Crackdown shocks parents as experts dispute claims that toy guns create violent behaviour

CHILDCARE centres are banning children from playing games such as “cops and robbers” with toy guns and plastic fake knives because of fears they promote violent “warlike” behaviour. SEE WHAT’S ON THE HITLIST AND VOTE IN OUR POLL

Mitchell Egan, 4, from Chatswood, never turns violent when playing with toy guns, his dad says. Picture: Justin Lloyd

CHILDCARE centres are banning children from playing games such as “cops and robbers” with toy guns and plastic fake knives because of fears they promote violent “warlike” behaviour.

Mock pirate swords, bows and arrows and even Lego weapons have also been outlawed by childcare operators in a bid to curb “aggressive” play.

No laws or regulations cover toy weapons in childcare centres or preschools but The Daily Telegraph can reveal ­ ­industry peak body, Australian Childcare Alliance NSW will this week survey its 1600 childcare centres for policies on warlike toy weapons including replica guns and knives.

Australian Childcare Alli­ance NSW President Lyn Connolly said if a child was to make a Lego gun from blocks, for example, educators should discuss with the child “why it’s not good to have guns and how they can hurt people”.

That’s despite parents expressing concerns that the “politically correct” ­restrictions could hinder children’s imaginative play and physical games as well as ­experts disputing claimed links between the toys and ­detrimental changes in child conduct.

Just last month, controversy erupted in the UK when Prince George was photographed playing with a pretend pistol.

The Duchess of Cambridge looks on as Prince George and another boy play with toy guns at a polo match in Gloucestershire. Picture: TheMegaAgency.com

Child psychologist Dr Justin Coulson said there was no evidence to suggest playing with guns changed the behaviour of children, who instead should be allowed to run with their imaginations.

“The current evidence suggests that playing with toy guns will have essentially no measurable impact on a child’s attitudes or behaviours,” he said, but added that there was not a lot of high quality ­research in this area.

“Even if we were to ban guns, kids will find other things to use if they want to play a ‘goodies versus baddies’ game.

“They will pick up sticks if you take away the toy gun and then the stick becomes a gun.

“While I personally don’t like it when kids play with replica guns and I have a personal and moral distaste, there is no evidence to suggest it causes any problems.”

Ms Connolly said commonsense usually prevailed but the alliance would ask if any childcare service needed “guidance, support or policies on how to handle children and their parents who innocently bring … toy guns, toy pirate swords, bows and arrows” or other mock weapons.

“Childcare centres always try to reinforce safety and positivity into the lives of all the children in our care,” she said.

“Australians generally are averse to guns.

Toys guns such as this will be targeted in a childcare centre crackdown. Picture: Brett Costello

“Early childhood education and care centres believe in ­exploration, not expiration and in development, not ­destroying, so zero tolerance is the norm for violent behaviour and weapons.

“I cannot think of a single childcare centre which has toy guns or even software apps with guns in them in their ­environment or uses them as part of their educational ­equipment.”

Early Childhood Education Minister Sarah Mitchell said the NSW Department of Education had the ability to take regulatory action against services that used toys that threatened the safety of children.

The recently released The Incredibles 2, popular with adults as well has children, does not shy away from depicting guns.

“It is up to the discretion of individual services to ensure toys are age-appropriate and are acceptable for their children and families,” she said.

“Toys that are used in the services should be used to aid play-based learning for educational purposes and I would expect services right across the state to make sensible ­decisions about the toys available to their children.”

However, Australian Childcare Alliance vice-president Nesha Hutchinson said in rural and remote areas toy guns often were used as a teaching tool as kids who lived on farms saw their parents handling real weapons.

“They learn about safety and how you lock it up (the gun) overnight and sign it in and out just as mum and dad do,” she said.

A number of parents have reacted angrily to news of the restrictions and survey, inclu­ding Chatswood father Brendan Egan, who described the toy gun ban as “overkill”.

Mitchell Egan, 4, from Chatswood, enjoys playing cowboys. Picture: Justin Lloyd

Mitchell’s dad Brendan said his son associates toy guns with fun, not violence. Picture: Justin Lloyd

Mr Egan, 40, said his four-year-old son Mitchell had never turned violent or aggressive when playing with his plastic pistols.

“I’m comfortable with him using the guns at childcare. I’m sure he uses them in a playful way instead of a really violent way,” Mr Egan said.

“He plays with guns and swords with Star Wars just like we did when we were kids.

“He sees guns and weapons on cartoons all the time and he associates them with fun, not really with violence.”

A mum who did not wish to be identified said she believed violent video games were more harmful than a “little plastic gun”, while Dr Coulson also warned about the dangers of on-screen content.

“I am terribly uncomfortable with violent content on our screens and there is far more evidence that this is predictive of children’s violent and aggressive behaviours,” he said.

“We are focused on the wrong things and should be encouraging our children to play creatively and ­imaginatively.”

Education developmental psychologist Dr Rose Cantali said it was important to allow children to express themselves, but “in moderation”.