‘Tis the season of giving, so why not give one of the best gifts of all, a Nerf gun! What better way to indulge your kids in their adventure fantasies than with one of the most universally popular toys each year , where they can shoot at the bad guys and play the hero, without hurting themselves, you or your home interior. With so many different models to choose from, for all ages and for boys and girls alike, there’s no wonder why Nerf guns, blasters and crossbows make the top of Christmas gift lists each year. They’ve been so good all year, so why not let them be just a little bit naughty?

1. Zombie Strike Doominator Blaster

Age Range: 8 years +

The Nerf Zombie Strike Doominator Blaster can fire up to 24 darts without needing to reload. 4 rotating drum wheels each hold 6 darts a piece, so when one drum is empty, you can easily flip to the next one. When going up against zombies, you need to be able to take aim and fire easily, so the Doominator’s assault handle has 3 different positions for maximum stability. 

Why I Like It: With all the talk of preparing for a Zombie Apocalypse, it’s fun to let your kids get in on the action. Kids can have great fun imagining themselves fending off a hoard of zombies. The handle allows for both left and right-handed children to use and is an excellent toy for nurturing kid’s cognitive and psychomotor skills.

2. Rival Khaos MXVI-4000 Blaster

Age Range: 14 years +

Engage in fierce head-to-head combat with the Nerf Rival Khaos MXVI-4000 Blaster. Pick a side and unleash rapid-fire blasting with this motorized Nerf Blaster that fires 40 high-impact rounds at speeds of 30 mph. Reloading is quick and easy with the easy-load magazine that lets you return to battle with minimal delay and the ambidextrous release means righties or lefties can equally enjoy the fun and intensity of this Rival Blaster. 

Why I Like It: The Rival Blaster range of Nerf Guns are great for your teenagers who still love the fun of role-playing but require more of a challenge. This is a great gun for highly competitive play and developing great precision and hand-eye coordination. The Nerf Rival Khaos is also a great toy that adults will enjoy too, so it’s great for some fun bonding time with your older kids.

3. N-Strike Mega Mega Mastodon

Age Range: 8 years +

Unleash the ultimate power and performance with the Nerf-N-Strike Mega Mega Mastodon to dominate the battlefields. The first ever motorized Nerf Mega Blaster; the Mastodon unleashes 2 dozen darts blasting through the air at distances of up to 100 feet. Send the 24 Whistler darts screaming at your enemies from the dart rotating drum and reign supreme in intense combat.

 Why I Like It: The Mega Mega Mastodon looks impressive with its huge build and 24-dart rotating drum and the shoulder strap provides an easy way for your child to boast their new toy. The Whistler darts add an extra touch of fun to play, as they whistle while zooming through the air. This is a great Nerf Gun for building strength and endurance and letting your child’s imagination run wild.

4. N-Strike Elite Terrascout Remote Control Drone Blaster Toy Collection

Age Range: 8 years +

Up the ante in your Nerf battles with the Nerf N-Strike Elite Terrascout Remote Control Drone Blaster that takes play to a whole new level of innovation. This R/C Blaster is an all-terrain vehicle that is both drone and radio controlled gun in one. Patrol your Drone Blaster around, while you watch from a distance on the LCD camera on the remote control and launch sneak attacks by firing at your unsuspecting foes from a distance. The Terrascout R/C Drone Blaster even lets you record your battles so you can analyze your opponents moves and plan future attacks.

 Why I Like It: The Nerf N-Strike Elite Terrascout Remote Control Drone Blaster is a really different type of Nerf Blaster. This remote controlled vehicle allows kids to strategize and plan sneak attacks on their friends from a distance and with the ability to record what the Drone Blaster sees, kids can have fun looking back on their pretend battles.

5. N-Strike Elite Stockade Blaster

Age Range: 8 years +

Get the edge in your Nerf Wars with the new Nerf N-Strike Elite Stockade Blaster. The Stockade Blaster has semi-automatic firing, so there’s no need for cocking. Just pull the trigger and unleash a barrage of 10 darts from the revolving barrel at distances of up to 75 feet. Excellent for long-range battles, the Tactical Rail is compatible with most N-Strike accessories, so there’s no limit to the customization abilities. Beat out the competition with this fun and easy to use Blaster.

Why I Like It: The Nerf N-Strike Elite Stockade Blaster is a nice easy-to-use Nerf Gun at a reasonable price point. It’s great for beginners and has excellent customization abilities so your child can enjoy letting their creativity take this gun wherever they want it to. The ability for long-range shooting is also a fun way to develop good precision and tactical skills.

6. N-Strike Elite Rough Cut 2X4 Blaster

Age Range: 8 years +

When you want to take control of short-range battles and turn the tide in tactical situations, what’s better than the Nerf N-Strike Elite Rough Cut 2×4 Blaster? This sweet little shotgun packs a punch with 2 barrels that each shoot 4 Elite darts. Fire the trigger to shoot a pair of darts at up to 75 feet to effectively immobilize the enemy. Or when the situation calls for no holds barred, activate the Slam Fire mechanism to unleash all 8 darts on your enemy in rapid succession for a sure-fire win.

 Why I Like It: The double barrel design is similar to a real shotgun and the ability to shoot 2 darts at once makes it a real winner. The Slam Fire option is a great feature that your kids will surely love to add drama to their game. The small size also makes this easily held by smaller children.

7. N-Strike Elite Rampage Blaster

Age Range: 6 years +

Take your N-Strike battles to the next level with the Nerf n-Strike Elite Rampage Blaster. This high-fun, high-power weapon holds 25 darts, so you’ll have enough ammo to take control of the fight. Fire at your enemies from up to 75 feet away and when the going gets rough, hit the Slam Fire mechanism to unleash all 25 darts in rapid succession at your enemy.

 Why I Like It: With a large dart capacity and easy reloading, the Elite Rampage Blaster is sure to give your kid hours of fun. Easily customized, the Rampage Blaster can be expanded with additional drums and stock attachments for extra fun. This is a great gun for developing children’s problem-solving skills and reasoning skills.

8. N-Strike Elite Longshot CS-6

Age Range: 8 years +

Target your enemies, take aim and fire with the Nerf N-Strike Elite Longshot CS-6. The targeting scope provides a huge advantage in Nerf Wars, allowing for excellent precision and accuracy. Detach the front blaster for a short-range tactical weapon, or perfect your sniper skills with the full Longshot. The quick-reload clip means your enemy will never get the whammy on you and you can choose to charge headlong into combat or take aim from a safe distance.

 Why I Like It: The long length of the Longshot CS-6 has the feel of a real sniper rifle and the targeting scope really excels at developing hand-eye coordination and tactical skills. I love the ability to detach the front gun, so you’re really getting two guns in one. The Elite Longshot CS-6 has amazing modification abilities to customize it into one of the most powerful Nerf guns out there.

9. N-Strike Elite Centurion Blaster

Age Range: 6 years +

Take out the competition from away and dominate the Nerf Wars with the Nerf N-Strike Elite Centurion Blaster. Modeled after some of the world’s most elite sniper rifles, the Centurion Blaster is a long-range weapon that fires from up to 100 feet away. Fire a siege of Whistler darts at your enemy like a battle cry to announce your arrival and impending victory over your foes. Charge with your Blaster into battle for an all-out onslaught or take precise aim from afar with the attached bipod.

 Why I Like It: For kids who love to role play as a sniper or marksman, you really can’t beat the Nerf N-Strike Elite Centurion Blaster. The Whistler darts add an extra touch of fun and drama to your kid’s Nerf War and the impressive length will make them they envy of their friends. The long range distance makes it perfect for developing concentration and focus, while also developing sensory processing as they become aware of their surroundings.

10. Lazer Tag Phoenix LTX Tagger 2-Pack

Age Range: 8 years +

This 2-player Nerf Lazer Tag Phoenix LTX Tagger 2-Pack allows for intense head-to-head competitions. Outsmart your opponent in this real-life laser combat that registers each hit with lights, sounds and actions. Each shot fired features a recoil for a lifelike combat situation and with a range of 100 feet, there’s no limits to where you can take your battles.

 Why I Like It: This is such a fun Nerf gun pack that is great for the whole family. The 2-pack set lets you play with your child for greater bonding and a fun playtime. Siblings or friends can go head to head and the fact that these are laser guns mean there are no darts that need to be reloading or cause damage to your house. Your child can safely run around inside and outside with these guns with no harm to themselves, others or your home interior. Use rechargeable batteries and there’ll be no stopping the fun for recharging or reloading. The Nerf Lazer Tag Phoenix LTX Tagger 2-Pack is a fantastic toy for encouraging physical activity and a creative use of imagination.

Benefits of Nerf Guns For Your Kids

There’s a lot of talk about toy guns fueling aggression in kids and encouraging violence, so you may be unwilling to take a chance and purchase a Nerf gun for your child. However, child development experts have weighed in and stated that playing with toy guns does not encourage violence and aggression in later life as you might fear. In fact, playing with toy guns can actually be beneficial to their cognitive, social, emotional, language and physical skills and are practically helpful in helping kids to indulge in their dramatic make-believe and pretend play.

This may seem surprising right? As well as the hours of fun they provide, Nerf can actually be beneficial to your child. Here’s a list of some of the key benefits of Nerf guns.

-Pretend Play: Child experts all agree that pretend play is important for helping kids to master their use of imagination while indulging their creative side. It can lead to better problem-solving, critical thinking and social skills.

-Doesn’t Encourage Violence: Child psychologists agree that there is no correlation between children who play with toy guns and later aggression in adulthood. To back up this claim, there have been studies where convicted felons and violent criminals never played with toy guns during childhood, whereas many non-violent, law-abiding individual did, in fact, engage in pretend gun play.

-Role Playing: Whoever your child decided to role-play as when playing with their Nerf gun, whether a gun-toting cowboy or a laser-shooting galactic rebel in their favorite Star Wars film, role-playing lets kids develop their cognitive abilities through imitation of speech and actions.

-Make-Believe: The more children engage in pretend-play, the more their sense of imagination and creativity develops.

-Social Skills: Kids generally like to play with toy guns with other children (they need something to shoot at after all!) Cooperative play helps kids learn to interact with each other and garner key social skills for later life.

-Communication Skills: Social interaction and role-playing is also key to developing good speaking, listening and comprehension skills. Kids will also learn how to express themselves better to get their thoughts across to others.

-Attention Span: Young children, in particular, have very short attention spans. However, role-playing and make-believe require kids to immerse themselves in their characters or role, helping them significantly increase their attention span and focus more intently.

-Social and Emotional Development: As kids role-play with their Nerf guns with others, they will have to consider what rules and who will play which role in the game. This leads to better cooperation, teamwork, self-esteem and emotional development. It can also help them to resist their natural impulses as they have to remain true to the objectives of the scenario, helping to tone down aggressive tendencies.

-Physical Development: Playing shooting games is not a sedentary activity. Kids will have to be physically active as they run, jump and avoid being hit, helping to lead to better fitness, muscle strengthening and stamina. Nerf guns also help kids develop their fine motor skills, spatial intelligence and hand-eye coordination. 

Factors To Consider Before Buying A Nerf Gun

So now you know how beneficial Nerf Guns can be for your child’s development, there should be nothing stopping you from getting one for little Evan or Sarah. But if you’re still concerned there are some things you can do before buying a Nerf Gun to ease your worries.

Here are some things you should consider doing before making the purchase.

• Talk to your child about guns. Having an actual conversation with and not at your child about real guns and the difference of toy guns can go a long way to them understanding that this is just playing and helping ease your concerns.
• Talk about gun safety. Kids often don’t necessarily understand that a gun is a dangerous object or equate them with death or injury. Explain the dangers of real guns and emphasize how Nerf Guns are fun for pretend-play.
• Pick a non-realistic toy gun. Giving children guns that look too much like the real thing can actually inhibit their imagination and creativity. Luckily Nerf Guns are great in this regard as they clearly look like toys and won’t be confused with the real thing.
• Limit your child’s exposure to violent TV or video games. Unlike the debate about the correlation between toy guns and adult violence, many child psychologists state that exposure to violent media content can stunt your child’s emotional and social development. Let your child play with their Nerf Gun using their imagination and not as a role-play of a violent crime they saw on TV.

Tips On How To Choose The Best Nerf Gun For Your Child

Now that we have that out of the way, how about some useful tips on choosing a Nerf Gun for your child? Here are a few things to keep in mind and look out for.

-Type of Nerf Gun: There is a huge variety of Nerf Guns available and you should consider the features, ease of use and suitability for your child to determine which gun is the right type for you kid.

-Your Child’s Strength: Has your child ever played with toy guns before? Do they know how? Consider your child’s strength before randomly making a purchase. A sniper rifle is great for kids who enjoy shooting from distances, while short-range guns are better suited for beginners or those who need to be up close and personal.

-Age: As well as the many different styles of Nerf Guns available, there are also different guns for different ages. If a gun is aimed at 14-year-olds, then an 8-year old would have a lot of trouble using it. Consider the age range of the Nerf Gun before buying.

-Style of Darts: There are also a huge variety of Nerf darts and balls available, compatible with different guns and with different features. Glow-in-the-dark darts or Whistler darts are interesting options that lend an extra element of fun to playtime.

-Price: Nerf Guns range from small, inexpensive models to elaborate guns worth over $500. Consider your budget and how much you’re willing to spend on your Nerf Gun. 

What Else Do You Need To Know About Nerf Guns?

So you’re almost ready to take a look at some of my favorite Nerf Guns! But first, let’s talk about a few interesting things you may not know about Nerf.

• Nerf has been around since the late ’60s and has thrived all the way to today. They started with a focus on sports before introducing their first Nerf Gun in 1991.
• Nerf Guns generally fire at speeds of 30 mph, but the NERF N-Strike Elite Hail-Fire Blaster can fire at speeds of 50 mph. That’s as fast as a lion!
• Nerf isn’t just for kids! The Nerf Rival can shoot speeds of up to a staggering 75 mph and is aimed as a gun for adults, although the actual age is listed at 14+.
• Nerf darts are made out of an interesting material called polyester resin, which becomes a very light polyurethane material when it reacts with a compound in the presence of CO2. This makes them completely safe, as they won’t injury or harm a person (they can’t even puncture the skin) even if you shoot them in the face.