New guidelines published by the Department for Children, Schools and Families says nursery staff should resist a "natural instinct" to stop boys from playing with toy guns and other weapons.
The new guidelines claim that such role play under the right conditions can create the right environment to engage boys in educational activities and promote better engagement with learning.
The report says that many nursery owners and employees struggle to see value in such rough play when compared to the typical play activities of girls. The general view of such play is that it is destructive and non-productive however the new guidelines are keen to promote understanding of all types of play.
Boys regularly use "images and ideas gleaned from the media" as starting points in play, the advice says, which "may involve characters with special powers or weapons".
"Adults can find this type of play particularly challenging and have a natural instinct to stop it," the guidance continues.
"This is not necessary as long as practitioners help the boys to understand and respect the rights of other children and to take responsibility for the resources and environment."
Fostering these "forms of play" helps to "enhance every aspect of their learning and development", it adds.
However Union leaders have been quick to condemn this advice claiming that play with weapons are usually 'accompanied with aggression' and that such guidelines are simply 're-enforcing gender stereotypes'
Children's Minister Beverley Hughes said the advice took a "common-sense approach" to the fact that many young children favoured boisterous, physical activity.
Many boys liked pretending to be superheroes or playing at "Star Wars characters with their lightsabres", she said. "Although noisy for adults such imaginary games are good for their development as well as good fun."
But she added: "The guidance also impresses upon staff the need to teach children that they must respect one another and that harming another person in the real world is not acceptable."
The new guidelines claim that such role play under the right conditions can create the right environment to engage boys in educational activities and promote better engagement with learning.
The report says that many nursery owners and employees struggle to see value in such rough play when compared to the typical play activities of girls. The general view of such play is that it is destructive and non-productive however the new guidelines are keen to promote understanding of all types of play.
Boys regularly use "images and ideas gleaned from the media" as starting points in play, the advice says, which "may involve characters with special powers or weapons".
"Adults can find this type of play particularly challenging and have a natural instinct to stop it," the guidance continues.
"This is not necessary as long as practitioners help the boys to understand and respect the rights of other children and to take responsibility for the resources and environment."
Fostering these "forms of play" helps to "enhance every aspect of their learning and development", it adds.
However Union leaders have been quick to condemn this advice claiming that play with weapons are usually 'accompanied with aggression' and that such guidelines are simply 're-enforcing gender stereotypes'
Children's Minister Beverley Hughes said the advice took a "common-sense approach" to the fact that many young children favoured boisterous, physical activity.
Many boys liked pretending to be superheroes or playing at "Star Wars characters with their lightsabres", she said. "Although noisy for adults such imaginary games are good for their development as well as good fun."
But she added: "The guidance also impresses upon staff the need to teach children that they must respect one another and that harming another person in the real world is not acceptable."
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