3 year old son & mindee boys playing weapons?

[jenmaz2468]

My 3 year old son has this very annoying obsession with guns/swords/weapons, I've been told its normal and most boys like this sort of play.
I have 4 & 5 year old boy mindees who too love to play fight with weapons, all parents are happy for their children to play with them its what they do at home.
I haven't had my 1st inspection yet and am worried how Ofsted will feel about the children playing with guns, etc.
I have tried to keep the childmindng toys and my sons toys seperate and do not let the others in my sons bedroom, unless I have children sleeping downstairs and the weather is too bad for them to go out into the playroom. Also its hard telling a 3 year old he can't play with 'HIS' toys when mindees are here.
HELP!

[Helen79]

I suppose it depends on how you handle the play. If they're racing round being really rough and hurting each other and knocking over littlies then ofsted probably won't like it. But if you've written a policy on it and make sure they're playing safely, know the rules etc then I'm sure it will be fine. Maybe make a topic out of it, look at books together, have a visit to a castle, make dens in the garden so they've got their own area to play in so that the children who don't want to be involved don't have to be so that ofsted can see that you're taking the children's interest and making it safe for everyone.

[EmmaReed84]

Both my sons love a bit of rough and tumble and myself and husband play with them, but my eldest got a bit too rough and when we came to stop "playing" he didnt understand. It was at that point we introduced the "too rough twice rule" we explained about play fighting and when it was acceptable to do so...ie not around babies, other peoples houses and when the other person did not want to play. Also that it is PLAYING and not real fighting. If they are getting a bit too rough I will say "Too rough" if I have to say "too rough" twice the game is over and they have to chill out for 5 mins.

I ALWAYS talk about playing and acting, using our imaginations but also about what to do in real life. How we treat people and what is acceptable behaviour etc. I think as long as you can get that line and the children understand then you cant stifle their imagination...

[JCrakers]

its a tough one. Boys love to play with weapons. Most of the boys who I have always collect sticks on a walk out to use as a sword or a gun :rolleyes:
I do have 1 sword which is part of a knights costume but I dont allow poking or stabbing people...I am mean.

I dont like toy guns and dont have any but my son did have a starwars laser gun when he was younger so thats contradicting myself :laughing:
I remember a few years ago we had a neighbour who was about 5yrs old, he came round to play and brought some toys with him. Amongst his toys was a black briefcase, inside were a couple of really lifelike black guns....they were so real I confiscated it...lol

I would try and keep it safe, and only let it go so far. Dont let it become too rough. Only allow games like knights or historic play...easier said than done.

[Pipsqueak]

Emotive subject and there is plenty of research out there about boys- weapon play.
If you remove the toy weapons then they just use their fingers or a stick or some other representation.
Weapon play and rough and tumble can be 'good' play and very necessary play for children. would you consider stopping a girl playing princesses because its a false ideal or representation of play? No its how we as adults handle it and aid the learning.

think on - children of certain generations (ie mine and previous) played with toy weapons, cops and robbers, cowboys and indians and bang bang you're dead PLUS we had rather violent cartoons - therein lies the crux of it - it was imaginative play. (I am not a hater of cops/robbers/cowboys/indians etc although I do wish Tom had caught Jerry and likewise Wiley Coyote caught that HORRID Roadrunner - champion of the underdog me!!!)

todays children are exposed earlier and earlier to violent films and very realistic gaming and the line between fantasy, imagination is very very blurred that doesn't help children differentiate between real and not real.

[The Juggler]

i think it's about how you handle it, it can be a great learning experience. As Pip says if they are role playing from violent games or movies they've seen then this can be OTT but this gives you the chance to discuss with them that this is play, we don't hurt each other, that shooting can kill and that there is no need to kill people who we don't like/have done something wrong.

I don't allow my littlies to 'kill each other' in weapon play. they case and lock up the baddies in prison. Also they are taught that it is play so we don't hit each other with the guns/sticks as it's pretend and so noone REALLY gets hurt.

You can't really stop it. take the weapons away and they'll use a stick/lego anything but you can teach them right and wrong and boundaries this way.:)

[JCrakers]

Very true Pipsqueak.

My kids love Tom and Jerry but when you actually watch it, it is so violent. Shotguns, snipers, dynamite, setting fire to each other and they are constantly blowing each other up...Its crazy really. Also Elma Thudd with his shotgun, Yosemite Sam with his two guns...all the old cartoons.

I agree if you dont let it become too rough and have limits there shouldnt be a problem.

[lauren1979]

Caught my youngest about to whack his older brother round the head with a frying pan a la Tom and Jerry a few months back!

I think so long as it is playing rather than fighting there is no problem, makes way for nice knights/pirates/cops etc topic/theme anyway!

[Pipsqueak]

Caught my youngest about to whack his older brother round the head with a frying pan a la Tom and Jerry a few months back!

I think so long as it is playing rather than fighting there is no problem, makes way for nice knights/pirates/cops etc topic/theme anyway!

hey.. nowt wrong in thwacking your sibling... thats how we learn.... well this ejit here learned NOT to do it near parents......:laughing: