Best Nerf Gun for Toddlers in 2024

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Looking for the best nerf gun for toddlers is a tiring business. Why? Because it’s almost impossible to find any nerf blaster that is suitable for kids under 8 years old.

That doesn’t make a good excuse for our fun-loving and energy-packed toddlers to miss the opportunity to try nerf toys. For a nerf gun to be appropriate for toddlers, it must be easy to carry, safe to run with, and safe to operate. Not only should we consider whether it is suitable for toddlers, but also evaluate if it’s safe for ourselves. Because parents always become the most convenient target for shooting games.

In this article, we will discover some of the most fun and age-appropriate nerf guns and blasters for toddlers between two to five years.

More Toy Ideas:

Best Nerf Gun for Toddlers

Safest Nerf Gun for Toddlers

Little Tikes Mighty Blasters

What Makes It Special?

  • It uses soft pods instead of nerf darts
  • It’s easy to load and launch

One of the best starter toddler nerf toy is the Little Tikes Mighty Blasters. This blaster uses soft pods that can shoot up to 12 feet. This also means picking up the pods doesn’t require you to run a marathon.

Your toddler can push the squishy power pods in the front of the gun until he hears a click, then he can pull the handle and let go to launch the pods. This blaster weighs only 1 pound and shaped with rounded edges that are perfect for small hands. It is the easiest and best nerf gun for toddlers who are new to nerf toys.

Liberty Imports Mini Blasters

Easiest Nerf Gun for Toddlers

Liberty Imports Mini Blasters

What Makes It Special?

  • It uses soft and foldable safe darts
  • It’s only 5 inches long and easy to hold

If you are looking for a toddler nerf blaster that is light, small, safe, and shapes like a real gun, then Liberty Imports Mini Blasters is your best choice.

This mini nerf blaster measures 5 inches long and 4 inches tall – a breeze for tiny hands to hold and operate. The darts it uses are softer than regular foam darts. This is also a pure manual nerf gun that loads in the front and launches by pulling a trigger. It makes the best nerf gun for toddlers to quickly get started.

Little Tikes Mighty Mighty Bow Blaster

Best Crossbow Nerf Toy for Toddlers

Little Tikes Mighty Mighty Bow Blaster

What Makes It Special?

  • It features an adorable toy bow
  • It is great for imaginative play

Not all nerf toys must look like a gun, for example, the Little Tikes Mighty Mighty Bow Blaster features a unique arrow launcher shape.

This bow blaster also uses soft pods that are easy to load and fire. Your child can use the blaster in two ways: as a regular bow or a crossbow when he twists the toy 90 degrees. We recommend this nerf blaster because it’s not only fun to shoot but also great to enhance your child’s imagination.

JOYIN Quantum Strike Blaster

Best Value Nerf Gun for Toddlers

JOYIN Quantum Strike Blaster

What Makes It Special?

  • The set comes with blasters, darts, targets, and bags
  • The softballs are gentle on targets

Some parents prefer all-in-one nerf toys so that their toddlers can safely practice shooting using existing targets. In this case, our top recommendation is JOYIN Quantum Strike Blaster.

This combo nerf toy comes with two blasters, 24 foam balls, and 6 target cans – all for less than 20 dollars. Another good thing is that ball poppers are generally easier to pump and won’t cause damage or pain on the target. The downside is that the balls continue to roll after it lands on the floor. Nonetheless, this set is the best nerf gun for toddlers to play with friends.

Duckura Blaster with Refill Darts

Best Advanced Nerf Gun for Toddlers

Duckura Blaster with Refill Darts

What Makes It Special?

  • It features a full-blown nerf gun appearance
  • The suction darts are easy to retrieve

Not all toddlers are nerf gun newbies. If your child is one of the advanced nerf players, this Duckura Blaster with Refill Darts will be exciting enough to keep him engaged.

This nerf gun set comes with two full-blown nerf blasters and 80 refill darts – 40 feature suction heads and 40 with soft tips. So if your child practices on targets with a flat surface, the darts can stay on the target for quick retrieval later on. It is the best nerf gun for toddlers who are already familiar with nerf toys.

Dinosaur Blaster Toy

Best Dinosaur Nerf Gun for Toddlers

Dinosaur Blaster Toy

What Makes It Special?

  • It features adorable dinosaur
  • It comes with 20 foam darts

If your toddler boy or girl is a huge dinosaur fan, these Dinosaur Blasters will soon become their favorite toy. Your child will enjoy inserting the foam inside the T-Rex’s or Stegosaurus’ mouth and let it roar at their targets.

This nerf blaster also uses soft nerf darts that are safe to shoot. While playing with these nerf toys, your child can practice motor skills, focus, and patience. These dinosaur blasters are also suitable for all occasions and venues such as parks, backyards, or indoors. That’s why they also make perfect holiday or birthday gifts for toddlers.

Digital Shooting Blaster Set

Most Fun Nerf Gun for Toddlers

Digital Shooting Blaster Set

What Makes It Special?

  • The electronic scoring targets can auto reset
  • It features sound and light effects

If you are looking for an interactive nerf gun that is fun to use for toddlers, Digital Shooting Blaster Set has everything you are looking for. This nerf blaster features four electronic targets that can automatically reset and bounce back. They also feature flashy lights and sound effects to make the shooting practice more vivid.

The digital screen can keep a score of up to 60 points. It helps your toddler track practice progress. This nerf blaster toy is wonderful for playing independently or at a party. Just don’t forget to purchase some backup batteries.

NERF Fire and Ice Team Blasters

Best Party Nerf Gun for Toddlers

NERF Fire and Ice Team Blasters

What Makes It Special?

  • The grips are comfortable for toddlers’ hands
  • It comes with four sets of blaster and darts

If you are looking for a nerf toy to be shared by multiple toddlers and kids, NERF Fire and Ice Team Blasters can be great choice. This blaster toy set comes with four sets of blasters and darts.

To make it safe for toddlers, each gun can only launch one dart at a time. This encourages kids to practice hiding and aiming rather than firing multiple rounds continuously. This team blaster is the best nerf gun for toddlers to play with siblings and friends.

Little Tikes Mighty Dual Blaster

Best Dual Nerf Gun for Toddlers

Little Tikes Mighty Dual Blaster

What Makes It Special?

  • It can launch two soft pods at once
  • It is easy and simple to operate

Does your toddler want more firing power? If so, try the Little Tikes Mighty Dual Blaster. This nerf toy uses soft pods with attractive graphics. They are easy to load, safe to fire, and fast to retrieve.

Like the other Little Tikes blaster we recommended earlier, this one is also simple to use and your toddler won’t need any guidance from you. Though it’s slightly bigger, it weighs about the same as the single blaster.

Important Features to Look For in the Best Nerf Gun for Toddlers

There are many things to consider when buying the best nerf gun for toddlers. For one, it must be safe to operate so that your child won’t hurt themselves or others. Secondly, it must be easy and simple to handle so that your child can play with it independently. Lastly, it should have ample fun features to keep your little one interested for a good amount of time.

Therefore, we summarized some of the most important features the best toddler nerf gun should have.

  • It fires one nerf dart at a time. As we mentioned in the Nerf Gun for 9-Year-Olds, some nerf blasters are capable of shooting up to 50 darts continuously. This might be a desirable feature for bigger kids, but not necessarily recommended for toddlers. This type of nerf gun is hard to control and doesn’t encourage much physical movement. Single-firing nerf darts can motivate toddlers to aim and learn to take cover. It is also less aggressive so that parents can intervene easily should something go wrong.
  • The grip is easy to hold. Toddlers’ arms are not as strong as bigger kids’. Plus their palms and fingers are too tiny to hold bulky and heavy nerf toys. The best nerf gun for toddlers should have smaller grips with anti-slip textures. The gun should also be light enough for toddlers to grab, hold, tilt, or spin.
  • It doesn’t have sharp edges. Toddlers like to run with nerf guns and they can trip themselves and fall easily. There is a chance that your toddler can hit their face or chest on a nerf gun. That’s why the toddler nerf guns we recommend feature rounded edges so that they don’t pose any risk should your child falls. Additionally, if your house is cluttered with loose toys or sharp furniture, consider letting your child play with nerf guns in the backyard.
  • It doesn’t have too many parts. Some nerf guns have side-open drums, removable scopes, or tripods. They can be cool for bigger kids but can be super frustrating for little toddlers. Plus they add unnecessary complexity and make your child dependent on your guidance all the time. That’s why the best nerf gun for toddlers should be simple and straightforward.
  • The shooting range is within 12 feet. Though we have reviewed nerf guns that can shoot as far as 120 feet, we recommend that you get a short-range nerf gun for your little one who is just starting. 12 feet to 16 feet should be more than enough for most toddlers.

Summary

Have you found the best nerf gun for toddlers that can bring joy and excitement to your little one or even the entire family? Nerf guns are great toys to lure toddlers away from digital screens and get some physical exercise. While playing, they get stronger arm muscles, better hand-eye coordination, and learns to compete as well as work as a team.