I have a 6 year old nephew who I'd like to bring with me to a show but I'm wondering if he's too young to enjoy it (he's just a first grader). I know he's shot .22s with his dad but he's much more into legos and iPads than firearms. Worth taking him or not? I'd like his first experience to be positive and not "holy crap that was boring".
How old do kids have to be to enjoy gun shows?
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- Dec 27, 2012
- 30,192
The problem I see is that he can't really touch anything. Kids that age want to pick stuff up and play with it.
I was pretty young going to my first gun shows and I loved them - I knew better than to touch anything, so it was always "look, don't touch" for me. I think I might have been 8 for my first one.
BigDaddy
Ultimate Member
- Feb 7, 2014
- 2,235
Ask us again in 6 or 7 years. There were 3 kids in hunting camp this week in SC. Don't know how old but none of their voices had changed. They didn't want to wake up early and hunt, they shot squirrels because they were bored, with their deer rifle and played video games.
As long as he listens to you, he will enjoy a normal gun show. I used to take my kids all the time.
lowoncash
Baned
Sometimes it's more about who the kid is with than what they are doing. If he enjoys spending time with you it will be a teachable moment afternoon.
- Dec 27, 2012
- 30,192
You must buy him a rubber band gun. 
Bullfrog
Ultimate Member
There's always at least one table of airsoft guns, at least at every show I've been to. (maybe 5 if @ Timonium
). He can probably handle those and see if he likes any of them. With Dad's permission, buy him an airsoft at the show and teach him to handle it & practice with it safely. In a few years he'll be ready for more responsibility.You must buy him a rubber band gun.
Or this if he or Dad aren't ready for the airsoft.
- Dec 27, 2012
- 30,192
We had to make our own gun shows!
- Oct 8, 2007
- 19,012
I wouldn't bring him, you will drag him around and he will want to do something else after the first half hour.
SmokingGun
Ultimate Member
A few years ago when my wife was working weekends I took my 5-6 year old son to several shows. We had a great time together. I explained to him that he was being allowed to attend an adult event and that he had to act like one. He did great. I always gave him things to look forward to: buying glow sticks, brownies, camping stuff, some of the misc stuff the trinket guy sells, lunch afterward at a place of his choice, etc. I say do it!
fivepointstar
Thank you MD-Goodbye
my son has been going with me since he was about 5 year old, I started a pocket knife collection for him and he grabs a knife at each show
I say at 10 or 11 you can get their full attention. I can get my 8yr old to stay for about 2 hours, but the older one is ok for longer than that. If you don't want to take the chance of having to hurry through the show or feel rushed, he would probably appreciate it for a while and it is something he will probably always remember that his Uncle Alphabrew took him to.
Kelson1066
Ultimate Member
I've been taking my kid since she was 2. Keep a close eye on them, explain the rules of conduct, and let them pick up something for good behavior (she likes plastic ammo cans and the popcorn from Nations Gun Show).
I used to take my son when he was so young I pushed him around in a stroller! (he was probably about 1-1/2 - 2). Once when he was about 6, I bought him the 'repeater' rubber band gun he still has. I will tell you, taking him was certainly less than ideal...but it was the only way I was able to go to certain gun shows back then. He is now 19 soon to be 20 and he really couldn't care less about a gun show. But , it will vary from kid to kid. For some young kids, it's almost like being a grownup to go to a show and they may even have their own legitimate interest in it. FWIW, my son likes shooting once in a while and has some vague interest in firearms in general....he just doesn't get off going to a show full of guns and whatever other stuff might be there. He is also not much on deer hunting either although he likes dove hunting and loved the one time I took him on a game farm pheasant hunt. Now, if they had a show full of computer games, or Comi-con type stuff, then he would be more interested 
Jumpmaster!
Member
- Aug 28, 2014
- 78
My ten year old daughter has told me that I am not to go to a gun show without her. She always has a good time except for when I stop to shoot the breeze with a vendor or another veteran. My four year old son has already been to his first gun show.
wilcam47
Ultimate Member
Depends on the kid...some Ive seen are excited to go look, others look like zombies and cant wait to leave. Usually most gun shows have a table or two of airsoft stuff or knives/swords that kids like to look at. You might have to take a break or two and go to the snack/lunch area but who knows till you take him. He might get a wish list going
Yeah, I used to buy my son stuff at Gun Shows trying to get him to like it. My daughter was an outright pain the couple times I took her despite trying to encourage her. Unfortunately, between my tendency to talk to everyone and my tendency to want to look a lot of things over (I rarely spent less than 3 hrs at a gun show unless I had my kids) he would get bored and frankly, it wasn't that fun for me to go and just rush through the show. So I really only took him a few times and that was pretty much it. As an teen/young adult he doesn't ever go. Like I said, he likes to shoot some, but he really isn't even all that much into hunting although he does like bird hunting
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