The Ramifications of Toy Guns on Children

In CNN’s “Why Boys Love Guns, and What to do About It,” Elissa Strauss explains the long and tumultuous history of toy guns and their effect on children, and their childhoods — especially that of young boys. Strauss states that there must be a line between reality versus playtime, and as long as children are brought up knowing this difference, toy gunplay will not lead to aggressive behavior in the future. According to the CNN article, psychologist Michael Thompson, suggests, “boys are drawn to the notion of the heroic and that such play allows them to see themselves as the guy — and, yes, for most of history, they have mostly been guys — who combats evil and saves the day” (Strauss). Childhood represents a time for children to explore the world around them through playtime and imagination. Toy guns, in some instances, allow children to freely express their natural need for protecting themselves and their space, and they can be a helpful tool for children when doing this exploration.

Toy guns are generally marketed as expressing masculinity and have existed in the toy stores for centuries, but recently, researchers have given their impact on children (especially boys) more thought as a result of America’s escalating problem with gun violence (Strauss). In an NPR podcast entitled, “The Problem With Toy Guns and Princesses,” the hosts explore how toys influence the future behavior of children. They describe how a recent study suggests, “if they were playing with aggressive toys when they were little, they were more aggressive when they were teenagers” (Dinella). Obviously, there is a need to evaluate the influence of playing with guns in childhood on the possibility of violent behavior in adulthood. Throughout the podcast, the NPR guests discuss how the gendering of toys can consequently hinder the development of children. NPR explains how gender roles assign specific attributes to inanimate objects that can impact the child’s behavior. Toy guns, mainly marketed toward boys, suggest that the children that play with them are strong and powerful. What does this say about girls-who do not usually play with toy guns — are they weak and in need of protecting? It is then not hard to see why these underlying stereotypes can be influencing children, especially boys, with traits of toxic and unnecessary violence.

The question of how playing with toy guns influences children generates divergent opinions. Some researchers believe that their influence is negative and increases violent behavior, yet some psychologists and specialists suggest otherwise. Thompson insists, “but it is play, and play does not lead to lethal aggression. Play … is consensual. Aggression is hurtful and produces injury in the person. Play doesn’t produce any of that”. According to this logic, toy guns allow children to freely express their natural need for protecting themselves and their space. When playing with toy guns, children are independent and can explore the world on their own by crafting worlds and scenarios where they get to “work through their emotions, and help them to forge their own identities and develop moral values” (The Toy Association). Toy guns make it possible for children to have the space to have fun exploring and being autonomous in their imagination. Additionally, playing with toy guns could be a healthy way for children to manage their emotions. According to The Toy Association, “military and other role-play items may help kids work through or cope with what is happening in the world around them through play rather than through outwardly aggressive behavior” (The Toy Association). But in this day and age, where violence and militaristic weaponry remains sensationalized in media, should we not begin re-evaluating what types of playtime that we want our children to be partaking in? 

Toy guns and role-play involving fake weaponry has been a part of the quintessential all American childhood. We see it in the media and on the store shelves brimming with inventive toy gun models, which encourage children’s desire to own them and play with them. The current events happening in our society should be forcing all of us, the children, the parents, psychologists, and the toy industry to reevaluate the influence of playing with toy guns on the behavioral tendencies of children as they develop. How can we determine if their play is teaching imagination and provides a safe way of expressing themselves or if it trivializes and incites violence? 

Although the issue of gun control and the regulation of real weaponry remains a debate that will no doubt continue to be argued for years to come, we as a society must realize the potential ramifications of violent childhoods. Children who 

 

Works Cited

Dinella, Kamenetz, Anya and Cory Turner. “The Problem with Toy Guns and Princesses.” Parenting: Difficult Conversations from NPR, 26 April 2019, https://www.npr.org/templates/transcript/transcript.php?storyId=716703093. Accessed 30 Sept. 2019.

 

Strauss, Elissa. “Why Boys Love Guns, and What to Do about It.” CNN, Cable News Network, 13 Mar. 2018, https://www.cnn.com/2018/03/07/health/boys-guns-parenting-strauss/index.html. Accessed 29 Sept. 2019.

Toy Industry Association, Inc. “Inspiring Generations of Play.” The Toy Association, https://www.toyassociation.org/PressRoom2/IndustryStatements/statement-on-toy-guns-and-violence.aspx?WebsiteKey=9627b778-d394-4eb1-93ca-b0ecde8e3359.  Accessed 28 Sept. 2019.