We had 5 daughters, and have always had guns around the house, still do. Touching mommy's or dad's guns without them present was strickly verboten, however, any time one of them wanted to shoot, with mommy and/or dad, that was totally fine. Some of these guns were loaded, some were not. Only the DA revolvers could be fired with only one action though.
By the way, this approach works when your children are visiting someone elses home too. Unsupervised handling of any firearm ist strengstens verboten! They need to know that, and believe it, and live it.
They were all introduced to the guns at as early an age as they were physically able to hold them. They were allowed to shoot them at water balloons and stuff like that as soon as they could properly manipulate the mechanism. Example: it is much easier to shoot a boy's SS .22 or High Standard Olympic than a pump shotgun. The shotgun takes a lot more strength.
Those girls all have there own families now, and they still remember, ask, and you shall receive...don't ask and you will receive something you don't want.
Anyway: I am not for hiding and making a mystery of any weapon. If you do not trust your discipline, and do not wish to teach you child properly care and feeding of your weapons, lock them up. It is that simple.
If you hide them, and make them a mystery, they will find them and try to figure out why they were hidden..