In general, boys lean toward aggressive games such as fighting, trucks, shooting and guns. Girls are more interested in dolls and soft toys.

There is no evidence that playing war games in childhood leads to real aggression and violence.

It’s completely normal for kids to pretend to play with guns from time to time, it helps them regulate and control their impulses and emotions in real life, build their imagination and develop their personality.

Pretending to play with a gun is generally okay as long as the game is controlled by parents. When your kid wants to fight a bad guy, he is probably considering himself a strong guy or a superhero, it’s good to understand what “gun” means to your child rather than to focus on how to stop the game. Ask your child what he thinks about his gun, how does it work, what happens when he shoots?

Do ensure that your child’s gun looks like a toy: buy brightly colored guns that can’t be mistaken for a real gun.