Get your kid a BMX or a 26" dirt jumper. No gears = not much to break. Or a 4x 26" bike with gears if you want them. You can also install gears on most DJ frames with an additional mech hanger. Sadly the only options for 26" are dirt jumpers, some 4x bikes, 26" BMX and some specialized 26" tourers. I remember the 80s when every kid in US movies rode a BMX. Fun times. We rode Soviet or domestic 20" foldables in Eastern Europe.