I bought my 5 yr old granddaughter a Brother sewing machine at a yard sale for $20. I didn't want to replacing batteries and checking wires on a toy one all the time. She does sew on it but when she was 'helping' sew patches together for a quilt for her cousin, my nephew-to-be, I left her use my machine. It has a seam guide I can set for her to place the edge of the fabric against and I can set it r e a l slow. I have this feeling she will want to use GRammy's machine more often.