Much as I like the Model 37, I'd have to agree with the choice of the 220 and disagree with Bob: especially for a "kid trainer," the Savage 220 is both a safer and a more practical gun.
Hammer singles don't really prepare a kid to use a double well, since they then need to get used to the tang safety on the double and forget the hammer. That can lead to some early fumbles, which are discouraging.
And hammers for very young (or clumsy) kids can be a menace-- de-cocking a hammer single with a careless, weak, or slippery little thumb can lead to an AD (DON'T ask me how I know this....). And carrying it around cocked is worse ("").
Unfortunately 220s are a lot harder to find than hammer singles and Ithaca's "Lefever Long Range" is even harder (I notice that Henry Repeating Arms is coming out with a line of hammer singles later this spring, BTW).
