Should children be allowed to play with toy guns?

http://www.doncastertoday.co.uk/ViewArticle2.aspx?SectionID=786&ArticleID=1052313

Regardless of the issues raised in that article, I wouldn't let a child play with a toy gun. I remember after Dumblaine all the toy shops removed toy guns.

Do you let your children play with toy guns? What do you think?

When i was a lad I was he man with a toy sword, I was a cowboy with a toy gun, I was an army man with toy hand granades but here 25 yrs later I've never stabbed anyone, never shot anyone and never blown anything up. its about time people take responsibilty for their own actions. Dont try to take the easy way out and blame the media etc. I watched the childs play films as a lad and never wanted to kill anyone. kids play with toy guns, it's part of growing up.

Dunblaine was a pretty poor excuse for banning handguns despite it being the horror it was. The handgun and automatic rifle ban has driven 1000s of firearms onto the illegeal market.
I do however think a new culture of gun crime is emerging in this country, USA style. Driven by crap rap music and computer games and violent movies, that combined with a sense of lawlessness from todays youth.
Long gone are the days of pretending to be cowboys & Indians, now its all UZI's, Berretta's and Glocks. Pop a cap in your ass stylee.
Thing is I still aint sure if I would stop my kids palying with plastic guns...its a strange un :?

Where will it end?
My lad's got several plastic light sabres.
It won't be long before they're reality..
Will that make him a Sith Lord?

Worryingly - there's always 2.

As I've only got one kid - I'll have to be the other.

do do do do du dooo do du dooo



What a load of tripe.

Originally posted by fredsredhat
When i was a lad I was he man with a toy sword, I was a cowboy with a toy gun, I was an army man with toy hand granades but here 25 yrs later I've never stabbed anyone, never shot anyone and never blown anything up. its about time people take responsibilty for their own actions. Dont try to take the easy way out and blame the media etc. I watched the childs play films as a lad and never wanted to kill anyone. kids play with toy guns, it's part of growing up.

hear hear.

Actually the age that most kids will start playing with toy guns nowadays was the sort of age I was playing with air pistols. I owned shotguns at 17 for rough and clay shooting. It never did me any harm, I aint killed anyone yet, although I have injured a few :rolleyes:
Only outpatient stuff ;)

I believe that 'militaristic toys' were banned in the Weimar Republic (Germany) after the First World War.

Didn't seem to bring about a pacifying attitude.

To blame toys for this sort of thing is laughable. Kids will build a toy gun from Lego bricks, two bits of wood or their fingers.

I had a small arsenal of toy guns as a kid, thousands of toy soldiers and such. As far as I know my psyche hasn't been warped by the experience. I worry about people who think they can carry out social engineering by modifying the toy box of a child.

Joe

In my view kids can play with toy guns, its what you teach your kids that has the biggest effect in life, if you teach right from wrong, great but too many kids now days are left to there own choice, from a very young age, guns as toys are fine, but how many kids know that guns are a good and bad thing in real life. A good thing being a weapon of protection, self defence etc: and knowing the right time/place to use it, the other being a killer? kids just see whats in the movies, Its what we teach, that can change things.

One day in the future we will be asking should Lightsabers be banned from children..my young nephew has three should he be banned from playing with these because he might turn to the dark side. Whole generations have played cow boys and indians but how many of us have gone and killed anyone for real.

Originally posted by Jon
One day in the future we will be asking should Lightsabers be banned from children..my young nephew has three should he be banned from playing with these because he might turn to the dark side. Whole generations have played cow boys and indians but how many of us have gone and killed anyone for real.

My kids have lightsabers, guns, swords, bows and arrows etc - maybe I should hide away when they are playing "dress up" "just in case" :confused:

The world gone mad IMO. As long as kids are brought up to know the difference between wrong and right I can't see the harm.

Originally posted by Cake
My kids have lightsabers, guns, swords, bows and arrows etc - maybe I should hide away when they are playing "dress up" "just in case" :confused:

The world gone mad IMO. As long as kids are brought up to know the difference between wrong and right I can't see the harm.

I agree with you, but I voted no in the poll... I don't really think young kids should be allowed access to toy weapons, older kids maybe yeah as they'd know to be sensible.

I remember my mother's friend wouldn't let her son play with any kind of 'violent' toys i.e. guns, action men etc. He just went mad for them, banning them just made them all the more attractive and appealing. He became obsessed even to the point that he would fashion anything into a gun shape, biting his toast into gun shapes to play with etc.

I think that article is a sad reflection of the times we live in, that nowadays kids playing with TOY guns could be shot at by police marksmen. Last week a little boy of about 10 or 11 was huckled away from our shops by 2 policemen and given a right sherricken - his crime... chasing about with a toygun. Apparently some concerned citizen had thought it may be real! Like I say it's a sad state of affairs kids don't have the freedoms we enjoyed but equally sad that it would even be remotely believable that a kid would be cutting about with a real gun :(

But look how COOL it is to have a gun. How glamorous I look holding it against the gangsters head. Look at the power I have as he shakes and stutters and says 'sorry man p-p-please don't shoot me'. Look at the respek I have in da hood. No one mess wit me, I have da power. People look up to me, I am a god. Or at least that's what the movies teach us.:suspect:

Originally posted by Cake
My kids have lightsabers, guns, swords, bows and arrows etc - maybe I should hide away when they are playing "dress up" "just in case" :confused:

The world gone mad IMO. As long as kids are brought up to know the difference between wrong and right I can't see the harm.

I'm with Cake on this one :thumbsup:

Originally posted by fredsredhat
When i was a lad I was he man with a toy sword, I was a cowboy with a toy gun, I was an army man with toy hand granades but here 25 yrs later I've never stabbed anyone, never shot anyone and never blown anything up. its about time people take responsibilty for their own actions. Dont try to take the easy way out and blame the media etc. I watched the childs play films as a lad and never wanted to kill anyone. kids play with toy guns, it's part of growing up.

Good point, well put! :thumbsup:
I had toy guns/swords etc. I had a full Army at my disposal and took great pleasure in destroying the enemy tanks heading my way.

Some of the best memories i have as a child:

Dad waking me and my brothers at 7am and taking us out to make bows & arrows.
Dad teaching me how to use throwing knives and explaining how to use a Bowie knife correctly.
Dad teaching me how to shoot using his Air rifle.
Dad teaching me how to make a Scotch Arrow and telling me how they were originally used for hunting.

The strange thing is, neither me or my dad have ever killed/maimed anyone......Would you believe it?

Should adults be allowed to play with real guns?

Originally posted by venger
Should adults be allowed to play with real guns?

responsible ones yes.

Banning real firearms hasn't exactly done much to cut gun crime so I find it hard to see how anyone could possibly argue that banning toy guns could affect a change!

Originally posted by evildrneil
Banning real firearms hasn't exactly done much to cut gun crime so I find it hard to see how anyone could possibly argue that banning toy guns could affect a change!

when have the "ban it" brigade ever let facts get in the way of a good ban it rant?

I have never bought my children guns, knives or any kind of 'war/aggressive' toys. It's just how I am. Having said that, neither of them have ever shown an interest in playing with them either. If they are playing with friends and chose to pick up a stick and use it as a gun or a knife as part of the game then I am a little more tolerant. I just don't want them growing up playing with guns etc and seeing them and what they stand for a a good thing.

If other parents chose to let their kids have such toys it's up to them. I don't lecture people about it, just prefer my kids not to have them.

Things like Star wars guns. Brings them out of reality and sparks there imagination off rather than the replica weapons.

Originally posted by vidster
Good point, well put! :thumbsup:
I had toy guns/swords etc. I had a full Army at my disposal and took great pleasure in destroying the enemy tanks heading my way.

Some of the best memories i have as a child:

Dad waking me and my brothers at 7am and taking us out to make bows & arrows.
Dad teaching me how to use throwing knives and explaining how to use a Bowie knife correctly.
Dad teaching me how to shoot using his Air rifle.
Dad teaching me how to make a Scotch Arrow and telling me how they were originally used for hunting.

The strange thing is, neither me or my dad have ever killed/maimed anyone......Would you believe it? Héhéhé, sweets memories. It's all about shooting each other with blue tac in air rifles (does sting a bit).

I think there's a lot of fuss over replica guns at the moments, why not, it can dodgy, especially with the quality of replica guns these days. But toy guns ? They shoot plastic arrows that stick on windows, lol.
why not ban Super Soakers whilst we're at it coz water can injure !
Originally posted by venger
Should adults be allowed to play with real guns? Isn't that what shooting ranges are for ? Or in the case of paintball guns, well paintball ranges !

Unfortunately there are very few guns that can legally be owned and thus used on a shooting range these days.

I have a cap gun and a gun that shoots little red suckers. Should I expect a SWAT team next time I take them out of my drawer?

I don't encourage it and we don't have any toy guns. Saying this though if they pick up a stick etc. and pretend it's one I don't make a fuss either.

Stopping children playing with toy guns? What nonsense.

almost every boy growing up in the 80's had a toy gun or sword.

I had replica martial arts stuff as well.

I wish people would stop blaming everything accept parents who are the problem.

Out of 3 sons who played with guns when little, 2 joined the army and the third joined the army cadet force. All respect guns and what they do.

I see no problem as long as you educate them about guns, even toy ones.

In childcare traiing we're taught never to give children weaponry toys, nor to allow them to make them from Lego, or loo roll tubes etc.
It's meant to discourage violent and antisocial behaviour.
I'm not saying I agree, I can't be sure if it's easier just to let them get on with it but by not providing it, it isn't an issue.
I spent many happy hours in my youth as She-Ra and Maid Marion (with bow and arrows made of wood) as a child and I'm not inclined to shoot people now, no matter how tempting it is!
Maybe it is a necessary evil against the gangster attitude of today?

I dont think its a good idea........

They cant tell whats OK and what isnt most of the time and if they start playing with a TOY GUN,they might think a real gun is the same!!

I think the key words here are PLAY and TOY. I think its highly unlikely that my children are going to be in a situation where they might shoot someone for real.

I have girls so toy guns aren't what I would I buy for my kids. That being said, my 8 year old daughter has shot a pistol and a rifle.....real ones. Studies show that kids that are involved in shooting sports learn respect and safety for the weapons and are far less likely to be involved in gun crime and gun accidents. I feel comfortable knowing that my children would know exactly what to do if faced with a situation where a gun is involved (i.e. finding a responsible adult to deal with the situation or a law enforcement officer).

Yet another form of social control. 1984 gets closer every day. I'm sure like most 30 something males I played 'army' at school and had toy guns.

It doesn't do any harm at all.

What a hoot, dragging a thread back from 2005. Kids today play with real ones.

I just don't want growing up seeing guns and what they stand for as a good thing.

a gun doesn't stand for anything, any more than any other piece of metal does.

Should children be allowed to play with toy guns?

http://www.doncastertoday.co.uk/ViewArticle2.aspx?SectionID=786&ArticleID=1052313

Regardless of the issues raised in that article, I wouldn't let a child play with a toy gun. I remember after Dumblaine all the toy shops removed toy guns.

Do you let your children play with toy guns? What do you think?

A friend decided that her boys wouldn't be allowed to play with toy guns.

Guess what one of them did ................joined the army:D
You are wasting your time.

Like many others on here, as a child i had toy guns and bow and arrows, played cowboys and indians, cops and robbers and army. Like the other posters, never shot stabbed or killed in my life.

A kind of worrying thing is though, i had a toy capgun (where you put the paper reels of caps in them) and i found it a few years ago in my old toy cupboard at my parents house, it was tatty for sure but horrifyingly realistic, a German luger made out of metal with the only giveaway that it wasnt real was the plastic 'mock' wooden handgrips....i am certain, if i was so minded as to wave this 'toy' around in public, i would find myself quickly in the sights of a police marksman......

As for the question, yeah why not? kids (esp boys) have always played war games, its part of being a kid, a right of passage.

When we were kids we always played with toy guns, it's only become an issue in today's sick and twisted society.

no why instill killer instinct in a modern day child ??? we have enough problems to deal with without junior weapons training !!!:loopy:

no why instill killer instinct in a modern day child ??? we have enough problems to deal with without junior weapons training !!!:loopy:

****Falls off chair laughing****

Killer instinct? most children wouldnt harm a fly, and those that do like to pull wings off small insects seldom go on to be serial killers, only the odd nutcase slips through the net and if they grow with intentions to kill, they will, guns or not, they will find any suitable weapon in order to fulfill their objective....

Thats almost like saying women should be denied vase's in case they smash the old man over the head with it.

no why instill killer instinct in a modern day child ??? we have enough problems to deal with without junior weapons training !!!:loopy:

My generation underwent thorough "weapons training" as we were always playing with toy guns - it didn't instil killer instincts in the vast majority of us.

I think your Left-Wing, pacifist, ideology is clouding your judgement and impeding your common sense.

Boys will be boys, we had sticks or just two fingers with you thumb stuck up in the air, it’s playing that’s all, I suppose they will want to ban toy soldiers next.

If anything wants banning its candy sticks that look like cigarettes I couldn’t believe it when I saw a little kid with them they even mimicked dragging on it and blowing the imaginary smoke over their shoulder, who would have thought they still made them .

Even though l am a girl, l used to love playing with cap guns, not shot anyone yet

Even though l am a girl, l used to love playing with cap guns, not shot anyone yet

That reminds be of the spud guns, no caps to buy, just nick a nice big potato when my mum wasn’t looking.

Stay away from me, I'm mad, bad and dangerous to know. Apparently. Well, I must be....

I had a plastic toy pistol, a cap gun, a cap sniper rifle, a spud gun (that was confiscated when there were never any tatties left in the house!). And (even worse, apparently) I had a toy pipe, so I could play at smoking and shooting.

I read "Commando" - the non-PC version with the "krauts", "nips" and "gooks"(sic) who all had in common the blood-curdling "AAAaaiiiieeeeeeeeeeeeee" as they were invariably shot quite dead by brave Tommy or Uncle Sam

I played gleefully with my toy soldiers, battered toy tanks and armoured cars acquired from the 2nd hand "tat shop"

I WAS ALSO TAUGHT TO RESPECT OTHERS, PEOPLE AND ANIMALS and brought up to know that wars were times of pain and sorrow over and above glory. That weapons of war were only to be used in anger in wartime. That shooting for sport meant shooting a target, never a living person or being.

I would therefore suggest that it is not the "toy" which when given in the correct manner to a child is a "prop" for learning. It is the lessons that we teach that have the impact. I also learned the implications of war, and of racial stereotypes.

A child brought up well (being "spoilt" is NOT being brought up well) who plays with toy guns is, in my opinion, less likely to use a weapon inappropriately, than one who has been banned from toy guns but not had the benefit of an upbringing that instills basic morals.