Weapon play outside the toybox

Okay, here’s the deal, I’m not comfortable having prefab toy weapons at our house. Improvising a broom stick or fallen branch for the occasional ”sword” I can handle- as long as it’s for show and not jabbing. I’d prefer no weapon play at all, but don’t want to turn the whole issue into forbidden fruit. This is why I let Cruise bring home the plastic swords from the ninja-themed birthday party last week. They made it through the night (Cruise loved swaggering around with them tied to his waist with a bathrobe tie)  but landed in the recycle bin the next morning. I have also confiscated a squirt gun from an unsuspecting neighbor boy (returning it after the playdate).

Both situations have reaffirmed that yes, I am uncomfortable having imitation weapons at our house. Then again, I’m a person who can’t patron the zoo (or even the aviary!) because it makes me too sad for the animals, so what did I expect?

The whole weapon play issue is admittedly complicated for many of us. But, I can live with improvised objects from around the house. If you can too, here are a couple outside the toybox toy weapons we’ve come up with: 

1. Squirt “guns”:

squirt bottles

empty dishsoap bottles

2. Bow and arrows (for hunting food, Cruise says)

How we made the bow:

1. Found a bent stick ( I cut one from our bushes)

2. Using a kitchen knife, cut slits in the center of each end of the stick.

3.  Cut a piece of twine and pushed one end of twine into one slit, then wrapped it with the same piece of twine.

4. Pulled the same piece of twine tight until it was straight and pressed the other end into the slit at the other end of the stick, then wrapped it to keep it in place and cut the twine.

For the arrows: Cruise found pieces of tree bark in the yard and sharpened them into a pointy shape by rubbing each side on the driveway.

How do you feel about weapon play? What are the  rules at your house?

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Tags: easy make bow and arrows, easy make homemade toy bow and arrows, homemade toy weapons, squirt gun alternatives