Is a Simplicity #30516 First Fashions LockStitcher considered a "real" sewing machine or is this a toy and not something I should buy?

My suggestion would be to get an inexpensive machine that has at least a zig zag stich if this young one has shown any interest in sewing.... There is nothing more discouraging than not having the "tools" that dont work. I hope my opinion helps. Blessings

If it's the one I think it is, then it's not very sturdy and I was not favorably impressed with it at all.

Don't remember details about the one I looked at, but it was purple and did a chain stitch. Not easy to control the speed of the stitching either.

I agree with lovequilts.

To keep the younger ones interest, I would get a machine with a few decorative stitches too. A lot of machines in the $100-$150 range have them and are a full size machine.

My granddaughter has been using the Janome Hello Kitty machine since she was 5 years old. It is a "real" machine and I am very impressed with how well it sews.

You might also consider some of the "older" singers that have a zigzag stitch - once in a while one can get lucky and get one that sews well quite inexpensively.

Check it out before bringing it home, though.

Not cheap but my kids in that age bracket sew on a Janome Gem Silver. I use it as my back up travel machine and they learn to sew on it. Also I have some kids that sew on an older Singer 1970-s that some one gave me. You can pick those up for about $35. They work better then the cheaper newer ones in my opinion. I secdond the antique hand cranks eventhough that is not the one my kids use. Ofcourse they run more expensive and do straight stich only. Another nice machine that is straight stich only is the Singer 301. My personal favorite.

I second that choice. My DGD also has one. She only uses it occaisionally now because she prefers my old Singer 128 handcrank.

No I would stay away from the toys. The Janome Sew Mini is good (the same as the hello kitty) or the larger one (not sure of the name but it's a 3/4 size machine) or the Kenmore half or 3/4 size machines would be a lot better. When my dd was 8 I got her a regular machine (albeit a Singer but I didn't know about the Kenmores and small Janomes back then) and it has been fine for her.