Nurseries are abandoning a zero- tolerance policy on gun play, fearing a ban will drive it ‘underground’.
Elizabeth Buie reports the ban on gun play implemented in many early years settings is an unofficial one but one that, until recently, was rarely questioned. Now, however, there is evidence that permitting it within set boundaries can actually be beneficial to children.
The nursery class of Abernethy Primary in Perth and Kinross is a case in point. Cath Livingstone, a nursery teacher at the school, reports that it dropped its ban on gun play last year. “No matter what was said, guns just went ‘underground’ and the shooting and martial arts quietly continued when some of our boys believed they were away from adult supervision,” she said.
In a report of her study into gun play, published online by Learning and Teaching Scotland, Ms Livingstone adds: “By playing ‘banned’ games, they were breaking the rules and appeared to feel they needed to be deceitful in order to pursue an activity to which they felt drawn.”
She cites A Curriculum for Excellence as justification for relaxing the nursery’s previous ban on gun play, pointing to its guidance that, in order to engage children, the curriculum should respond to each child’s needs and interests.
“So why halt the only interests of some children? For the children, guns and fighting represent excitement, power and getting rid of the ‘baddies’, whereas many adults feel uncomfortable because of life experience or the developed ability to empathise,” she says.
When she began her work-based project, there were concerns that removing the ban would lead to an increase in aggressive behaviour. But that did not happen. Staff stopped saying “no guns” or “no fighting”, and gradually, the boys started to fight “baddies” more publicly. As they did so, they were challenged by staff. They boys responded well to their interest, giving animated explanations of what they were doing and how the game was going. Their models and games grew even more complex.
But, stresses Ms Livingstone, the children were not allowed a free-for-all. Staff introduced new rules: children could “pretend” but not touch; gun play would only involve those who were playing the game.
The reappraisal of policy has led the nursery to change its thinking and practice, she says. Staff have become more involved in children’s play and more willing to challenge how the children think but also more open to their points of view.
The children, in particular the boys, have become more open with adults; more considerate of others; and more enthused about topics which relate to their play culture. Lynn McNair, an associate tutor on Edinburgh University’s BA early childhood studies course and head of Edinburgh’s Cowgate under-five centre, which received a glowing HMIE report last month, said she had adopted a similar policy.
“Some nurseries ban them (toy guns), but I wonder if that may bring about more conflict. It is not helping children understand the concept of guns by withdrawing them,” she said. “If you hide them away they become more fascinating.”
Eleanor Coner, information officer for the Scottish Parent Teacher Council, described the moves by nurseries such as Abernethy as “a very good idea”.
“It is in a little boy’s make-up to want to do that sort of thing. Young boys don’t understand what guns can do – to them they are loud and noisy. We are looking at it from an adult perspective, not a child’s. A child gets things out of gun play and doing it in a different way to how we perceive it. We are thinking that they are shooting each other. They don’t know they are shooting – they are just making a noise and going ‘bang’ because that’s exciting.”
Read more in this week's TESS, out Friday April 11
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