Have you ever watched how your child plays with a hose? Often times, when the water isn’t on, they’ll stare straight into the end of it, looking down through the tube as if to see what might be holding the water up. Some of your more mischievous parents out there have no doubt kinked the hose, waited patiently for them to stare into the end of it, then unkinked it to blast them in the face with a stream of water. If they’re really young, you’ll be able to repeat this experiment several times before they catch on.

Such antics can be hilarious when it involves a child with a hose. But unfortunately, children play in similar ways with items that are far more dangerous.

Staring down the barrel of a loaded weapon

There are two points of interest on a gun: that intriguing dark hole where something seems to either go in or come out, and that moveable lever on the other end which does something. This means that when young children discover a weapon and start exploring it, this often involves staring straight into that mysterious chamber while tinkering around with that other point of interest: The moveable lever we adults know as a trigger. Children may not know what happens next, but you do.

This is why children who discover a gun so often end up shooting themselves. Even a 4- or 5-year-old who has seen plenty of guns on television may nonetheless play with one in just such a manner. They simply don’t make the connection between the fictional scenes they see on TV (where bullets always go into “bad guys”) and the dangerous way they are playing with a weapon. Even if the safety is on, that’s just one more thing to tinker with, so children often turn it off as they explore.

Parents should keep in mind that this principle applies not just to firearms, but BB guns as well. A child who stares down the barrel of a BB gun and pulls the trigger will likely lose an eye, and may even suffer brain damage or death.

Kids & chemical spray bottles

The other hazard comes in the form of a seemingly innocent object: spray bottles. When kids discover a spray bottle and begin playing with it, they often do the same thing they do with the hose: stare at the nozzle where the liquid should come out, then pull the trigger mechanism. This usually results in a face full of cleaning liquid, which depending on the type of chemical, can burn and damage their eyes. (Other children have been discovered gleefully spraying the liquid contents into their mouth and drinking it, unaware of the danger.)

Knowing HOW children play with things is an important part of being safety aware. It helps you anticipate what children might do with a particular item, and gives you a better understanding of how accidents can occur. Hopefully after reading this information, you have a greater appreciation of why it’s so important to keep these dangerous items out of reach.