I DM'd for some 8 year olds while working at a summer camp once. I was using one of the 3e starter boxes that comes with a simplified rule book and premade char

I DM'd for some 8 year olds while working at a summer camp once. I was using one of the 3e starter boxes that comes with a simplified rule book and premade characters. You also have to be okay with just ignoring some rules that may add confusion like attacks-of-opportunity. But overall it went great, maybe too great, haha. Afterwards they'd frequently try to suggest that instead of any normal camp activities they could play D&D. The camp basically made a rule against it because too many kids got interested and you'd either have an unmanageably large game, or have to exclude kids from the game. I think the 5e starter box is somewhat similar. I know it comes with a reduced rule soft-book with just the important rules and spells. I believe it includes premade characters too but I'm not 100% sure.