I gave this gun to my 6.5 year old son, and my girlfriend's son the same age for Christmas.
They were OVERJOYED w/ excitement when they saw them. And, they continue to have great fun with them.
HOWEVER, the darts DO sting. We tested them prior to giving them to the boys based on the other reviews I read, and they do indeed pack a little punch. Defintely not something you want a child taking to the eye...