Parents’ Guide to Firearm Safety
Parents play a critical role in developing safe habits and are ultimately responsible for their children’s safety. Because isolated lessons can be quickly forgotten, repetition and reinforcement help children remember and apply safety procedures.
Firearm safety education should not be a one-time conversation. Children benefit most when parents consistently reinforce clear, age-appropriate safety messages both inside and outside the home.
The Parents’ Responsibility
In any home where firearms are present, a child’s safety rests squarely with the parents or guardians. This responsibility extends beyond your own household.
According to federal statistics, firearms are present in approximately half of all U.S. households. Even if your family does not own a firearm, your child may encounter one at a friend’s home, a neighbor’s house, or another environment outside your control.
Children must know what to do if they encounter a firearm anywhere, and it is the parent’s responsibility to provide that education.
Talking With Your Child About Firearm Safety
There is no single “right age” to begin discussing firearm safety. The first time a child shows interest — even through toy firearms or media exposure — is an appropriate time to introduce safety concepts.
Open, honest discussion is more effective than simply telling a child to avoid firearms. Clear explanations help remove mystery and reduce curiosity-driven risk.
Any safety rules established for your child should also apply to visiting friends to reduce peer pressure and unsafe behavior.
Toy Firearms vs. Real Firearms
Especially with younger children, it is important to explain the difference between entertainment and reality. Firearms are often portrayed unrealistically in movies, television, and video games.
If toy firearms are present, use them as teaching tools to demonstrate safe handling concepts while clearly explaining how real firearms differ and why they must never be touched without adult supervision.
What Should You Teach Your Child?
For children who are not yet ready for formal firearms training, the NRA Eddie Eagle GunSafe® Program provides a simple, age-appropriate message:
- STOP!
- Don’t Touch.
- Leave the Area.
- Tell an Adult.
The first two steps — Stop and Don’t Touch — are the most critical. Reinforcing these steps helps counter the natural impulse to investigate unfamiliar objects.
“Leave the Area” emphasizes physical separation from danger, and “Tell an Adult” reinforces the importance of seeking help from a trusted authority figure when a parent or guardian is not immediately available.
Additional Resources
A short Eddie Eagle educational video is available below for parents who wish to reinforce these concepts visually with their children:
Watch the Eddie Eagle firearm safety video
Questions or Training Requests
If you would like guidance on age-appropriate firearm safety education, classroom presentations, or family-focused training, please contact us.