Most shops that sell sewing machines also offer lessons. A Janome Jem is a very good choice. It can sew just about anything you throw at it. I think they began to offer the needle up-down feature with the platinum. I have a friend in 4-H who sews with school children several days a week. She had to be checked out by the school before beginning to work with the kids. Much of their sewing involves sewing large squares together to make quilts. My younger sister never touched anything sewing oriented when we were growing up. Home Ec was not a choice for me, but she refused to take home ec. When her little daughter was big enough to take dancing lessons, sister dear bought a sewing machine and a serger and learned to make costumes for her and most of the other kids because her daughter volunteered her to make them. The sewing machine repairman sold her the machines and made house calls when she called and demanded he come to resolve a problem.
Get the grandchild an adult sewing machine and quiz the seller about lessons.