"Not toys!" Topic

Some sometimes when I get miniatures there are stickers saying. "These are not toys, and should only be used by those 14 and older."

So for those of you that have reproduced. And have or has had kids younger than 14. Do you let your kids paint/handle the miniatures?

Yes
Yes, but only if they have been primed.
Only plastic figures
No they are my precious!!!(the miniatures not the kids)
Only finished painted miniatures
No, they have to be 14 and older. I won't break the rule of the stickers.
If they touch my miniatures its of to military school the next day.
Woah man what's with like the rules man, let kids be free.
This poll as to many silly options.
This poll has just the right number of options.

I refuse to answer that question on the grounds that it may incriminate me. OK, my son and daughter were both painting figs before they were 14. I always figured it was an insurance necessity in the sue-everyone world.

Um…Zardoz?

My son could do vehicle ID while he was still learning to read and write. But he got his own toy soldiers. He handles mine when he's my opponent in a game.

When I was younger and we had parties at some point the adults and quite a few children (some very young) would end up in the gaming room. I always displayed my edged weapons on the lowest shelf. As I told my friends "So the kids could get at them easily". Never had a problem.

We always have little kids in the house between the four boys, the grandkids and the neighbourhood kids

I have my fragile/well painted minis in boxes, storage cases or high shelves – I have a large supply of well worn and veteran minis that the kids use

My grandsons are keen to paint up minis and two of our four sons like to paint – No. 2 son is an outstanding painter, just very, very slow

My kids were playing games with my miniatures when they were little and I started gaming with my grandson when he was about six.

Yes, my 4-year-old handles some. Without any real cautioning, she is more careful with them than most con gamers.

Yes, my son got to play with them when I was there to supervise.

Grelber

My kids are now mid and upper teens. I have drug them through a convention or two and they have helped me with a few flea market sales but that is their extent of interest in my hobby.

Yes, of course. Stickers are just the manufacturers covering their bums….

Agree with Cerdic. The stickers are there so that the manufacturer can not be sued when little Johnie sticks the miniatures in his mouth and chokes to death on them.

Mine are both over 14 (actually, both with college degrees and jobs), but they played games with us from early middle school with supervision commensurate other similar activities. I don't really remember whether or not they started painting and converting before 14 or not, but most likely they did. I do know DOM was putting paint to canvass before 14 (son doesn't paint canvass), again progressively with an level of supervision appropriate to her maturity/skill level and SOM was assembling Dark Eldar before 14 with the same type of supervision.

Neither of them have eaten a mini (except chocolate and gingerbread ones for holiday games), drunk paint, done more than minor cuts and abrasions with a hobby knife (or any other tool), or other than minorly (frustrating, but not injuring) glued themselves to themselves.

They wouldn't dare throw them.

My son sure, he's handled figures, played with them and painted a few.

His friends? Dads stuff is strictly off limits.

I don't have kids, but I'm glad to hear there actually is a "next generation" of miniatures wargamers, in spite of video games, cell phones, et bleeping cetera.

I think the kids are attracted to the idea of something tangible to manipulate and move around a board.

Also, my kid is starting to get the understanding that you could make up your own rules and you could see a little light bulb go off in his head :-)

I do…but it makes me nervous!