Bang, bang: violent games are dead as nurseries ban playing with toy weapons
They have been essential props for generations of children playing timeless games of goodies against baddies.
But the days of “cops and robbers” may now be in the past as most nurseries are now banning children from bringing in and playing with toy weapons, according to a poll.
The survey also suggests that for a small number, superhero costumes are also getting the thumbs down.
There is a fear that toy guns and swords can encourage aggression and violence, according to Sue Learner, editor of daynurseries.co.uk, which published the poll.
But she added that banning pretend weapons is “controlling children’s imaginative play”.
The survey found that around four in five (79 per cent) of those questioned said that toy weapons are not allowed in their nursery, while about a fifth (21 per cent) said they were permitted.
In addition, one in 20 (5 per cent) of the nursery workers polled said their nursery has banned superhero costumes, with the majority (95 per cent) saying they are allowed.
Ms Learner said: “It is interesting that this is such a contentious issue. There is this fear toy guns and swords encourage aggression and violence and create a noisy, chaotic atmosphere.
“I realise many nurseries are under pressure from parents due to these perceptions. Yet if we ban toy weapons, we are controlling children’s imaginative play.
“Playing cops and robbers or baddies vs goodies are physical games involving running, crouching and hiding.
“We should be encouraging open-ended physical play, not limiting it and shutting it down. I have three sons who all played with toy guns and swords and they haven’t turned into aggressive, guntoting teenagers.
“In a society where obesity is on the increase, we need to engage with children and offer them toys which stimulate energetic role play.”
Greg Lane, manager of the Soho Family Centre, part of the London Early Years Foundation, said he had worked for other nurseries that had been very strict about banning toy weapons, but that he did not think this was realistic, suggesting as an example that a nursery may be based in a community where guns are an issue. He said: “Censoring it or pretending it does not exist is not appropriate, or realistic.
“How we approach it at my nursery is that they are not banned, but we don’t encourage it. So I wouldn’t say, ‘Oh, tomorrow what are you going to bring in? Please bring in your pretend gun.’ But they are not banned.”
Mr Lane added: “I think you have to broaden it out. It’s very connected to role play, and superhero play has quite a moral edge with children, it’s very popular.” He cited games which included protecting or rescuing someone.
On superhero costumes, Ms Learner said: “Nurseries have told us they find when children dress in superhero costumes, they try and take on the persona of the superhero and will run around trying to ‘kill’ people and shouting, ‘You are going to die, bang bang’.
“They say children can get hyped up and take a long time to calm down and it can be hard to engage them in other activities.”
The survey questioned 1,125 nursery owners, managers and staff in February and March.
“There is this fear toy guns and swords encourage aggression …Yet if we ban toy weapons, we are controlling children’s imaginative play”
SUE LEARNER