do you let your kids play with toy weapons?

i dont think it provokes violence. my child is not a violent person. and he plays with those kinds of toys. i think it all depends on how you raise and teach your child.

Yes they play with them and no I don't believe it promotes violence.

my SD knows they are fake and that real ones are dangerous and "only for police and hunters" ( those are her words ) :)
that said- we have a house full of nerf guns, squirt guns, plastic swords, etc... and play was are fought daily!

I didn't used to. But then I noticed that even without the real fake ones, they would find a way. They would turn sticks into knives, build legos into a gun. Kids are going to play those kinds of games, and whether they have the toys or make them isn't going to make a difference. I actually just turned it into an opportunity to explain how weapons can be dangerous, and to teach a little lesson on gun safety, showing them the differences between real and fake guns. I also make sure that their fakes LOOK very fake, so that there is absolutely no possiblity of confusing them, since my parents and boyfriend all have numerous guns. They are kept locked up, but I refuse to take a chance on someone assuming. My kids fully understand the difference between playing cops and robbers and really hurting someone, and why hurting someone is wrong.

"play wars" is what i meant to type!

I agree that even without the fake guns, they will find something to make into a fake gun if they are really inclined to. But I find it highly inappropriate to buy them plastic guns. I was furious when my IL's bought my son a fake shotgun when he was not quite one year old. It fired foam and plastic projectiles. I don't understand how in the world anyone could think that is an appropriate Christmas gift but that kind of thing is not unusual. DH defended the purchase until he saw what I knew would happen the first time I saw the ridiculous thing, the violence it does promote. Then he took it away and it ended up in the trash.

I think that it promotes an acceptance of violence.

My son has played with weapons, cops and robbers, play fights for years with his friends. One of those friends father is an assistant chief of police. HE is the one that encouraged me to allow my son to play with guns, etc. It doesn't promote violence.

I have to say i am very particular about what i let my lil man play with. My husbands older and younger brother was killed due to gun violence so with that said i don't believe it to be beneficial to allow him to play with violent associated toys. Call me over protective or whatever but i guess to each its own!