Best Toy Swords and Shields of 2023

Excellent for open-ended pretend play, this 17-inch sword from Sarahs Silks has a lightweight foam core, encased in natural silk fabric.

With this, your little one can dual with friends, siblings, and adults, without the bumps and bruises caused by other swords made with heavier duty foam. However, although this sword is lightweight, it is not flimsy. It has the feel of a high-quality toy, without an excessive price-tag.

This foam sword and shield set provides twice the fun with two swords and two shields for the same price as many single sword and shield sets.

Each sword is cut from a solid piece of foam with additional foam layers on one side for color and detail. Shield designs are printed onto the foam, and, on the rear, there are securely attached, soft fabric strips, through which your children can slide their arms.

Not only do both the swords and the shields have different color schemes, but they are also slightly different shapes. This makes each set feel genuinely individual.

If you have older kids who can be trusted not to wack each other hard with their toy swords, these wooden swords from Adventure Awaits! may be just what you’re looking for.

Handmade in the U.S., these wooden swords are almost two feet long and have a handle wrapped in jute twine for extra grip.

They are sturdy enough to stand up to sparring with each other, so you don’t have to worry about them snapping and causing injuries. However, they will break if hit hard enough against a surface such as brick or concrete.

If you need a shield to go along with this sword, you can get the two items together in the Adventure Awaits! wooden toy sword shield combo

This Minecraft sword is affordable enough to be accessible, yet not so cheap that the quality suffers. It is a wonderful choice as the finishing touch to a Minecraft costume, or as a gift for a Minecraft fan who wants to fight their way across the yard.

The size of the sword makes it proportionate for the average 6- to 10-year-old to wield. Older kids might feel like it’s more of a long dagger than a sword, however.

As the sword is made of harder plastic, it will hurt anyone who is hit with it, either intentionally or by accident.

Whether you are hosting a birthday party, having a play date with a handful of your child’s friends, or you like to give your child plenty of options to choose from, this pack of toy swords and shields for kids is an excellent value.

In the pack, you’ll find eight swords of between 15 and 17 inches long and four shields measuring almost 12 inches high. Each sword is a different style and color combo, while all four of the shields have a different design.

The shields have fastener straps through which your child can thread one of their arms, just like the real thing.

If you have a little Zelda fan in your life, or maybe even a big one, why not consider this unique foam sword?

The sword has a total height of either 41.5 inches or 31 inches depending on the selected item. Furthermore, it is made of high-density foam. It is soft enough to prevent injury should your little Zelda fan decide to slay Ganon/Gerudo and catch you with the tip. Despite the length, the sword is still lightweight enough for kids to be able to easily handle well.

Rather than just one, this is a pack of twelve cardstock shields, each of which comes with a strip of card for you to create a handhold. At 23 inches tall and 17 inches at the widest point, these shields are a good size for little ones as young as 5 years old right up to tweens.

We especially like the fact that our kids can use pencils or markers to create any shield design they can imagine. They are also a fun item for parties, decorating a room, or even family history and school projects.

Founded in New York in 1951, Rubie’s began as a candy store that also sold comics and novelty items. Since then, it has grown into an international designer and manufacturers of costumes and accessories for both adults and children.

This sturdy plastic sword has a silver color blade and a bronze color hilt so it works best for medieval era costumes. However, they can also be painted or have embellishments added, so this is a good option for tweens or teens who are into cosplay.

Strong enough to stand up to a backyard dual, they are pretty firm and can cause a few tears if they make contact with another kid.

Other Nerf swords may come and go, but the Nerf N-Force Vantage sword has been popular since it was first released in 2011.

The sword is made from a firm plastic core with a Nerf foam outer shell. That means the sword maintains its shape well during the most vigorous dual, but if you receive a blow, it doesn’t hurt as much as a similar-sized sword without the foam cushioning.

This sword is for older kids because it’s long, at 32 inches, and it’s fairly heavy. And, in case you’re wondering, it doesn’t shoot any darts. Parents sometimes mistakenly assume all Nerf products include flying darts — but they don’t.

When only toy swords with lights and sounds will do, there is the Beast-X electronic saber from Hasbro.

This Power Rangers sword is a tie-in item for the current Power Rangers “Beast Morphers” series running on Nickelodeon. So, if you have a relatively new fan in your home, this will be a sword they will immediately recognize.

The sword has a range of light modes and a secret “Beast Mode” that can be unlocked when your child swings the blade seven times in quick succession.

There are also plenty of sound effects that will add to your child’s enjoyment.

Made from tougher than it sounds bamboo, the Idea 7 knight’s sword is shipped as a sword kit that contains everything your child needs to create their own bamboo sword.

We are especially impressed that the kit comes with sandpaper, finishing oil, cloths, and glue, as well as two dust masks — one for an adult and one for a child. This is a fabulous kit to share with your kids in safety.

Once you’ve created your sword, consider giving it a personal touch by adding your child’s name or initials.

Does Ganondorf cause trouble in your home? Beat him with this sword. This 100 percent injection molded plastic sword is an officially licensed Nintendo product. This kids’ toy sword is a great choice for your Nintendo fanatic.

Some people who have used the product feel the plastic material used is stiff and will likely to stand up to rough play.

Part of the Liontouch Knights line, this foam sword is both cut and decorated to give the impression of a burning blade.

The body is made from five different layers of foam. There is a red foam core with one thin, slightly smaller, layer of cut and printed foam on either side. On top of these, there is a further layer on each side, somewhat smaller than the last.

The construction gives the sword a multi-layer flame effect, enhanced by the unique printing on each piece. No two Liontouch flame swords are precisely the same.

Not all of those who wield a sword are Earth dwellers, some live exciting lives of intergalactic adventure, at least in their minds. It is for the children who prefer their battles to be futuristic that we include the iconic Star Wars lightsaber.

While these laser-bladed weapons are available in various colors, styles, and qualities, we have selected this lightsaber as one that will appeal to most kids, unless they have a favorite Star Wars character they wish to emulate.

This lightsaber comes with a light dagger and connector so you can create a double-ended weapon.

Here is a second Minecraft sword for this list, but this one is quite different from the first.

The Minecraft light-up adventure sword has buttons in the handle so you can choose from a wide range of light and sound effects.

The colors available are white for the iron sword, yellow for the gold sword, or blue for the diamond sword. That gives you plenty of options, no matter which biome you’re in, or which block you want to bust.

Woosh and clang sounds are built-in, and the light will turn red or green depending on whether you’ve met with a neutral or hostile mob.