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I think it depends on the kid!
Mine (aged 8 and 11) have experience with Dobsonian mounted reflectors and AL/Az mounted refractors...
My kids get more use out of the refractors...
While I love my reflectors, the refractors also get used in the day (birds, pirates and spying on the neighbors).
Refractors "look" like a telescope is supposed to look, they work great on planets, double stars and the moon. These are things my kids really enjoy looking at (they are colorful). Their tastes have not yet developed sufficiently to appreciate the faint fuzzy black and white stuff.
No doubt that an 8 inch Dobsonian mounted reflector is a great value and a very good place for a "begginer" to start...but for kids it is hard to beat a refractor mounted on an Alt/Az.
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