To explore reasons for having firearms, plus firearms storage, training, and use, among firearm-exposed children aged 10–12, and evaluate parent-child agreement in reporting.

Survey research was conducted as part of a larger randomized trial. Children aged 10–12, all exposed to firearms and living in the Southeastern United States, and a parent were recruited from community sources. They independently responded to surveys via tablet about family demographics (parents) and firearms use, storage, and training (parents and children). Descriptive data were examined and parent-child comparisons made.

One hundred sixty-three parent-child dyads participated. Consistent with inclusion criteria, both parents (M = 4.4, SD = 5.1) and children (M = 5.3, SD = 11.9) reported high numbers of firearms in the home, with protection (82% parents; 73% children) the most common reason. Both parents (76%) and children (78%) reported children knew where some firearms were stored, but about half (parents 55%; children 41%) reported children were unaware of the storage location for all. Over half of parents (55%) and many children (30%) reported some firearms were kept unlocked. Most parents (81%) and children (73%) reported children had firearm safety training from adult family, but few (<10%) from community or online sources. Both parents (44% hunt; 68% shoot) and children (47%; 60%) reported children hunt and shoot at least annually, occasionally unsupervised.

Understanding how children engage with firearms guides effective prevention. Results reveal children regularly engage in hunting and shooting, occasionally unsupervised; children are sometimes unaware where firearms are stored in their own homes; and children rarely have formal firearms safety training.