Q: Is it OK to let kids play with toy guns?

Back when I was a child, which seems like forever ago, it was very commonplace to play with toy guns. It was just as common to learn how to fire rifles on a range. Now with the way society is though, many people frown down upon toy guns.
 
However, toy guys these days are designed to look more like toys than the real thing so there is no confusion when you see a child carrying a toy gun. The choice is really yours if you want to allow your child to play with toy guns. But you should be mindful of the following.
 
Teach them about gun safety
Let them know that real guns carry a lot of responsibility with them and that playing with toy guns, while different because it cannot kill someone, requires some responsible imagination as well.
 
Don’t let them take the toy guns in public
In order not to scare people, it’s best if you only allow your child to play with the toy gun at home on your property.
 
Choose toy guns that look like toys
Avoid getting anything that looks realistic. Even water guns have been known to cause concern.
 
Stay away from BB guns
A BB gun isn’t a good choice for a toy in today’s world unless you take your child somewhere that they can practice firing it safely at targets. Anything that actually shoots out something should be avoided to prevent injuries.