The Pros and Cons of Giving Toy Guns to Children

When the subject of giving toy guns to children comes up, it is either met with shocked gasps or excited enthusiasm.The topic of guns has certainly been demonized in recent years, by some who refer to our American heritage as a "gun culture."

This hyper exaggeration has spawned such movements as Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense and Mayors Against Illegal Guns.

A huge positive to giving children toy guns is teaching them gun safety. Through programs such as the National Rifle Association’'s Eddie Eagle program or the National Sport Shooting Foundation's newly unveiled Project Childsafe program, you can teach your children what to do if they ever come across a firearm.

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Playing with toy guns allows you to demonstrate and actively participate in safe gun handling exercises with your children. Firearm safety rules are the same for both toy guns and real guns.

Another good reason for giving your children toy guns is using it to teach them the importance of the United States Constitution, specifically the Second Amendment.

Unfortunately, public schools today go into few details about the reason for the Second Amendment, or sometimes avoid discussing it in the classroom. This is a great opportunity for you to teach them the facts, as well as your own personal values and beliefs.

A potential drawback to giving your children toy guns is that they could encounter people that are anti-gun or think that your child may be playing with a real gun, and perhaps contact the police.

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While it's just innocent play, it should be supervised by you, to ensure that all the safety rules are being followed and that your child is never in an environment where a toy gun could be mistaken for a real one.

Toy guns are distinguishable from real guns because they have a bright orange tip on the barrel, or the whole gun itself may be a brightly colored plastic.

As with any activity, children should be given safe boundaries and know your expectations. Ultimately, it is the parent's responsibility to monitor and supervise their children's play time, whether it includes toy guns or not.

In the words of Dr. Todd Huffman, "As a society, we need therefore to worry less about gunplay and more about keeping our families strong."

This article does not constitute legal advice. Check the current gun laws before purchasing or traveling with a firearm.

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