Three families get lumped together as “toy guns” and behave very differently. Pick by who is playing and where, then remember: local rules vary; check yours before you buy or play.
Foam and Nerf
Soft darts or balls, the lowest impact, and the default for young kids and mixed-age groups. Darts are reusable but get lost; refills are cheap. No eye-contact rules beyond common sense and eye protection, and rules rarely differ by place.
Gel blasters
Small water-absorbing gel beads, usually fired by electric blasters. They sting more than foam, burst on impact, and leave little mess, which is why they suit older kids and teens. Beads must be soaked before use and are very cheap per thousand. Legal treatment varies sharply by place, so confirm before buying.
Airsoft
Hard 6mm plastic BBs from spring or electric guns. Real impact, so eye protection that is rated for airsoft is required and the sport is typically for teens and adults in organized fields.
Rules of thumb
- Under 8: foam. 8 to 13: foam, with eye protection; gel blasters in our catalog are rated 14+ by their makers. Teens: gel with full eye protection and written house rules.
- Agree on hit rules, boundaries and a stop word before the first shot.
- Never point a blaster at someone who is not playing, and never take one into a public place or school.
- Leave the orange tip on as shipped.
Browse by type in the blaster catalog or compare numbers in the spec table.