Questions for Parents about toy guns ....

1.) Do you buy your children toy guns or any other toy weapons for birthdays, christmas or etc?...


2.) Do you let your children play with toy guns?...


3.) How do you react when your child pretends that he's killing someone or placing the toy gun on another child's head and say, "Bang! Bang! You're dead!" ?...


4.) Do you think playing with pretend weapons makes children more aggressive?....


5.) Since the number of gun accidents involving children has rises, how would you explain to your children the difference between a toy gun and a real gun?...

I don't have a boy, so I don't really have to worry about that, since my daughter doesn't show any interest.

However, I do have ambivilent feelings about toy guns. Is it better to get them a toy gun and get it out of their system so to speak (maybe it could mysteriously disappear or end up "broken") or to make a big drama of not having one and thus create resentment? Children are incredibly imaginitive and if you didn't get them a toy gun, they can make one anyway out of their fingers or a stick or whatever.

I am not sure whether there is a link either between toy guns and the number of actual gun deaths. Boys in countries with lower gun crime deaths still love toy guns just as much as American boys. I think it's more to do with gun ownership laws but I better not go there as it's controversial

I think you can still buy a toy gun and let them play it out but at the same time educate them in the long term that murder and violence are wrong.

My daughter is grown up. When she was a kid, I had no problem about her playing with toy guns but she really wasn't interested. She has no problem about letting her sons play with toy guns but they aren't super interested in them. We gave her sons GI Joes with weapons, and they liked playing with those. They're more interested in Star Wars type warfare.

When I was a little girl, my parents gave me toy six-shooters (double holster), a trick derringer belt buckle that used caps, a wooden pirate sword, a plastic Zorro sword, and "Rifleman" rifle. My favorite TV shows were Maverick, Johnny Yuma, The Rifleman, Wagon Train, Bonanza, Have Gun Will Travel, Gunsmoke, Davey Crocket, Zorro, and Wild, Wild West.

I also loved movies like Little Women and Pollyanna, and the TV shows National Velvet, My Friend Flicka, and Lassie.

I played with Barbies and baby dolls but I also played with GI Joe. No big deal.

My point is, when I was a kid we played with toys--guns, dolls, stuffed animals, whatever. It was all just play. No one thought there was any deep problem about playing; we just had lively imaginative fun.

As a kid I remember learning that even toy guns were not supposed to be pointed at another person's head, so it wasn't a problem. I've never seen my daughter or grandsons point an imaginary gun at someone's head and say, "bang, you're dead."

I know some kids whose parents don't allow them to have toy guns or watch TV or movies that include guns. So the little kids use Legos, sticks, straws, whatever, and make their own guns and go "bang". Go figure.

No one in my family (especially me) was ever an aggressive child. I was a very quiet, shy, bookworm kid.

I think it's something that's overrated in regards to gun safety.

Back then, every little kid had a toy gun. Today, less kids have toy guns compared to the past... but gun-related crimes with kids is still higher.

So, should we still reduce the use of toy guns?

i personally believe that if you won't allow ur kids to have a toy gun.. later when they're older.. they'll get curious and buy one them own.. even worse when they turn 16 or 17 (depend on state laws) they can buy bb or pellet gun. which is what i did. because my parents banned me from any form of toy gun except water gun..

also letting ur kid to have a toy gun.. if they point the gun to someone in head and bang.. I will simple say 'that's not funny not acceptable' just a warning if again i would simple take it away for some period of days.

its a matter of teaching whats right and wrong thing to do with guns.

R2D2 said:

I don't have a boy, so I don't really have to worry about that, since my daughter doesn't show any interest.

However, I do have ambivilent feelings about toy guns. Is it better to get them a toy gun and get it out of their system so to speak (maybe it could mysteriously disappear or end up "broken") or to make a big drama of not having one and thus create resentment? Children are incredibly imaginitive and if you didn't get them a toy gun, they can make one anyway out of their fingers or a stick or whatever.

I am not sure whether there is a link either between toy guns and the number of actual gun deaths. Boys in countries with lower gun crime deaths still love toy guns just as much as American boys. I think it's more to do with gun ownership laws but I better not go there as it's controversial

I think you can still buy a toy gun and let them play it out but at the same time educate them in the long term that murder and violence are wrong.

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You make some very valid points, R2D2. There has been some research doen that shows that a child who is not provided with an actual toy gun does not become more of a pacifist. If a child is engaged in that type of play, he/she will pick up a stick and pretend it is a toy gun. The conclusion was that refusing to purchase those toys for a child does not necessarily influence their attitude.....it is the other things that they are exposed to that has the greatest influence.

Mama had to take away all of Ethan's gun and he not allowed to play with them. We are trying to teach him that is not nice to kill and shot ppl.

We took his guns when he pointed the gun at us and said bang, your dead. Also have even stopped playing with him while we wrestle and he says, "now your dead." I want him to be responsable and understand before he gets his guns back.

I see nothing wrong with little boys play with guns as long as they know the difference between play guns and real guns. My boys understand that real guns can cause serious injury or death. They loves to play Star Wars, Pirates, Police, cowboys, soldier, Mustakers, Indians etc. when they were young. My boys grow out of it at years ago.

Guns or weapons itself do not expose the children into bully, mean, aggressive, rebel, nasty, etc. The children have an amazing imagination and love to play which is normal part of development.

Do toy guns itself expose the children to understand violence? Are toy guns worse than computer games and violent films?

I don't believe that a toy gun itself expose a child into a monster, violent, murderer but human themselves... I beleive in raise the kids with respect and expose them in positive way, not weapon itself.

Sorry, banning the toy guns at home do not solve anything but communicate because the boys use their fingers as guns or build weapon with lego. What about violent video games and television....?

The children would not become violent/rebel/disrespect if they are properly supervised, educated and supported by their parents.

That´s all what I have in my opinion.

Liebling:-))) said:

Do toy guns itself expose the children to understand violence? Are toy guns worse than computer games and violent films?

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No, the video games are deffinately worse. My little bro used to play with toy guns when he was really little and wasn't violent at all, but since he's gotten into video games he doesn't think that something can be funny without violence. It's kind of disturbing.

:Guilty:....:Ohno:

I haven't read the above responses except the one above this one; I think there's a greater correlation between video games as MM opined and watching TV than there is regarding toy guns.

Tousi said:

I haven't read the above responses except the one above this one; I think there's a greater correlation between video games as MM opined and watching TV than there is regarding toy guns.

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:covering Tousi's mouth:...

Angel said:

:covering Tousi's mouth:...

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Hehe, Angel; since I come from a different time, I had all the toy and real guns I wanted while growing up on a farm in Minnesota, a place famous for it's hunting and fishing and I turned out pretty good, I must say! That better, hon?

Tousi said:

Hehe, Angel; since I come from a different time, I had all the toy and real guns I wanted while growing up on a farm in Minnesota, a place famous for it's hunting and fishing and I turned out pretty good, I must say! That better, hon?

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LOL, Yeah I know , I guess it because I hate guns...but you're right

morbid-mongoose said:

No, the video games are deffinately worse. My little bro used to play with toy guns when he was really little and wasn't violent at all, but since he's gotten into video games he doesn't think that something can be funny without violence. It's kind of disturbing.

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That´s an exactly!!!!! Thank you for answer my question.

Angel & Tousi

That is why my son not allowed to watch those live violent shows, like power rangers. He can watch superman, batman, and everything, cause they not based on fighting. The live shows, it seems like every 5 mins, someone is fighting someone. My son and his friends would try to be power rangers in school and start kicking each other and punching.

As for me no way to buying!!! But lucky me because I have two girls! They like buying pink things, angels, Barbies,make up, ponies etc..

Phillips said:

As for me no way to buying!!! But lucky me because I have two girls! They like buying pink things, angels, Barbies,make up, ponies etc..

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Many parents prefer Bratz dolls over Barbies dolls because of their stylish clothes and normal boby shape which barbie doesn´t. Many parents afraid that their girls might copycat barbie´s body shape and could lead girls eating disorder as the same as many parents don´t like toy guns and think toy guns itself lead their boys into volience, etc.

Oh well...

Liebling:-))) said:

Many parents prefer Bratz dolls over Barbies dolls because of their stylish clothes and normal boby shape which barbie doesn´t. Many parents afraid that their girls might copycat barbie´s body shape and could lead girls eating disorder as the same as many parents don´t like toy guns and think toy guns itself lead their boys into volience, etc.

Oh well...

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That is true. Many parents always judge many toys. They seems forget their enjoy! Sad

I allow my son play toy gun. He dont play with it very much.