Boys at nursery should be allowed to play with toy guns because it plays a key role in their development, say experts.
The experts have called on to revoke the ban on use of toy guns in nurseries in Scotland.Researchers from Government agency Learning and Teaching Scotland who teamed up with a Perthshire primary school for the study, found that playing with toy guns promoted boys' learning and inclusion, enhanced their imagination and prevented the playtime sport from being driven 'underground'.
Many women's groups had claimed that playing with toy guns made children aggressive that could lead to long-term damage.
Murdo Fraser, MSP, the Scottish Conservative deputy leader has welcomed the findings and said that this is one in the eye for the politically correct brigade.
"Little boys will always want to play with make-believe weapons and it has been completely misguided to try and ban them from schools and nurseries," the Daily Express quoted him, as saying.
"I'm glad to see good sense prevailing at last," he added.
Eleanor Coner, information officer for the Scottish Parent Teacher Council, said that boys only play exciting games and do not understand the adult implications.
"It is in a little boy's make-up to want to do that sort of thing. We are thinking that they are shooting each other. They don't know they are shooting each other, they are just making a noise and shouting 'bang' because that's exciting," she said.
However, Jenny Kemp, of women's support group Zero Tolerance believes that toy guns in nurseries would reinforce age-old stereotypes.
"Young children need to learn from an early age that violence is preventable," she said.
"Nursery teachers have a clear role to play in this. They need to intervene when boys or girls want to play in aggressive ways, and to help children understand that there are different ways of showing that you are strong or brave.
"What is needed is a real effort to break down the sterotypes that hold children back and can have lasting and damaging effects on their life chances," she added.
Source-ANI
SPH/L
