3DPrinting
3DPrinting is a place where makers of all skill levels and walks of life can learn about and discuss 3D printing and development of 3D printed parts and devices.
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IMO there are two things to consider. First: do you want FDM or SLA. You're trading resolution for build volume. If you're going to be making a lot of smaller things, SLA printers can offer more output since they print the same speed no matter how much of the build plate is occupied. Also consider the size of the things you'll print. In other words, how much build volume should you be looking for.
Second: are you seeking to tinker with the printer as a point of interest/engagement or are you simply looking for the printer to be a tool?
Off-the cuff list:
... There are tons of other options too
FDM for now. Not planning on doing casting or proto mockups at this time.
Envelope is not a large concern, I assume it is similar to machining. You buy 1.5x the size you think you need and find out it should have been twice as big. The plan is to cut teeth on this printer before moving to something better/larger.
Mostly want to use the printer as a tool, not bothered if some tinkering is required. A Harbor Freight machine like a drill press or band saw is a 'kit'. Use it for a little bit, take it apart and fix the manufacturing shortcomings. I'm okay with a printer of similar build quality as long as the bones are good.
Voron sounds interesting, have seen the Enders as well, seem to be okay.
On the envelope side: printing is more forgiving of having too small an envelope than machining. Since printing is all about adding material you can usually split the thing you want to print into pieces. I still think it's worth considering it the usual 200mm^3 will be enough since splitting parts can be annoying.
Harbor freight is a good comparison to an ender. They're fit for purpose, have some cheap parts, and are a decent platform to modify from. They will work out of the box most of the time, but you'll find yourself wanting to improve them.
Printer bones are very replaceable, especially if you have a functioning printer. I printed my Voron parts on my old i3 clone. I've now used my Voron to print future parts for itself before tearing some of it down and modifying things. People do the same with enders. There's even an Ender variant that rebuilds the Ender with a lot of Voron design ideas.
The only thing to be aware of is ultimate cost. Yes, you can turn the ender into most anything over time. It could wind up costing more money and time doing this though. Ultimately, the decision on how far to take the modifications will be yours and you can choose whether or not you want to have a frankenprinter. You'll also learn a lot along the way going this route, which takes me back to my original question: what are your goals for this project?
I guess my ultimate goal is that he learn to model and begin building proficiency with CAD to prepare him for CAM. I also want him to start getting a feel for CNC movement and thinking in Cartesian. I think the best way to get there is by getting him engaged in printing. I'm not sure if tinkering will help or hinder this process. I know it helped for me, but I'm not sure if it will for him. I think it might. Still pondering the appropriate level of tinkering, but am leaning towards Voron, not sure if that's my personal bias.
I knew my way around a printer before building my Voron, but the act of building it from the ground up really helps get you back to the basics: these are really just CNC hot glue guns and the components are not very hard to modify and replace. It's easy to build up a layer of mistique, which leads to not wanting to tinker, when confronted with something new.
You don't have to pick up CAD skills to build a printer, but odds are you'll find an opportunity to design some parts or iterate on someone else's design.
I've been proficient at CAD for longer than I've had printers, but as you know printers make turning ideas into physical parts fairly easy. It took a little while for me to start printint jigs and functional prints, but once I transitioned from thinking "this annoys me" to "I bet I could design something to make this easier" I kept finding more and more opportunities to design things. To me, this matters a lot more than being proficient in CAD. I would say the same thing about programming - understanding where you want to go and why you want to get there can often be more important than writing the actual code.
I've been designing and printing things with my kids as long as they've been alive. At this point they take for granted that I'll be able to design and print something to either fix a broken toy or make something better. They're only 4 and 7, but they do like watching and "helping" me when I have CAD open. More importantly to me, they're also identifying opportunities to make something.
Good luck with your kid! I hope you're able to create an environment where their curiosity moves them in the direction of wanting to create things.