Six year old wants tools for birthday

[RuralRoute C-30]

Suggestions? Anyone gone or going through this too? A first "real tool" tool kit?

Seriously, whenever I go out to the shop to work on anything wrench or shop/tool related he wants to help. Love his enthusiasm but there are obvious limitations what he can be allowed to "work on".

Yet I don't want to discourage his wanting to learn to work with tools either. He has mastered the wonderment of the magnet on a stick and has practiced ratcheting with recent projects. Lord knows too he understands a hammer and has mastered the mechanics creeper!

He also has learned the basics to ask before touching, knows if I give him a tool to "work with" that it has a place in the tool box to go when done, not where he drops it, and he knows to ask before touching anything tool related.
I lean towards teaching him safety a lot for his well-being and my sanity.

So I was thinking a trip to Harbor Freight maybe? Some basic wrenches and a socket set? Misc "safe" tools? (like such a thing exists!)

Yet the real problem; I need some suggestions on projects he can actually "work" on at a very beginner level with wrenches. Any ideas what a young beginner with no experience can disassemble and reassemble?

My first thought is to take a couple of boards, as we have done with nails to teach the hammer function, drill some holes and insert various bolts, washers and nuts he can practice with. Screws the same way. Yet like the nails, this lesson will probably last a week before he learns the basics and wants to do more. He really is smart though and loves to work like dad so this adds to the challenge factor for his 'older' dad to keep up with his brain. (yes, menapause misdiagnosed brought this young one to this "older" dad., his next youngest sibling is a sister 19 and his brother is 25! Wife and I had a very brief "empty nest".)

So just looking for suggestions with his birthday coming soon. Was even pondering an old small engine that he could do no harm to by taking it apart just to practice on. But for now, that remains a pondering.

Either way, it is nice to have somehow managed to have a 6 year old so interested in everything his dad does in the shop. Only now, he wants to participate. This young man even likes to stack firewood over watching television!

Yes, he is my wonderment of a blessing always.

Thanks for any advice!

Mark & son

Here he wanted to learn how to mow with this in early summer and still takes it out on occasion!...too short to reach the pedals on the John Deere...for now. Yet he's never too short though with wanting to be "working" on something! Beats the video game mentality I hear so much about from other parents.