More than half of gun-owning families with toddlers and preschoolers have at least one firearm stored unlocked, loaded, or both. That’s the headline from a new survey of 843 parents of kids ages 1 to 5, presented this weekend at the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) 2026 National Conference in San Diego.
This isn’t a story about whether families should own guns. Most parents in the study said they own firearms to protect the people they love. It’s a story about safe gun storage, the simple, practical step that pediatricians say closes the gap between “protecting my family” and “protecting my curious 3-year-old.” Here’s what the researchers found, what secure storage actually looks like, and the easy moves any household can make this week.
What the New AAP Study on Safe Gun Storage Found
The study, titled “Handgun and Long Gun Ownership and Storage in Families With Young Children,” was led by Andrew Hashikawa, MD, a clinical professor of emergency medicine and pediatrics at the University of Michigan, with senior author Alison L. Miller, PhD. The team ran a nationally representative online survey of U.S. firearm-owning parents of children ages 1 to 5.
Here are the key numbers, as reported by Contemporary Pediatrics:
- 843 parents were surveyed, all living in a household with firearms.
- More than half reported at least one household firearm stored unlocked, loaded, or both.
- 94%+ owned at least one handgun. 51% owned handguns only, 44% owned both handguns and long guns (rifles or shotguns), and 5% owned long guns only.
- Families owned an average of just under three firearms.
- 77% said protection was their main reason for owning a gun, well ahead of hunting or recreation.
For the study, “secure” meant every firearm in the home was both locked and unloaded. If even one gun was loaded or unlocked, the household counted as not secure.
The handgun vs. long gun twist
One finding surprised a lot of readers: households with only handguns were more likely to store everything securely than households with both types. Secure storage was reported by 41.5% of handgun-only families versus 30.7% of families that owned handguns and long guns.
The researchers didn’t claim to know exactly why. But more guns, of different types, kept for different reasons, can mean more things to keep track of. A hunting rifle in a closet and a handgun in a nightstand are two very different storage problems.
“We found that many children under age 5 live in homes where firearms are not stored securely,” Hashikawa said in a press release. “Families often own firearms to protect their loved ones, but leaving them unlocked can put young children at risk. Keeping every firearm locked and unloaded is an important part of keeping children safe.”
Why Young Kids Are Uniquely at Risk
Toddlers and preschoolers explore everything. They climb, open drawers, and copy what they see adults do. That’s normal development, and it’s exactly why storage matters more than rules or warnings at this age.
According to the study authors, unintentional firearm injuries are increasing among children younger than 6. They noted that guns stored loaded and unlocked are involved in most of these injuries, and that handguns account for most unintentional firearm deaths among young children.
The AAP is blunt about the limits of “teaching” small kids. On its parent site, HealthyChildren.org, the academy says teaching children about firearm safety “is not an effective way to prevent firearm injuries,” because kids don’t yet have the brain development to understand the risk. Translation: the lock does the work, not the lecture.
The Bigger Picture: Millions of Kids, One Fixable Problem
This new survey lands on top of other 2026 research pointing the same way.
In May, a study in JAMA Network Open led by Dr. Matthew Miller of Northeastern University estimated that about 32 million U.S. children live in homes with firearms, and roughly 7 million live in a home where at least one gun is loaded and unlocked, as NPR reported. In that survey of nearly 900 gun-owning parents, about 35% stored every gun unloaded and locked, while about 21% had at least one gun loaded and unlocked.
Interestingly, Miller’s team found parents of kids under 13 were more likely to lock and unload than parents of teens. That matters, because teens face higher suicide risk. “When guns are locked up, it reduces the risk of dying by suicide, by firearm suicide in particular, by threefold,” Miller told NPR.
The stakes are real. Firearms remained the leading cause of death for U.S. children and teens ages 1 to 17 for the fifth straight year in 2024, with 2,214 deaths, according to a Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions analysis of CDC data reported by Stateline in July.
What Safe Gun Storage Actually Means
The AAP’s standard is simple and works for any household, whatever the reason you own a gun. Safe gun storage means:
- Unloaded. Remove all ammunition, including any round in the chamber.
- Locked. Use a trigger lock, cable lock, lock box, gun safe, or firearm cabinet.
- Ammo stored separately. Keep ammunition locked in a different spot from the firearm.
The AAP also says firearms shouldn’t be left unattended in common “temporary” spots: on top of a nightstand, in a purse or bag, in a drawer, or in a closet or attic. Those are exactly the places little hands find first.
“But I need it for protection.” Here’s the middle ground
Since 77% of parents in the new study own guns for protection, the worry about speed is real and fair. The good news is that modern storage doesn’t have to slow you down much:
- Quick-access lock boxes and small safes open with a keypad, key, or fingerprint in seconds.
- Biometric safes open only for registered fingerprints. Dr. Chethan Sathya of Northwell Health pointed to biometric safes, smart holsters and smart guns as newer options in NPR’s coverage.
- Cable locks are a low-cost option for long guns that stay put.
The study authors suggested that safety messaging should meet families where they are, including their reasons for ownership. The point isn’t to choose between protection and safety. It’s to get both.
Free gun locks are easier to get than you think
Project ChildSafe, a program from the National Shooting Sports Foundation, partners with local law enforcement to hand out free firearm safety kits that include a cable-style gun lock. Many police and sheriff’s departments keep them at the front desk. Call your local department and ask. Availability varies by location.
Safe Gun Storage Beyond Your Own Home: Playdates, Grandparents and Sitters
Your kids spend time in other homes too: friends, relatives, babysitters. The AAP recommends asking about firearm storage before your child visits another home for any length of time.
It can feel awkward. A few tips to make it easier:
- Bundle it. Ask alongside the usual questions: “Any pets? Any allergies I should know about? Any guns in the house, and how are they stored?”
- Keep it neutral. You’re not asking whether they own guns as a judgment. You’re asking how they’re stored, the same way you’d ask about a pool fence.
- Have a backup plan. If the answer doesn’t feel right, invite the kids to play at your place instead.
- Don’t skip family. Grandparents who no longer have little ones at home may have relaxed storage habits. A friendly reminder before a visit goes a long way.
The AAP and partners promote this idea every year through ASK (Asking Saves Kids) Day, held on the first day of summer. But the question works any day of the year, including fall playdate and holiday season.
What to Say to Your Kids (and What Not to Rely On)
Talking with your children still matters, as long as you treat it as a backup and not the main plan. For preschoolers, keep it short and repeatable:
- “If you ever see a gun, don’t touch it.”
- “Leave the room.”
- “Tell a grown-up right away.”
Then assume they might forget, because young kids often do. Curiosity tends to win. That’s why every expert source points back to the same fix: locked, unloaded, ammo separate.
And if you’re a parent who realizes your storage isn’t where it should be? You’re not alone. This study suggests that’s true for more than half of gun-owning families with little kids. The authors even proposed that parents who already store securely could help encourage others. Today is a fine day to become one of those parents.
Your Safe Gun Storage Checklist for This Weekend
- Do a walk-through. Count every firearm in the home, including ones in cars, bags, closets and the garage.
- Unload and lock each one. Use a lock box, safe, or cable lock. If you need a lock, call your local police department about free Project ChildSafe kits.
- Move the ammo. Store it locked, in a separate spot.
- Secure the keys and codes. Keep keys on you or in a place kids can’t reach, and don’t use obvious combinations like birthdays.
- Add the playdate question to your normal pre-visit checklist.
- Talk to your pediatrician. Doctors can discuss storage options without judgment. The AAP encourages parents not to hesitate to raise gun safety at checkups.
If you or someone you know is in crisis, call or text 988 to reach the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.
Want more practical, no-panic parenting guides? Check out our kids heat safety guide, our fall 2026 kids’ vaccine guide, and what pediatricians say about screen time. Stay tuned to USA One News for more updates from the AAP 2026 National Conference.
