I think in very controlled conditions the older kids could be shooting BB guns. I started around then. Like laying down, loading the gun, getting some help cocking it, shooting, unloading, then standing up
my dad got me an airsoft gun back when he first started teaching me to use one. He'd been taking me on hunting trips since before I could form memories and every time he'd ask me what the basic rules are, so he used the airsoft gun as a sort of test to see if I would follow them. I was probably 6 or so at that point and to this day I reflexively handle any vaguely gun shaped object pretty much like a real one. Found myself with my finger off the trigger of a banana once
edit: I should clarify i wasn't allowed to shoot a real one until I was 13, he just used the airsoft gun to teach me basic safety stuff like finger off the trigger, don't point it at anything you're not ready to destroy, know what's behind your target, etc.
I think in very controlled conditions the older kids could be shooting BB guns. I started around then. Like laying down, loading the gun, getting some help cocking it, shooting, unloading, then standing up
my dad got me an airsoft gun back when he first started teaching me to use one. He'd been taking me on hunting trips since before I could form memories and every time he'd ask me what the basic rules are, so he used the airsoft gun as a sort of test to see if I would follow them. I was probably 6 or so at that point and to this day I reflexively handle any vaguely gun shaped object pretty much like a real one. Found myself with my finger off the trigger of a banana once
edit: I should clarify i wasn't allowed to shoot a real one until I was 13, he just used the airsoft gun to teach me basic safety stuff like finger off the trigger, don't point it at anything you're not ready to destroy, know what's behind your target, etc.