12 Best Toy Swords that are Safe for Kids

If you are into cosplay, chances are that you loved playing with toy weapons as a kid. Whether you spent your childhood imagining you were a Jedi or a Viking, pretending to play with toy swords is an experience you likely want your child to experience as well. 

Kids today have more options to choose from with the rise of anime shows like Demon Slayer, making katanas just as popular as Western cutlasses. That said, not all swords are made equal and vary in terms of their material, size, and general purpose. These factors determine how safe a toy is in different playtime situations.

What Are Toy Swords Made Of?

When toy swords were first made, they were primarily wooden swords. The creation of durable, non-brittle plastics like ABS and PBS made sword play less risky and more affordable in the long run. Once firmer foam material could be mass produced, foam toys, like the famous Nerf toy gun darts, began to take over the market alongside plastic swords.

Of these toy sword materials, wood is arguably the most risky because when it breaks, it exposes children to sharp edges and splinters that they can get injured on. While it’s the preferred material for kendo training swords, those wooden swords are made through a rigorous process. In contrast, you’ll have a harder time finding a wooden toy sword that isn’t cheaply produced.

This leaves foam and plastic as the ideal toy in most scenarios. Plastic swords may have small parts that aren’t suitable for small children who are liable to put things in their mouths and swing at each other too hard. If you have very young kids, it’s best to buy a foam sword.

What’s the Difference Between A Toy Sword and A Real Sword?

Real swords are designed with fighting in mind which is why they’ll be made of steel and have sharpened edges that are definitely not child friendly. Meanwhile, toy swords are made of safer materials and will likely have rounded corners to avoid playtime injuries.

If you cosplay or collect swords from your favorite franchises, neither real swords or toy swords are ideal. Many toy swords will skimp out on the details for child-proofing purposes or to lower manufacturing costs. On the other hand, real swords are prohibitively expensive and can’t be legally brought to public spaces in many jurisdictions. Instead, you should opt for a replica sword that copies the appearance of a fictional sword without being a real weapon.

What Are Some Different Types Of Toy Swords?

Toy swords often mimic the appearance of real swords so it’s not uncommon to find cutlasses, katanas, rapiers, and longswords being sold in toy form. There’s also the occasional sci-fi themed sword like the lightsabers of Star Wars’ Jedi and mecha swords from Power Rangers shows.

12 Best Toy Swords On Amazon

If it’s a katana sword or a longsword for your knight costume that you’re after, these toy swords on Amazon offer the best choices in terms of build quality and detail. Many of the swords can be used for cosplay and everyday sword fighting so your kid gets the most fun out of them.

1. Toy Lightsabers From Star Wars

This toy lightsaber comes with seven color options that let you imagine yourself as a Jedi, a Sith, or both if you feel like exploring the path of the Gray Jedi. 

The replica lightsaber is tuned with sound effect templates that respond to each swing you make, creating the familiar humming noise that lightsabers have from the Star Wars movies. These swords can also be combined into one Darth Maul-style lightsaber by connecting them at the pommel.

• Material: Plastic
• Length: 43.99 cm

2. Link’s Sword From Legend of Zelda

 While most toy swords based on famous franchises are rough copies, this replica of Link’s sword from the Legend of Zelda is an exact replica worthy of young children and adults cosplaying as the greatest adventurer in Hyrule.

The sword features a gradient silver to blue blade that ends in an embossed triforce logo and a winged purple crossguard to protect the hand of your little hero. It comes with a blue and gold scabbard with faux rivets and another raised triforce logo that make this toy sword one of the best replicas of Link’s weapon you can find on Amazon.

• Material: Plastic
• Length: 68.58 cm

3. Ninja Weapons Playset

Get the most out of your money with this ninja weapons playset that has 6 different weapons for your child to play with. It comes with a pair of traditional Japanese swords, a pair of ninja 3 prong swords called sai, and a pair of mini shuriken.

This deluxe ninja toy pack is just what you need to top off a Halloween ninja costume.

• Material: Plastic
• Length: 38.1 cm (large swords), 30.48 cm (sai), 7.62 cm (shuriken)

4. 6 Pack Foam Swords

Three of these foam swords are made to look like the pirate swords we see in movies like Pirates of the Caribbean while the other three resemble European longswords. This gives your child a choice between the two and opens up the opportunity to have two teams of three kids play and fight each other. 

This all-foam sword set is perfect for parents who need to satisfy their small child’s thirst for adventure without the risk of them hurting themselves on a hard surface. It has no small parts that pose a choking hazard.

• Material: Foam
• Length: 45.46 cm

5. Light Up Sword Inspired by Minecraft’s Diamond Sword

Nothing says childhood wonder like a light up sword and this Diamond Sword-style one is practically made for kids who love Minecraft. 

The sword comes with three LED light colors: red, green, and blue.  

• Material: Plastic
• Length: 62.23 cm 

6. Raya’s Dragon Blade From Raya and the Last Dragon

Raya and the Last Dragon took inspiration from multiple Southeast Asian cultures and it shows in the sword design for its lead protagonist. The Dragon Blade is based on the Southeast Asian kris, a type of curved blade designed for slashing at enemies in both directions. 

That said, this toy replica comes with no sharp edges as it’s made entirely out of plastic and has a light up mechanism inside the blade. The toy sword keeps all the etched reliefs of the original, making it a good opportunity to introduce your child to art, other cultures, and the fun of sword play.

• Material: Plastic
• Length: 55.88 cm

7. Knight Sword, Ax, and Shield Set

Teach the knightly virtues of chivalry and courage with this knight’s sword, hammer, and shield set that has everything your child needs to save the kingdom. This set comes with a knight’s helmet, gauntlets, and vambraces to keep your little knight protected from enemy blades.

The set fits children between the ages of 3 and 10 and has adjustable shoulder straps as well as back straps on the smaller armor pieces so it can comfortably fit your child.

• Material: Plastic
• Length: 40 cm

8. Chromafury Saber from Power Rangers Dino Fury

You might remember the Chromafury sabers from Power Rangers Dino Fury where it was used by the Power Rangers according to their respective colors. Like in the show, the Chromafury saber toy comes in red, blue, pink, and yellow so your child can choose the saber owned by their favorite Ranger.

The sword has a short jagged blade that’s actually blunted all around so you won’t have to worry about injuries. The sword also lights up and has a sensor at the pommel that you can use to scan colors in order to change the LED color of the blade.

• Material: Plastic
• Length: 48.26

9. Wooden Toy Swords Set

Opt to keep things simple with these wooden toy swords that can be dual wielded or split with a friend so that your kid has someone to play with. The sword is carved entirely from wood and has been varnished to give it a slight brownish tinge. 

The swords have a nice balanced heft to them that makes them comfortable to swing for hours of fun.

• Material: Wood
• Length: 31.29 cm

10. Enchanted Purple Minecraft Sword

This pixelated purple sword is a toy replica of the enchanted purple sword from Minecraft. It’s a short sword  with a simple crossguard and a brown handle that’s meant to look like leather. Since the sword is pixelated by design, it has a number of sharp looking angles and a flat side profile. While this sword isn’t dangerous due to its blunted edges, it can get uncomfortable to play with after a while.

• Material: Plastic
• Length: 55.88

11. Building Block Samurai Sword

If your kid loves swords, Demon Slayer, and Legos, this sword is basically the jackpot because it’s an assembled nichirin sword replica.

This toy sword is shipped as a bag of plastic blocks that can be put together into a samurai sword complete with a tsuba and a two-tone blade. It can serve a double purpose as an additional source of blocks for your child’s Lego builds. Granted, the pieces are small and thin so caution should be taken with small children.

• Material: Plastic
• Length: 68.58 cm

12. Spartan Shield and Sword Set

This Spartan shield and sword set is the perfect toy set for kids in their Spartan and/or Wonder Woman phase. While both the sword and shield are made of kid-safe plastic, they’re painted and finished to look exactly like metal. 

The shield’s outer side features fake rivets and a slot for your kid to hold their sword in. And speaking of the sword, its crossguard and handle are made to look like hand forged metal, giving it an authentic look without the authentic danger of a real sword and shield set.

• Material: Plastic
• Length: 30.48 cm 

Conclusion

Video games may be in these days, but there’s a timeless charm to playing with toy swords with the neighborhood kids. These toy swords from Amazon cover a range of generic historically inspired swords as well as movie and video game inspired swords made of kid-safe materials.