A five-year old son + a husband who has discovered a chance to re-live his childhood (but this time with disposable income) = daily epic action figure battles on the living room floor.
What's a passivist, outnumbered mom (who has already removed all the little plastic guns from their hands) do without further turning into the boring non-fun parent? Create alternate play scenarios that are just as adventurous and exhilarating but do not include the following: conflict, winners or losers, aggression, physical violence, sexism. Here are some of my favorites:
1. Avengers All-Star Habitat build featuring Thor as team captain
2. Wonder Woman and Princess Leah (throw on some clothes first), and then save the day
3. Stormtrooper Tough Mudder games
4. Father-son camping trip (and reconciliation) with Darth Vader and Luke Skywalker
5. Behind the Batcave Part 1: Batman and Robin go to the courthouse: Secret identities revealed
6. Behind the Batcave Part 2: Batman and Robin honeymoon in the Caribbean
7. G.I. Joes put out a forest fire
8. Wolverine, Spiderman, and Catwoman open an animal rescue
Other ideas to explore when more age appropriate:
The Incredible Hulk goes to anger management
Captain America traces his genealogy
Joker: Behind the laugh
I love this, Mae, thank you. We are in the 3.5 year old phase where everything becomes a gun, even with zero violent books or tv shows. I am trying to enforce a new summer rule: water squirt toys can't look like guns. Thanks for your humored ideas!
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