Mora
It's been a while since I was in this thread, but last time I was over at ragweedforge.com in the Mora (Sweden) catalog, I noticed a couple of things.
The Craftline "Punch" knife has a blade just over 2 1/2 inches long. It's a real knife, it's really sharp, and it will do useful work.
The Craftline "Safe Knife" has a 3 1/2 inch blade, but with a rounded point. The caution here is that, while there's no "real point" on it, the blade is nevertheless seriously sharp, just alike all Mora knives.
Finally, in case I haven't mentioned it before, there's the "Fishing Comfort 90" (basically a variation on the Craftline "Flex") which has a blade just under 3.5 inches, a less aggressive point, and a handle that's very grippy. I have one of these, and when people talk about "outdoor' knives, I often forget that this thing will do "outdoor' duty. I use it in the kitchen quite a bit, as the thinner blade is very food-friendly.
If I were looking to put a "first knife" into a kid's hands, this one strikes me as just about perfect. No, you won't be able to baton with it, and any fantasies including any form of the word "pry" or "chop" or "stab" should be ditched. However, fantasies with the word "cut" or "slice" will be just fine.
Don't worry about durability. I have a Mora (#1?) that I've owned for nearly forty years.
This smaller, lighter design is ideal for training and learning.
Oh, and while you're over at ragweedforge.com, pick up a Fire Knife in his favorite color. Stash it against the day that he's ready for the next step up in knife handling.
Anyway, just some thoughts.