Decocking one of those hammer singles was a real trick too. Break it open first, then you had to chase down the shell because they eject unfired as well as fired shells. Decock without opening, easy to slip and have it go off by accident. Just looking at the position of a hammer is an easy way to tell whether the gun is "on safe". However, were I to start a youngster, I'd go with a single shot that has a tang safety, like a double. And, of course, stress safe handling. Gun on safe vs off doesn't necessarily guarantee it won't go off if it's dropped, shooter trips and falls, etc. But a tang safety is much easier for a youngster to operate.
Talking doubles, broken open and cocked only works if you're walking relatively open cover. If you're walking in brush or heavy grass, it's very easy to get crud in the action. Good chance the gun won't even close completely, let alone fire.
