if you say No they get angry and turn around and pretend to shoot you. How are they going to deal with anger when they geyt older?

Answer 6

It's hard to say, fake guns have been played with by little boys forever.
cowboys and indians, etc.

Boys will make a gun with their hand if they don't have a toy gun and shoot, it's amazing.

I don't really like it, but children are so far removed from their actual meaning and what it really is that I don't think it's as big a deal as some make it out to be.

I think a far more concerning trend is violent video games and sitting around getting fat eating McDonalds.

Answer 7

This is only my opinion. I feel through the experience of raising a son, that little boys are as attracted to weapons as little girls are to baby dolls.
I believe that a child can learn from an early age that there is a difference in a toy gun and a real one. I never allowed my son to point his toy gun towards anyone, and still he enjoyed playing with it.
Children can learn to be a nurturer, through the love and care of a baby doll.
We, as parents, have a great responsibility to teach our children many things. In order to teach them to cook, we can't keep them out of the kitchen. In teaching a child to work on a car, we have to allow them to see under the hood and get dirty.
A real gun, should not be left out for a child to experiment with on their own, they must be taught.
We would never consider, leaving an infant in the care of a 4 year old either.

Answer 8

no you should never let a child play with a play gun. Think about what message you are sending. What happens if one day that child comes acrossed a real gun and thinks its a play gun then hurts there self or someone.

Answer 9

I don't like them at all. I don't like real guns at all! I have and never will hold a gun unless I have to. I'm proud of that!

Children playing with fake guns is touchy. I don't like violence. I don't like even "pretending" to kill someone. I think there are plenty of other games that kids can think of other then guns.

This is my personal choice for my boys. If Susie down the street or the woman who answers below me chooses to allow her children to use them, that's fine. I can only make choices for my own.

Answer 10

I truthfully do not see much harm in it, like water guns ect. And like someone else said, little boys have played cowboys and indians and things of that sort forever. My brother use to have little GI joes and have "wars" with them. I think if REAL guns are in the home, children should be taught about them early on....do not touch, ect. And they should be out of reach in locked cabinets ect. I think toys are toys, but children should be taught about the real thing as well.

Answer 11

Appropriate? No.
Kids not playing with guns will not make them wussies.