7 Best Stage Combat Props For Training That Stunt Coordinators Trust

Your child just came home buzzing with excitement about their new stage combat class, or maybe they landed a role in the school play that involves a sword fight. Suddenly, you’re faced with a list of required "props" that look a lot like weapons, and you need to figure out what’s safe, what’s effective, and what’s worth the investment. Making the right choice isn’t just about the activity; it’s about building your child’s confidence and skills safely from day one.

Choosing Safe, Durable Props for Young Performers

It starts with a simple request: "I need a sword for my acting class." For a parent, this can be a confusing moment. You want to support their passion, but the top priority is, and always will be, safety. The props used in stage combat training are specialized tools designed to minimize risk while teaching proper technique. They are not toys, nor are they real weapons.

The key is to match the prop to the child’s physical development and the specific demands of their training. A lightweight rattan stick might be perfect for an 8-year-old learning basic martial arts forms, while a 15-year-old working on Shakespearean swordplay will need a synthetic longsword with appropriate weight and balance. Investing in the right gear from the start prevents the formation of bad habits that can be hard to unlearn and, more importantly, prevents injuries that could sideline their interest altogether.

This is one area where quality truly matters more than finding the cheapest option. A well-made training prop is designed to withstand repeated use in a controlled environment. Your investment is in durability and, most critically, in the safety features engineered into the product. Look for props trusted by professionals; they’ve been vetted for the very things you’re concerned about. A good prop can last for years, potentially being passed down to a younger sibling or resold to another family in the program when your child moves on to the next level.

Rawlings Synthetic Sword: The Industry Standard

So, the class list says "arming sword" or "longsword." You search online and are met with everything from foam LARP swords to sharpened steel replicas. This is where stunt coordinators and stage combat instructors overwhelmingly agree: start with a Rawlings synthetic sword. They are the gold standard for a reason.

These swords are constructed from a special blend of plastic that provides a safe amount of flex on a thrust, drastically reducing the risk of injury. Yet, they have enough heft and proper balance to feel like a real sword in the hand. This is crucial for developing correct muscle memory for blocks, parries, and cuts. A flimsy toy won’t teach proper technique, and anything heavier is unsafe for a beginner.

The Rawlings line is suitable for a wide range of ages, typically from pre-teens (around 11-14) up through adults. Because of their durability, a single sword can take a performer from their first beginner class all the way through advanced choreography workshops. It’s a smart, one-time purchase that supports long-term skill development.

Cold Steel Rubber Knives for Safe Close Quarters

When the script calls for a more modern or intense confrontation, the choreography may involve knives. This is an area where there can be absolutely no compromise on safety. Cold Steel’s line of rubber training knives is a staple in stunt bags everywhere because they solve this problem perfectly.

Made from a soft, pliable rubber (Santoprene), these trainers are firm enough to look realistic and be used in disarming drills, but they are soft enough that they won’t cause serious injury on contact during a missed block. They allow young actors, particularly teens working on dramatic scenes, to perform with confidence and intensity without putting their scene partner at risk. This is a prop strictly for supervised, choreographed training with a qualified instructor.

Century Rattan Escrima for Staff & Stick Work

Has your child been inspired by a film martial artist or a historical character who wields a staff? For any kind of stick or staff work, from Filipino martial arts to playing a character like Robin Hood, rattan escrima sticks are the ideal starting point. They are lightweight, fast, and incredibly resilient.

Rattan is a vine, not a traditional wood, so it’s fibrous. This means that when it eventually fails after immense use, it shreds rather than splintering into sharp, dangerous pieces. Its light weight makes it manageable for younger performers (ages 8 and up) to learn basic patterns and strikes without excessive muscle fatigue. This allows them to focus on form and flow, which is the foundation of all staff and stick-based movement.

These sticks are an excellent, low-cost entry point into a whole world of movement training. The skills learned with escrima sticks—coordination, spatial awareness, and timing—are directly transferable to other stage combat disciplines, including swordplay. It’s a foundational tool that builds a fantastic athletic base.

Purpleheart Polypropylene Buckler for Defense

Once your child has the basics of a single-handed weapon down, their instructor might introduce a defensive tool. A buckler, or small shield, is a fantastic next step. The polypropylene bucklers from a specialty supplier like Purpleheart Armoury are a top choice because they are virtually indestructible.

A buckler teaches a young performer to use both hands independently and to think about defense and offense simultaneously. It’s not just a passive blocking tool; students learn to use it to bind, trap, and strike. Because it’s made of solid polypropylene, it can take thousands of hits from synthetic swords without cracking or breaking, making it a safe and long-lasting piece of gear.

This is a great purchase for the intermediate student (ages 12+) who is committed to the craft and ready to add a new layer of complexity to their skill set. It’s a specialized item, but one that opens up a whole new vocabulary of movement for them to explore.

SMASHProps Breakaways for Realistic Impact

Eventually, in a performance setting, a scene might call for a dramatic moment of impact—a bottle, plate, or chair breaking. This is where breakaway props come in. SMASHProps is a leading name in the industry, creating props from safe materials like sugar glass or proprietary resins that shatter realistically and safely.

This is not a training tool for daily practice. Breakaway props are for specific, highly rehearsed moments in a performance or film shoot, always under the eye of a stunt coordinator or fight director. Using one teaches a young performer immense control, timing, and how to sell an effect for an audience. It’s an advanced skill for a teen who has already demonstrated maturity and discipline in their training.

Purchasing a breakaway is a decision made in direct consultation with an instructor for a specific performance need. It’s a consumable prop, but the experience of using one safely and effectively is an invaluable lesson for a serious young actor.

Blueguns Glock 17 for Modern Scene Safety

For teens working on contemporary plays, television, or film scenes, the presence of a firearm prop is a serious reality. Safety and responsible handling are non-negotiable. Blueguns are the professional standard for firearm training simulators for law enforcement and the military, and they are the safest possible tool for the stage.

These are solid, inert pieces of durable, impact-resistant polymer. Crucially, they are molded to the exact size, shape, and—most importantly—weight of the real firearm. This allows a performer to build realistic muscle memory for how to hold, carry, and move with the object. Using a lightweight toy creates bad habits and makes the performance look unconvincing.

Training with a Bluegun under a qualified instructor is about one thing: safety. It teaches a young actor to treat every firearm prop with respect and to master the precise, disciplined choreography required for scenes involving them. This is an essential piece of gear for any serious teen actor (14+) looking to work in modern media.

Cold Steel Brooklyn Smasher for Impact Scenes

What about a scene that calls for a baseball bat? A real wooden or aluminum bat is far too heavy and dangerous to be used in any kind of choreographed fight. The Cold Steel Brooklyn Smasher is the professional’s solution. It looks exactly like a classic baseball bat but is precision injection molded from high-impact polypropylene.

This material makes the bat incredibly durable—it won’t break, rot, or splinter like wood. More importantly for stage combat, it’s significantly lighter than a real bat. This reduces the risk of injury from an accidental impact and also helps the performer avoid fatigue during long rehearsals, allowing them to maintain control and focus on their performance.

For any scene requiring a bat, club, or similar blunt object, this is the go-to prop. It provides the visual realism needed for an audience while giving the performers and director the peace of mind that comes from using a purpose-built, safer alternative. It’s a durable prop that can be used for years across countless productions.

Choosing the right training props is an extension of supporting your child’s passion for performance. By investing in safe, industry-trusted gear, you’re not just buying an object; you’re providing the tools they need to learn, grow, and express themselves with confidence. Trust the process, trust their instructor, and enjoy watching their skills and self-assurance soar.